General Questions about the Bible and the Church
The Bible is a collection of sixty-six books written over a period of 1400 years by men inspired by God and telling of God’s relationship and dealings with humanity. The central theme of the Bible is God’s plan of redemption in Christ; promised in the Old Testament and presented in the New Testament.
Because men moved and guided by God the Holy Ghost wrote it (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:21).
The Old Testament contains books of law, history, prophecy, and poetry.
The New Testament contains the Gospels; an historical account of the
The Bible is divided into the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament tells of God’s dealings with man in the centuries before Christ. The New Testament tells of the birth and ministry of Christ; His death; resurrection; and ascension into Heaven; the coming of the Holy Ghost, and the activities and teachings of the Apostles.
Because it is God’s sure revelation to humanity telling what He has done for us and what we must do in order to be saved.
We should study the Bible reverently and prayerfully every day.
It is an institution founded by our Lord Jesus Christ in
God’s Covenant with the people of
It was destroyed because its rulers rejected Christ. When Titus, son of
the Emperor Vespasian, destroyed the
Our Lord said the gates of hell should not prevail against it (
Its purpose is to carry on the work of Christ and bring all men to salvation. In the New Testament, the Church is called “the body of Christ” and “the bride of Christ.”
Bishops, Priests and Deacons. Christ ordained the first Bishops whom He
called Apostles (St. Matthew 10:2;
“Bishop” is the English equivalent of the New Testament Greek word ´ejpivskopoß (episkopos); “Priest" is the English equivalent of the New Testament Greek word presbuvteroß (presbyteros); Deacon is the English equivalent of the New Testament Greek work diavkonoß (diakonos).
Some people contend that the word episkopos really means “overseer” and the underlying meaning of the term presbyteros is “elder,” therefore, these terms should be used in the Church. This can easily become an example of “selective translation” as consistency in translation would demand that the word diakonos should then be rendered “waiter,” yet, the title deacon is maintained in most churches which have selected the words “elder” or “overseer” to replace “bishop” and “priest.” Such scrutiny of the biblical terms is also a case of “over translation” as the direct English translation of presbyteros is the word “priest” and the accepted direct linguistic root of “bishop” is episkopos. To go a step further in the history of the concept presbyteros to find the word “elder” would be the same process as searching for the “least common denominator” definitions of all biblical words in which case we should call the Apostle Paul “St. Small” as the underlying historical meaning of paulus is “small.”
The real reason why the terms “Bishop” and “Priest” were abandoned by some Christian groups in the 16th and 17th centuries is the mistaken belief that these terms were unique to Roman Catholicism and inherently implied levels of authority and function which are not biblical (such as the often misstated belief that the word “priest” inherently means a “sacrificing clergy” with the implication of perpetual sacrifices for sin as found in Roman Catholic doctrine. This misunderstanding, incidentally, is the same reason why the term “altar” has been rejected under the misconception that the word inherently means “a place of sacrifice.” The actual origin of “altar” is “material for worship”). In one attempt to mediate between “over translation” and the recent memories of the Roman Catholic Church, one group of 16th century Protestants even invented a hybrid Greek/English term “presbyter” to replace “priest.” While we deeply sympathize with the revulsion with which these sincere Christians regarded the errors and superstitions of medieval Roman Catholicism, we should neither our translation of the text of Holy Scripture (See also Question #47).
He told them to go into all the world and preach the
Gospel and baptize in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost
and He would be with them to the end of the world (
They ordained others to assist them in their work and to continue it after they were dead; these in turn ordained others (II Timothy 1:6). In this way, the ministry has been continued down to the present time.
It is called the Historic Episcopate. The preservation of the Episcopate throughout the centuries is called the Apostolic Succession. It is important because it is the Office and system that
Christ Himself ordained.
Because it is a well-established fact of history. The very earliest writers of the Church such as Ignatius of Antioch (69 A.D.) wrote about the nature of Apostolic Succession. Each generation following the Apostles made mention of its existence and integrity. The documentary evidence for the unbroken line in the Anglican Succession is impeccable.
The Bishops.
No; we might call our chief ministers Bishops (as some groups do), but unless they receive their commission from those empowered to bestow it, they would be only man-appointed, having the name and office of a Bishop, but without Apostolic authority. The earliest historical documents of the Church dating to the lifetime of the Apostles record the organization of the early Church around the ministry of Bishops, Priests and Deacons ordained by Bishops in the Apostolic Succession.
Catholics and
Into the Greek, Roman, Old Catholic, and
From the Church of England (Anglican).
To Christ and His Apostles through an unbroken line of Bishops.
To the movement in
For the first fifteen hundred years after Christ. The myth that an underground “free church” existed outside of Catholic Christianity throughout the 1500 years between Pentecost and the Reformation is absolutely without historical merit.
About 85%. The overwhelming majority of Christians in the Free Church
denominations reside in
Because the
No. Church membership brings us into covenant with God, but unless we keep the covenant, we are not saved.
Accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour (
A Catholic is one who holds the Faith that was held and taught by the undivided primitive Church. A Roman Catholic is one who accepts the modern notions peculiar to the Church of Rome e.g., the supremacy and infallibility of the Pope, transubstantiation, the adoration of relics, the worship of the Virgin Mary, enforced auricular confession etc.
The authority of the Pope was renounced and law forbade the superstitious practices and false doctrines that had grown up during the Middles Ages. By maintaining Apostolic Order of Ministry, Doctrine, and Practice while removing the errors of the medieval Church, the Church of England became truly "Catholic and Reformed."
The common claim that Henry VIII founded the Church of England is without historical merit. The part played by Henry VIII was purely political and selfish. After his quarrel with the Pope over the annulment of his marriage (a marriage which had been contracted contrary to both biblical principle and Canon Law, but, sanctioned by a dispensation from a previous Pope), Henry did all he could to free England of the Pope's influence; but in all other respects he was a Roman Catholic and held the doctrines of that Church to the day of his death. The English Reformation took another one hundred and thirty years to accomplish.
We should regard them with charity and kindness and pray that they may soon come to a deeper knowledge of the Truth.
It is derived from the Latin word meaning “service owed.” This refers to
the duty of the Christian to worship God “in spirit and in truth” (
In order that the congregation may take part in the worship by joining in the prayers and the reading of Scriptures as well as in the singing of the hymns.
It was adopted in 1549 though much of it is from Apostolic liturgies in use in the Church of England long before the Reformation. Approximately eighty-six percent of the Prayer Book is direct quotation from Holy Scripture.
Because all the worshippers use it in common and because it is adapted to the common needs of all.
1) He used a form of worship Himself whenever He went to the synagogue or the
From the earliest ages. Documents from the generation of the Apostles speak of "common
prayers" and the "constituted prayers" used in the Christian churches of the First Century.
No. The only question is whether the form shall be composed at the time or beforehand.
1) The example and teaching of Jesus Christ our Lord; 2) The authority of the Bible (Numbers 6:22-27; II Chronicles 29:30); 3) The universal practice of the Christian Church from the earliest ages.
They say it destroys earnestness in devotion to pray out of a book.
1) Experience teaches us that if we know the prayers and the praises beforehand we can enter into their spirit with greater earnestness and devotion than we can when someone makes up a new prayer of his own at the moment. The contemporary Anglican writer C.S. Lewis said that extemporaneous prayer forces one to spend their prayer time evaluating and deciding whether one agrees with the ideas and intercessions being expressed whereas written prayers allow the worshippers to join together in praise and supplication.
2) The hymns and songs, which everybody uses and the Psalms that our Lord Himself used are “forms” of prayer and praise; and if written hymns and songs do not destroy the earnestness of our praises neither will written prayers, destroy the earnestness of our supplications.
3) The Lord's Prayer is a written form of prayer. If we can utilize the Lord's Prayer (as our Lord Himself instructed) without destroying the earnestness of devotion, we can, of course, use other forms with equal earnestness.
Certainly not! There are times and circumstances which make it both necessary and edifying to do so.
Acts 2:42; cf. I Corinthians 14:15-16
No. Many attempts have been made to interpret this passage in such a
manner as to remove the
We should pray in private at least every morning and night, and we should have the spirit of prayer always in our hearts, because it keeps us close to God and is a safeguard against sin. Prayer is not just asking for something; it is communion of the soul with God. Without this, there can be no spiritual life.
1) As badges of office; 2) For the sake of dignity; 3) to cover up the ever-changing fashions of the world; 4) to focus the attention of the worshipper upon God, not the appearance of the Celebrant.
God Himself commanded vestments to be used in the Old Covenant, and said they should be "for glory and for beauty" (Exodus 23:2, 40).
No. The statements made about the Church being a "holy (or royal) priesthood" refer directly to identical statements made to the people of Israel in the Old Covenant as a "kingdom of priests" (Exodus 19: 6; Isaiah 61:6) which did not preclude a separate ministry of priesthood as ordained by God with distinctive functions and badges of office.
They are used to beautify worship and to symbolize the spiritual truths of our Faith; God Himself first commanded them to be used in His worship (see Exodus 25).
To worship God and show honor to Him and to be instructed in the Faith.
1) It is disobedience to the teaching of the New Testament (Hebrews 10:25); 2) it is rejecting the means of grace offered to us by God; 3) it is an insult to our testimony of “followers of Jesus Christ.”
The duty of giving to support the Church.
1) God commands it (I Corinthians 16:2); 2) it is dishonorable not to do our part to support the work of an institution that blesses us and our families.
By giving to the support of missions.
It is the only way of spreading the Gospel to those who have not heard (it is
selfish not to desire to give to others what Christ has given to us). In
the Lord’s Prayer, we pray “Thy kingdom come” in which we ask God to extend the
By going out of our way to help the poor, the oppressed, and the needy in fulfillment of God’s commandment to “love our neighbour as ourselves.”
A Sacrament is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.
By our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night in which He was betrayed (
The Breaking of Bread (
The Eucharist, the Mass, the Liturgy.
It is derived from the Greek word eukharistia meaning “gratitude” or “thanksgiving.”
It is derived from the Latin sentence “Ite, missa est,” with which the congregation was dismissed in ancient times.
As a continuous remembrance of His death and the benefits, we receive from His sacrifice for us (“Do this in remembrance of Me”).
No;
“This is My body” and “This is My blood” (
There is no indication in the context that He used these words in a figurative
sense. When He said “I am the door,” “I am the vine,” His disciples
manifested no surprise; but when He spoke of Himself as the living bread which
came down from heaven, and said to them, “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of
Man and drink His blood, ye have no life in you,” they said “This is a hard
saying; who can hear it?” (
The earliest generations of Christians understood the texts of the New Testament regarding the Lord’s Supper as indicating a great mystery of God well beyond a mere memorial act. There is no indication that anyone believed that the Lord’s Supper was anything less than a Sacrament prior to the 16th Century.
It is one of the deepest mysteries of the Gospel, through which Christ, in some way unknown and indefinable to us, imparts to our souls the grace of His broken body and His precious Blood.
That a miracle is performed in the prayer of Consecration, by which the bread and wine cease to be bread and wine, and are converted into the flesh and blood of Christ.
Transubstantiation.
That it is an error with serious repercussions on the doctrine and worship of the Church.
That no change takes place in the nature of the elements, but a change in their purpose and efficacy. In other words, the bread and wine do not cease to be bread and wine, but become to the faithful recipients something more; so that in receiving the consecrated elements, we also receive spiritually the grace of the Body and Blood of Christ (it is the entire act of receiving, not just the elements, that brings the faithful Christian into communion with Almighty God).
1) It is a “sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving” offered by the people of God before His Divine Majesty in thanksgiving for the death and passion of our Saviour; 2) it is a divinely appointed means by which we commune with Him; 3) it is a means by which we confess Christ to the world; 4) it is a means of honoring Christ and His redemption for us.
As often as we have the opportunity and are prepared because 1) it is an act of obedience to Christ’s command (I Corinthians 11:25); 2) it is a pledge of God’s love and goodness towards us.
Every Lord’s Day at least (Acts 20:7).
That they are “not good enough” or that frequent Communion reduces the importance and “special nature” of the Lord’s Supper.
1) The question is not whether we are good enough or not, but whether we desire to obey Christ’s injunction. The preparation for Holy Communion in the Prayer Book requires us to examine our souls before God and confess our sins. We come to the Lord’s Supper as “forgiven sinners.”
2) If Christ has commanded us to do a certain thing, we ought to obey whether we feel the
need or not. The desire to keep the Lord’s Supper “special” by infrequent celebration removes the focus from God and places it upon our feelings and desires. It is a sad critique of our own devotion and fervor if we cannot muster enthusiasm for celebrating Christ’s death and passion or must budget our celebrations of praise and thanksgiving for His Atonement in order to maintain our sense of its worth and importance.
1) Repentance of our sins; 2) Faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and the sufficiency of His Atonement; 3) to be in charity with all men; 4) to sincerely desire to do the will of Almighty God.
Unrepented sin.
It is Christ’s appointed means of bringing men into Covenant with God.
No, as circumcision in the Old Testament was the seal of the Covenant of God
with the children of
Because it brings them into Covenant with God.
Because God expressly stated that children should be joined to the Covenant in the Old Testament (Genesis 17:10-23); and says the New Covenant is for children also (Acts 2:39). We also have the example of the Apostles baptizing whole households and families (Acts 16:15, 33; I Corinthians 16:16). The phrase “whole households” would not be accurate if children were excluded.
In almost all of the writings of the
Because at the time the New Testament was written it was already the established custom of the Church, and therefore there was no need of any command. It should be noted that the number and content of the books of Bible are never mentioned in the New Testament; therefore, there is no direct command to accept the twenty-seven books of the New Testament canon as authoritative.
If the absence of a direct command is equivalent to a prohibition, it would be wrong to celebrate the Lord’s Day, to have family prayers, or to admit women to the Holy Communion (only men were present at the Last Supper), for there is no expressed command to do any of these things.
Yes; the Apostles and their fellow laborers established the Church in obedience
to Christ’s commands (
Because the Christian world receives the books of the New Testament on the testimony of the early Fathers of the Church, who certify that these books had been transmitted to their times by the churches which had originally received them; thus, in settling the question of the genuineness of the books of the New Testament all Christians regard this testimony as authoritative and conclusive.
The same Fathers who testify as to the genuine character of the New Testament also testify to the universal Christian practice of infant baptism (as well as the sacramental nature of Holy Communion and the three Orders of Ministry - Bishops, Priests, and Deacons already mentioned). If their testimony is accepted as authoritative and conclusive on so important a matter as the genuine character of the New Testament, it must certainly be accepted as authoritative and conclusive in other matters pertaining to their time.
The great 18th century English Evangelical Daniel Waterland stated this position succinctly: “If what appears probably to be taught in Scripture appears certainly to have been taught in the primitive and Catholic Church, such probability, so strengthened, carries with the force of demonstration (proof).” For example, it is almost impossible to establish from Holy Scripture alone the practice of observing the first day of the week as the Lord’s Day in place of the seventh (which had been commanded directly in the Old Covenant). When it can be historically proven, however, that from the beginning this was the universal practice of the Church, it throws convincing light on incidental references to the first day such as Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 16:2; and Revelation 1:10.
1) They say that according to the words of Christ (St. Mark 16:16) belief is necessary to Baptism, and as infants cannot believe they should not be baptized; 2) they say that Baptism can do no good because many persons baptized in infancy grow up to be ungodly adults; 3) they say that they do not want their children baptized because they want to leave their children free to choose when they grow up.
1) If this text teaches that infants cannot be baptized, it also teaches that they cannot be saved; for it says, “he that believeth not shall be damned.” To be consistent, therefore, infants and mental incompetents would have to be damned according to this interpretation. Obviously, the text is referring to adult converts.
2) If Baptism is a duty which God’s Word requires of us, our responsibility is to obey, whether we can see the good of it or not (we are not to “second guess” Almighty God); many persons born into this world waste their lives, but that does not prove that the gift of natural life to mankind is useless. If we say it is wrong to baptize children because some of them become bad, we might as well say that it was wrong for God to create humanity because some of the human race became bad.
3) If it is God’s will to have children enter into His Covenant through Holy Baptism, parents ought to see that it is done. Moreover, if parents choose and act for their children during their infancy in matters of worldly interest without the infant’s permissions or choosing, how much more should they act for them in spiritual matters. Finally, if infant baptism was an Apostolic custom and was universally practiced in the Church for the first fifteen hundred years, it seems impossible that any Christian could object to it now as contrary to God’s will.
Because it makes them members of God’s family and household in the Covenant, where they receive spiritual training and grace to safeguard them against the perils of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
No, they must train them to realize their personal responsibility to God.
The confirming of our Faith in fulfillment of our baptismal promises.
By the Apostles (Acts 8:14-17; 19:6). In Hebrews 6:2 it is mentioned as one of the elementary issues of the Christian faith and therefore cannot be regarded as anything else than a matter of grave importance.
Bishops administer it.
No; in confirmation a Christian simply confirms and ratifies his Faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and affirms his belief in the articles of the Faith as contained in the Apostles’ Creed.
The same could be said of Holy Matrimony, but no one seriously questions the importance of the Office of Holy Matrimony and the promises made by the man and woman. In Confirmation, the Church follows the example of the Apostles and the Early Church. The inner motives and thoughts of those confirmed are issues between them and Almighty God.
.
The questions and answers in this Section reference the Book of Common Prayer (1928). The answers contain purposeful repetition so that each portion of the Services can be studied independently.
Morning Prayer is found in the Book of Common Prayer, pages 3-20; Evening Prayer
on pages 21-34.
Because they are designed to be used every day.
No; while the rubrics (instructions given in fine print - from the Latin word for “red;” the color in which they were originally printed) are designed for the congregational use of Morning and Evening Prayer, they are also designed to be used as private devotions in families and by individuals.
These terms come from the Latin word officium meaning “duty.” According to Canon Law (the law of the Church) all Bishops, Priests, and Deacons are required to pray the Services of Morning and Evening Prayer every day.
Men who have been trained and licensed by the Bishop as Lay Readers are allowed to lead the Services of Morning and Evening Prayer for the congregation in which they are licensed.
With a number of verses from Holy Scripture called the “Opening Sentences.” Many of the verses relate the theme of the Season in the Church Year i.e. St. Matthew 3:2 “Prepare ye the way of the Lord...” for Advent.
Because they are verses which relate direct statements of God to His people.
Sin is a barrier of communion with God. Following the example of Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-7), coming into the presence of Almighty God should made us deeply aware of our unworthiness and need of His forgiveness and grace. This reminder in the Services is called “the Exhortation.”
Because it is said by the entire congregation together in corporate worship. In this confession, we are required to not only remember and confess our individual offenses, but, also our common failings as members of a wider community. Public confession of sin is commanded in the New Testament (St. James 5:16).
Like most of the Prayers in the Book of Common Prayer, it is a series of quotations taken directly from Holy Scripture. The verses are quoted in this order: Isaiah 53:6; Psalm 119:176; I Peter 2:25; Proverbs 19:21; Jeremiah 18:12; II Chronicles 28:13; St. Matthew 23:23; Psalm 38; 3: St. Luke 18:13; Psalm 51:1; Nehemiah 13:22; Psalm 51:12; Romans 15:8; I John 2:12; Titus 2:11-12; St. John 14:13.
Because it is proper to address Almighty God in a position and attitude of complete reverence and humility (Ephesians 3:14).
It is the example of our Lord and Saviour as well as the Apostles (St. Luke 22:41; Acts 7:60; 9:40, 20:36).
If they are prevented by age, infirmity, illness, or the physical arrangements of the location used for worship.
No, God alone has the power to forgive sins.
He is officially declaring the fact of God’s forgiveness.
It is more than a declaration of fact; it an official act of the Church empowered by Jesus Christ (St. John 20:22-23).
Any Christian may tell another Christian that his sins are forgiven or pray that God will pardon his sins. This may offer great comfort; however, when a man duly authorized and empowered by the Church declares our forgiveness he is doing so as a duly chosen officer of the Kingdom of God. He has been given authority by the Church to assure us of our forgiveness if we have fulfilled the requirement of a truly penitent heart.
The Declaration begins with a reference to Ezekiel 33:11 stating God’s attitude towards sinners and continues with an assurance of the gift and power of declaring forgiveness given to the Apostles in St. John 22:22-23. The Declaration ends with an exhortation to reconciliation with God with the strengthening of the Holy Spirit (based upon Ezekiel 36:26-27 and Luke 11:13).
Because after we have confessed our sins to Almighty God and have been assured of His forgiveness we can address Him “Our Father” in the highest possible sense.
Because it is the prayer, which Jesus Christ told His disciples to use and is, therefore, the perfect form of prayer (St. Luke 11:1-2).
They are called Versicles (meaning “little verses”). The first two are a quotation of Psalm 51:15. They are a straightforward and appropriate beginning for the praises of God that are to follow: “O, Lord, open thou our lips...” The last two statements continuing on this same theme are a quotation of Psalm 135:1: “Praise ye the Lord...”
This sentence, known as the Gloria Patri (Glory to the Father), or the lesser doxology, ascribes due glory to God and expresses the Church’s unwavering belief in the Trinity. While the Gloria Patri is conceptually based upon such Scriptural passages as Romans 16:27, Ephesians 3:21, II Peter 3:18, and Jude 25, the actual wording comes from the final phrase prayed by St. Polycarp (martyred in 155 A.D.) while he was being burned at the stake. Polycarp was a disciple of St. John in Asia Minor.
Yes.
With a series of optional antiphons. In this context, an antiphon is a short verse designed to be said or sung responsively. The antiphons in Morning Prayer are called Invitatory Antiphons because they introduce the “inviting” hymn called the Venite that in Latin means, “Let us come.”
They sum up in a single sentence the spirit of the Church’s worship during the Seasons for which they are appointed.
A canticle is a song or chant with words taken directly out of Holy Scripture.
For 1200 years, Latin was the language of scholarship, law, and the Church in Western Europe. At the time of the Reformation the Latin titles of the Canticles (along with other terms in the Church) were retained for convenience sake. The Latin titles and terms were considered more efficient as they were universally recognized names and they were generally shorter (due to the combination of subject and verbs in Latin sentences) than the equivalent translation would have been in any other European language i.e. “Venite, exultemus Domino” translates into English as “O let us come sing unto the Lord” and “Kommt herzu, laßt uns dem Herrn frohlochen” in German. This same principle of retaining Latin phrases still exists in American law with such terms as habaeus corpus.
For at least 1800 years and before then by the Jews in the Temple Service in Jerusalem.
No; Psalm 95 in its entirety may be substituted for it and it may be omitted on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday as it is considered too jubilant for days of penitence. Easter Day and Thanksgiving Day have special canticles to be used in place of the Venite.
It is the first eight verses of Psalm 95 followed by Psalm 96:9 and Psalm 98:9.
The Gloria Patri (“Glory be to the Father...”) is used to connect the praises written under the Old Covenant with the full Truth of God as Trinity in the New Testament.
A portion of the Psalms. The word Psalter is used for the entire book of Psalms.
The Psalter, or Book of Psalms, is the longest book of the Old Testament. It was written over a period of several centuries by numerous authors of the Old Covenant and has always been the principle hymnal of the Christian Church. Because of the prominence of King David’s poems in the Psalter it has also been known as “The Psalms of David.”
About 3,000 years.
They are hymns of praise, reflection, and penitence inspired by Almighty God in His Holy Word. All the Psalms contain two attitudes which make them unparalleled as instruments of worship: complete sincerity and unwavering confidence in God.
Psalms of special note to the Church are the Penitential Psalms (songs of repentance): Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 142; and the Messianic Psalms (Psalms that are prophecies about Jesus Christ): Psalms 2, 16, 22 40, 41, 45, 69, 72, 100, and 118.
Because standing expresses the earnestness in the worship of God found in the Psalter.
They are written to be sung; however, they may be read when singing is not convenient.
The Lessons from the Bible.
They are two portions of Holy Scripture; one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament that are read at Morning and Evening Prayer.
Because both Testaments are the inspired Word of God in which He reveals Himself and His will to His people. Drawing lessons from both Testaments allows us to experience the essential unity of Holy Scripture and to see how the prophecies and hopes of the Old Covenant were fulfilled in the New Testament.
The first section of the Book of Common Prayer contains a Lectionary: a schedule for singing and reading the Psalms and the Lessons for every day of the year. The Lectionary is mostly the work of the great Anglican Reformer of the 16th century Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. The reading of Scripture and singing of Psalms is arranged according to themes following the Seasons of the Church Year.
Almost the entire Bible is read each year with some parts of it read several times in twelve months.
The hymn called the Te Deum.
“We praise Thee, O God.”
Strictly speaking, no. The Te Deum and the Gloria in excelsis are the only hymns in the Services not taken from either the text of the Bible or the worship of the Temple in Jerusalem.
Most scholars attribute this beautiful hymn of praise to Bishop Niceta of Remsiana who died in 414 A.D. although it may been written over a hundred years previously by St. Hilary in France. Regardless of its authorship, the Te Deum has been sung or said in Christian worship for at least 1400 years.
It is written in three parts: Part I (verses 1-13) is a hymn to the Trinity recalling both the praise of God by the heavenly hosts (Isaiah 6:3) and the Church and its saints (Revelation 7:9-10); Part II (verses 14-21) is a hymn to Christ containing a brief statement of the Church’s belief concerning the Second Person of the Trinity; Part III (verses 22-29) is a series of petitions to Almighty God which, except for verse 26, are taken directly from Psalms 28:10; 145:2; 123:3; 33:21; 31:1 and 71:1
“Blessed art Thou, O Lord.”
The Benedictus Es, Domine and the canticle following it in Morning Prayer, the Benedicite, are a single hymn that is found in the Greek version of the Old Testament (known as the Septuagint) immediately following Daniel 3:23. It is the song sung by the three young Jewish men Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace where King Nebuchadnezzar cast them.
The Benedictus Es, Domine and the Benedicite were used in Jewish worship for centuries before the birth of Jesus. The Christian Church in worship has used these canticles, especially the Benedicite, since the earliest days.
For the first four centuries of the Church’s history, there was no dispute about the inclusion of this hymn as part of the book of Daniel. St. Jerome, however, removed the Benedictus Es, Domine and Benedicite from Daniel and placed them in a separate book entitled “The Song of the Three Children.” Since the Reformation, the canticles have mostly been excluded from the accepted text of the Old Testament because of the question of authorship rather than any error in doctrine or focus.
“Bless ye.”
“Blessed be.”
It is the hymn sung by Zacharias at the birth of St. John the Baptist (St. Luke 1:68-71). It is also known in the Church as the “Song of Zacharias.” As a hymn sung in relationship to the “forerunner” of our Lord, it is appropriate that it should serve in this part of the Morning Prayer Service as a link between the Old Testament and New Testament Lessons.
“O be joyful in the Lord.”
Psalm 100.
In the Temple Service this Psalm was probably sung during the procession of worshippers to the Temple gates in preparation for the thank-offering. For at least 1400 years the Church has expressed its “thanksgiving” for the message of the New Testament by singing or saying this Psalm after the Lesson.
A brief statement of the essential beliefs of the Christian Church as found in
Holy Scripture.
In the writing of St. Ignatius of Antioch (69 A.D.) we find the greater part of the Apostles’ Creed.
He was the Bishop of Antioch from 69 - 107 A.D. (during the lifetime of the last of the Apostles).
Because it is not truly a separate statement of Faith, but, an expanded text of the Apostles’ Creed approved by the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D.
So that everyone can exactly identify the foundational Truths of Christianity.
We repeat the Creed so that we may always be reminded of the fundamental elements of our Faith and so be safeguarded against error.
To physically express our readiness to stand in defense of the Faith.
To face the empty tomb of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem.
The New Testament tells us that every knee shall bow at His name (Philippians 2:10).
A Salutation or invitation to prayer beginning “The Lord be with you...” followed by two Versicles taken from Psalm 85:7 and 51:10-11.
A Collect is a short prayer which “collects” the intentions of the congregation.
It is the Collect appointed for use for a particular day or Season of the Church Year.
They appear in the Book of Common Prayer just before the Epistle and Gospel Lessons for each Sunday and Feast Day in the Church Year. The Collect for each Sunday is used as the “Collect of the day” for Daily Morning and Evening Prayer throughout the following week.
In some Seasons of the Church Year a Collect is prayed daily in addition to the “Collect of the day” at this point in Morning and Evening Prayer i.e. “The Collect for the First Sunday in Advent.”
The Collect for Peace.
This Collect acknowledges the preeminence of peace as an attribute of the Christian life.
Since at least the year 590 A.D.
It is an especially appropriate petition for God’s grace in Morning Prayer as we begin our day. The theology of this Collect is based upon Psalm 91.
The Collect is found in the Greek Liturgy dating back at least 1400 years.
Because we are commanded by God to pray for our civil rulers (I Timothy 2:1-2).
The prayer is based upon II Chronicles 20:6, Psalm 113:5-6, Psalm 33:13-14, and
Psalm 21:6.
Both prayers for the President are American revisions of the “Collect for the King” in the English Book of Common Prayer. The alternate prayer for the President was originally supposed to replace the longer prayer, however, the revision was suggested just as President Woodrow Wilson fell into his final illness in 1924. The original and longer prayer was retained as expressing more personal intentions towards the health and well-being of the President with the revised prayer as an alternate.
Because it is the clear teaching of Holy Scripture (I Thessalonians 5:12-13; II Thessalonians 3:1-2; Hebrews 13:17-18).
It is a prayer for all mankind divided into three petitions: for the missionary spread of the Gospel based upon Psalm 67:2; for the unity of the Church drawn from St. John 16:13; Psalm 25:9, and Ephesians 4:3; and for the suffering and afflicted.
To demonstrate our gratitude to Almighty God for all of His works and mercy.
It is a private, devotional prayer of Queen Elizabeth I of England who led the Reformation to final success in England in the 16th century.
Because it was placed in the Book of Common Prayer by Archbishop Cranmer from the works of St. John Chrysostom who died in 407 A.D.
It is based upon our Lord’s teaching in St. Matthew 18:19-20.
The prayer known as “the Grace” found in II Corinthians 13:14.
Evensong.
It has different canticles, Versicles, and some different Collects.
The Gloria in Excelsis.
“Glory be to God on high.”
The first portion is the hymn of the angels from St. Luke 2:14. The second portion was added about the year 140 A.D. and has been used continuously since then by the Church.
“Is magnified.”
It is the hymn spoken by the Virgin Mary when greeted by her cousin Elizabeth in St. Luke 1:46-55.
For at least 1300 years.
“Sing unto the Lord.”
Psalm 98. It was one of the Psalms used in the Temple Service in Jerusalem.
“It is a good thing to give thanks.”
Psalm 92. It was also a Psalm used in the Temple Service.
“Lord, now lettest.”
It is the hymn of Simeon after he has seen the Saviour in the Temple in St. Luke 2:25-32. It is also known as the “Song of Simeon?”
Because the day has been concluded and we are resting in God’s salvation.
“God be merciful.”
Psalm 67.
“Praise the Lord, O my soul.”
Psalm 103.
The “Collect for Peace.”
The Collect in Morning Prayer is for protection against external forces; the Collect for Evening Prayer is a petition for inward peace from God.
It is based upon Psalm 4.
To petition God for safety throughout the night.
Evening Prayer may end here with a hymn or may continue in the same form as Morning Prayer.
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The questions and answers in this Section reference the Book of Common Prayer (1928). The answers contain purposeful repetition of answers given in the previous Section “Morning and Evening Prayer” so that each portion of the Services can be studied independently.
Because it is the only recorded act of public worship specifically instituted by our Lord Himself.
To symbolize the purity of heart required of us as we approach the Celebration.
“Ante-Communion,” “the Canon of Holy Communion,” and “Post-Communion.”
The Service up to and including the Prayer for Christ’s Church.
The portion of the Service beginning with the “Invitation to Confession.”
The remainder of the Service following the “Administration of the Elements.”
With the Priest praying the Lord’s Prayer (which may be omitted if said previously).
Because our Lord instituted Holy Communion and also instructed us in the Lord’s Prayer.
A “Collect for Purity.” Holy Scripture instructs us to come before the Lord in purity so we begin by asking Him to cleanse us (Psalm 24:3-5).
To remind us of God’s moral law which is the foundation of all righteousness.
The “Kyrie Eleison” (“Lord, have mercy upon us”). We repeat this in response to each of God’s Laws as we know we have fallen short of His will and broken His commandments.
The “Summary of the Law.” This is the brief summary of all God’s commandments given by Jesus Christ in St. Matthew 22:37-39.
It is called the “Collect for Grace.” It is a petition to Almighty God to strengthen us and protect us for His service.
A Collect is a short prayer which “collects” the intentions of the congregation into a single thought or petition.
It is the Collect appointed for use for a particular day or Season of the Church Year.
They appear in the Book of Common Prayer just before the Epistle and Gospel Lessons for each Sunday and Feast Day in the Church Year. The Collect for each Sunday is used as the “Collect of the Day” for Daily Morning and Evening Prayer throughout the following week. In some Seasons of the Church Year a Collect is prayed daily in addition to the “Collect of the day” at this point in Morning and Evening Prayer i.e. “The Collect for the First Sunday in Advent.”
To instruct us in the Christian Faith from the inspired writings of the Apostles.
To physically express our deep respect for the words of Jesus Christ and to acknowledge are readiness to act upon them.
To emphasize that the Gospel is the center of our Faith. By reading from the Nave the people are physically “gathered around” the Gospel just as we are spiritually “gathered together” by the message of Jesus Christ.
To express our gratitude to God for the glory of salvation through the Gospel.
To express our worship of Him whose message has just been read to us.
A brief statement of the essential beliefs of the Christian Church as found in Holy Scripture.
In the writing of St. Ignatius of Antioch (69 A.D.) we find the greater part of the Apostles’ Creed.
He was the Bishop of Antioch from 69 - 107 A.D. (during the lifetime of the last of the Apostles).
Because it is not truly a separate statement of Faith, but, an expanded text of the
Apostles’ Creed approved by the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D.
So that everyone can exactly identify the foundational Truths of Christianity.
We repeat the Creed so that we may always be reminded of the fundamental elements of our Faith and so be safeguarded against error.
To physically express our readiness to stand in defense of the Faith.
To face the empty tomb of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem.
The New Testament tells us that every knee shall bow at His name (Philippians 2:10).
To physically acknowledge the tremendous gratitude we feel for Almighty God humbling Himself to become man and take our nature upon Him (Philippians 2:5-9).
St. Justin Martyr, who lived just 40 years after St. John (139 A.D.), says it was an established, universal custom in his day.
Because giving of our wealth is truly an act of worship.
In this context “whole” means “healthy” so we are about to pray for the health of the Church.
Intercessions for the Universal Church, Christians Rulers, Bishops and Clergy, the people, the unfortunate and suffering; and a remembrance of those who are still part of the Church as they stand in the Presence of God in heaven.
No; historically “prayers for the dead” were offered in the mistaken belief that the eternal state of the deceased can be altered or improved by the prayers of the living. This brief prayer of remembrance simply asks Almighty God’s great blessing on those who stand before Him and requests that He may strengthen us to follow their good examples.
An invitation to confess our sins to God.
We are warned by St. Paul not to come to the Lord’s Table unworthily (I Corinthians 11:27-29). While none of us are “worthy” except through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we are especially warned not to come to the Holy Communion with unrepented sin in our hearts.
The Absolution.
No; God alone has the power to forgive sins.
He is officially declaring the fact of God’s forgiveness.
It is more than a declaration of fact; it an official act of the Church empowered by Jesus Christ (St. John 20:22-23).
Any Christian may tell another Christian that his sins are forgiven or pray that God will pardon his sins. This may offer great comfort, however, when a man duly authorized and empowered by the Church declares our forgiveness he is doing so as a duly chosen officer of the Kingdom of God. He has been given authority by the Church to assure us of our forgiveness if we have fulfilled the requirement of a truly penitent heart.
They are called the “Comfortable Words” because they give us assurance of God’s forgiveness. In this context “Comfortable” means “assuring comfort.”
The “Sursum Corda” which means “Lift up your hearts.”
The earliest documents of Christian worship dating to the end of the age of the Apostles records the Sursum Corda as part of the Service.
It is the called the “Sanctus” (in Latin) or the “Trisagion” (in Greek). It has been part of Holy Communion for at least 1700 years. This hymn was heard by Isaiah seven centuries before the birth of Jesus (Isaiah 6:3) and by St. John after Christ’s Ascension (Revelation 4:5-11).
It is the “Prayer of Consecration,” divided into three parts: the Consecration, the Oblation, and the Invocation.
The words of Christ at the Last Supper as quoted by St. Paul (I Corinthians 11:23-25).
“The Consecration?”
Setting something apart for a holy purpose.
The Bread and the Wine.
A prayer called the “Oblation.”
Something offered.
The Bread and Wine which have been “set aside” (consecrated) are offered to God as a memorial of the sacrifice of Christ for us.
The Invocation.
To sanctify the Bread and Wine.
That in receiving the Bread and Wine we may truly commune with Him through His grace (be made partakers of His Body and Blood).
In St. John 6:53.
No; His body is in heaven. We can only “eat His Flesh and drink His Blood” in a spiritual or heavenly manner.
Our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving and ourselves, both souls and bodies.
Something given up or offered to God in worship.
Romans 12:1-2; I Corinthians 6:20.
Because now we are BOLD to call God “OUR FATHER” because we are celebrating our reconciliation to Him through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Lord’s Prayer has been used in Holy Communion since the earliest days of the Church.
It is called the “Prayer of Humble Access.” It is a humble confession of unworthiness as we prepare to approach the Lord’s Table.
Because we are expressing our deepest reverence to Almighty God.
A “Prayer of Thanksgiving” for the blessings of God and the “Gloria in Excelsis.”
I Corinthians 10:3-4, 12:27; Titus 3:7; Ephesians 2:10).
“Glory be to God on high.”
The first portion is the hymn of the angels from St. Luke 2:14. The second portion was added about the year 140 A.D. and has been used continuously since then by the Church.
In remembrance of our Lord blessing His disciples when He left them on the Mt. of Olives (St. Luke 24:50). According to St. John 14:27 He blessed them with His peace.
From God; the Priest (or Bishop) is only the instrument of conveying the Blessing. The blessing does not depend upon man, but upon God (Numbers 6:22-27).
r1995 Dr. Samuel Scheibler
©2002 The Evangelical
Anglican Church of
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