Anglicanism and the Benedict Option
Embryo Parson Posted on Tuesday, July 7, 2015 at 03:43PM An excellent article by Fr. Lee Nelson writing at the Anglican Pastor.
What is needed is a charter for extra-parochial communities of prayer, life-giving fellowship, and solidarity in the midst of marginalization, a charter for a new rule of life – not for the individual, but for whole multi-generational groupings of Benedictine Option Christians. We need communities oriented towards the pursuit of the good, the true, and the beautiful, communities in which virtue can flourish. Let me put all my cards on the table. I believe that Anglicanism offers just such a charter. We have forms for daily prayer and common intercession, forms for confession, and litanies for ourselves and for the world. We have an emphasis upon the domestic church and family catechesis. We have in our DNA a way for families to join together in their neighborhoods for evening prayer and cookouts, for students to come together for morning prayer and intercession for one another, for baptismal promises to become enfleshed in sacrifice for the sake of our brothers and sisters. In one of the great ironies of Anglicanism, what was intended for the chapel works best in the home! What was intended for the parish church comes to life outside her four walls! Thanks be to God, for we have a goodly heritage.
Reader Comments (6)
I've been thinking a lot about the Benedictine Option and it seems natural that a closely knit parish could become the nucleus of such a community, indeed will become nuclei of such communities out of necessity. However, I'm puzzled, as being new to Anglicanism, why you think the Anglican forms of prayer work better in the home, or do I misunderstand you? I've looked at the BCP (1979 version, I think) and it seems the forms for morning and evening prayer are more intended for a chapel type setting. I am a little confused by the BCP format, so I could be wrong on this.
Enjoy the blog, and find it a great resource for learning about the Anglican ways.
Hello, Ron. Great question, and thanks for your kind input.
While it's true that the offices are intended principally for chapel use, it is possible to adapt them for personal, family, or house group prayer. For the 1979 BCP, see the rubrics on p. 108. I say the offices privately from the 1928 BCP, and I have attended both an Anglican men's group and a family get-together where the office was adapted to those situations. Non-ordained folks can be the "Minister" ("Officiant" in the 1979 BCP); in the family this would most often be the father or the head of the household. In a house group it would be possible for any non-ordained male to get some sort of official blessing from the bishop, if that group has been formed with a view toward being under some diocesan oversight. The only thing the non-ordained "Minister" or deacon (if a deacon is leading) can't do is pronounce the absolution after the confession of sin. In that case, one of the collects that ask for forgiveness can be said in lieu of the absolution. In the 1928 BCP, the Collect for the 21st Sunday after Trinity, found on pp. 218-29, is frequently used in such circumstances. Or you can follow the rubric on pp. 42, 63, 80, 114 and 117 of the 1979 BCP, which allow a layman or deacon to say "us" instead of "you."
Yes, the prayer book services can be a little daunting. I would suggest familiarizing yourself first of all with the rubrics of whatever BCP you use. Over time, what to do and say when will become more automatic. You should also feel free to contact a local priest or diocesan bishop for guidance, suggestions on training materials, etc. I'm thrilled that you're thinking along Benedict Option lines as so many of us are these days.
We've been doing this since our home became a 'chapel' in UEC. We're following the 'methodist option' rather than the so-called Benedictine. The problem with Benedictine routes is we usually feel the BCP needs supplementation for hours of prayer, and this usually comes from some kind of modified or otherwise lifted Roman Catholic source. The religious societites and early methodist groups often mixed collects and segments of the prayer book with extemporae prayer to create devotions for private prayer. The forms for family prayer in the back of the 1928 bcp developed and evidenced that era. I recommend people use a combination of family and evening prayer alongside catechetical instruction. There are some excellent explanations on the church catechism coming from the religious society milieu of the 18th century. Paraphrases, reading Homilies (or parts of), and bible studies w/ commentary can be added as well as metered psalm singing. There is literally no limit of supply when it comes to such materials, and certainly no reason to look beyond the Anglican tradition. I am always a bit alarmed when I hear of Benedictine options because it usually results in an estrangement from the richness of the Long Reformation where Anglicanism enjoyed a rather settled and stable existence, having answered both Rome and Puritanism especially after James II. Here's our chapel UE website, but it might be better called a 'family circle': http://www.fremontanglicans.com/
Charles, have you seen this?
Benedict for Reformation People
I would agree with your argument that there are better ways for Anglicans to do the "Option" without becoming oblates or using an abbreviated Benedictine breviary.
Call me rigid, but I don't see the point in muddying waters with any kind of Monkry or credit to Benedict. Stick to historic Methodism and the old religious societies in London which the former sprung, and I think it's immediately truer to the Anglican experience and identity as Protestants. As I see both charismaticism and Romanism advance, I am not surprised that they are two-sides of the same coin, spurring a need to make vocal identity with orthodox Protestantcy, reclaiming a headship, if you will, via Anglican heritage. What Prot Anglicans need if we are to ascend, once again, is to restore discipline in our communions, and an anglo-methodism is one way to do this without doing what too many extra-mural anglicans have done in the United States-- falling back on Romanism or breeds of it.
OK, you're rigid. ;>)
In all seriousness, we will have to agree to disagree here. When I was Orthodox, I grew tired of that communion's ideological view of itself, and I have come to agree with notables such as Peter Leithart that we err when we make our Protestantism ideological. I agree with Canon Arthur Middleton that in order to restore true Anglican identity the Church will need to reclaim the Fathers. Every movement did so in its own way, Reformers, Carolines, Methodists and Tractarians, but we must move beyond any attempt to claim them in support of some cause (or "ideology") and take them on their own terms. This means, in essence, preferring to stress Anglicanism's Catholic heritage rather than its Protestant one. As Leithart argues, and I agree with him. there's no future in the latter endeavor.
The Future of Protestantism