Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

The Reformed Liturgist: An Irrelevant Question...

The Reformed Liturgist: An Irrelevant Question...

An Irrelevant Question...

"Where is the minister (Presbyter) commanded to wear vestments?" If being a police officer, a firefighter or a member of the armed forces is a vocation for the Christian, with required uniforms, why is a minister of Word and Sacrament not supposed to be vested? Is the real reason a truncated view of the ministry? By "truncated," I mean reducing it to nothing more than lecturing.
So the "pastor" wears street clothes and practices psychological manipulation on the stage.

Decency, decorum, depth, reverence, confession, quiet reflection, and other essential qualities of true Liturgical piety are lacking. How can they be present, when the chancel is just a stage, lacking even the balance between the Word read and Preached, and the Holy Sacraments?. In I Corinthians 4:1, Saint Paul affirmed the apostles to be "stewards of the mysteries of God." The plural would call attention to both teaching and the Sacraments. These are best communicated and dispensed in a highly respectful and prayerful setting, marked by faith and humility.

In these latter days, we seem to have lost the category "Churchmen!" With many groups gathering as disorganized mobs on Sunday to sing of self with the culture, the necessity remains to advocate and pray for: Recovery of the ancient Creedal Faith, enshrined in the Scriptures, and ancient worship as the best way to communicate that Faith! Part of this must include recovery of cassock and surplice or alb, for starters.

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