Rejected Prayer Book

The English House of Commons could pass on and reject the revised, alternative Book of Common Prayer offered for its judgment last week by the Church of England, because the Church of England is interdependent with the British Government (see FOREIGN NEWS). The Church is "established." The King nominates its bishops; they sit as peers in the House of Lords. The Government administers the vast funds and properties of the Church. The two have been closely bound since Parliament passed the Uniformity Act of 1662.

Episcopalians. Except for its close linkage to the English Government, the Church of England's organization is practically that of the Protestant Episcopalian Church in the U. S., and the Episcopalian churches of Scotland, Wales, Ireland and other areas of the British Commonwealth. The hierarchy of those churches is composed of deacons, priests and bishops. The bishops govern. No ecclesiastical authority is above them, except where, as in England there are archbishops. The archbishops, however, act somewhat as do chairmen of corporate boards of directors. They lack inherent power of command. (In the Roman Catholic Church the Government is, of course, that of an absolute monarchy with the bishops subordinate to the Pope.) Thus government among Episcopal churches is only loosely integrated, and the individual congregations conduct services much as they please.

Idiosyncracies. This lack of theocratic organization has permitted many idiosyncracies to develop in Protestant Episcopal services. A priest, if his parishioners tolerate his fancies, may add little gestures to his services, may modify the presentation of his ritual. This congregation may sit during certain prayers; that one may stand. This one may read aloud; that one may read silently. To this congregation the Holy Communion may be merely a symbolic ceremony, to that one a sacrament suffused with almost Roman Catholic mysticism. The wine and unleavened bread used during the Holy Communion to one congregation will represent Blood & Body only for the few minutes of the service, to another congregation they remain Blood & Body forever after consecration (the Roman Catholic tenet). Those Protestant Episcopalians (in England members of the Church of England) who desire full & mystic rituals call themselves Anglo-Catholics. Incidentally, they are the ones who wish a strongly centralized church government for their denomination.

Prayer Book. The Bishops of the Church of England attempted to preserve this latitudinarianism and at the same time to create some authority for parochial idiosyncracies. Thus they arranged for an alternative marriage service in which they might omit the word "obey." And they provided for the "reservation of the Host," already practiced by some priests. "Reservation of the Host" means that the wafer consecrated at a mass preserves its sanctity, can be set aside (reserved) and carried to those unable to attend church services.

A majority of the members, clergy and bishops of the Church of England approved the modifications at convocations earlier this year. In a country, as the U. S., where state and church are separate, such approval would have been sufficient to create rules for a denomination. But the Church of England is the "established," state church of England. Parliament has the right to veto any changes in the Church of England practices. Therefore the new prayer book was submitted to the House of Lords last week; and approved. It was immediately submitted to the House of Commons; and rejected (see FOREIGN NEWS).

Sequelae. The rejection of the prayer book by the House of Commons has little practical effect among Church of England congregations and none at all among Protestant Episcopal congregations elsewhere. Those who have practiced and wish to practice rites which the revised prayer book intended to authorize, will practice those rites. Those who wish to maintain traditional practices, will do so.