Saturday, June 21, 2008

FIFNA: On Priestesses and the 1954 South African BCP

The Forward in Faith North America Assembly has called on the CCP to suspend the purported ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate pending a promised study of the problem in the Partnership and has also, rather curiously, endorsed the 1954 South African Book of Common Prayer and the 1929 Scottish BCP Canon of the Mass as FIFNA's official standard of worship as opposed to the more natural choice of the 1928 American or 1962 Canadian Prayer Books...

http://www.forwardinfaith.com/artman/publish/article_412.shtml

2008.2 Whereas the leaders of the Anglican Communion Network and the American Anglican Council have declared their commitment to conduct a substantial theological study on the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate, which has been subsequently reiterated as the intention of the Common Cause Partnership, Be it resolved that Forward in Faith North America calls upon the Common Cause Partnership to declare a moratorium on the ordination of women to the priesthood or episcopate pending the completion of the study.

2008.5A Resolution pursuant to the Articles of the Common Cause Partnership

Whereas Article 2, paragraph 1 of The Common Cause Partnership states that each Partner "accepts one of the historic Books of Common Prayer as the primary standard of worship"; Be it resolved that Forward in Faith, North America, accept as its primary standard of worship The Book of Common Prayer as set forth in 1954 for use in the Church of South Africa; But be it further resolved that, in observance of Bishop Seabury's promise to the bishops of the Episcopal Church in Scotland who consecrated him, the eucharistic prayer of the Scottish Liturgy, as set forth in that Church's Book of Common Prayer as approved in 1929 shall be used in place of the corresponding text in the South African book.

ALL glory and thanksgiving be to thee, Almighty God, our heavenly Father, for that thou of thy tender mercy didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the cross for our redemption; who, by his own oblation of himself once offered, made a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world; and did institute, and in his holy Gospel command us to continue, a perpetual memorial of that his precious death and sacrifice until his coming again.
For, in the night that he was betrayed, he took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat, this is my Body, which is given for you: Do this in remembrance of me. Likewise after supper he took the cup; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of this, for this is my Blood of the new testament, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins: Do this as oft as ye shall drink it in remembrance of me.
Wherefore, O Lord, and heavenly Father, according to the institution of thy dearly beloved Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, we thy humble servants do celebrate and make here before thy Divine Majesty, with these thy holy gifts, which we now offer unto thee, the memorial thy Son hath commanded us to make; having in remembrance his blessed passion, and precious death, his mighty resurrection, and glorious ascension; rendering unto thee most hearty thanks for the innumerable benefits procured unto us by the same, and looking for his coming again with power and great glory.
And we thine unworthy servants beseech thee, most merciful Father, to hear us, and to send thy Holy Spirit upon us and upon these thy gifts and creatures of bread and wine, that, being blessed and hallowed by his life-giving power, they may become the Body and Blood of thy most dearly beloved Son, to the end that all who shall receive the same may be sanctified both in body and soul, and preserved unto everlasting life.
And we earnestly desire thy fatherly goodness, mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, most humbly beseeching thee to grant, that by the merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we and all thy whole Church may obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of his passion.
And here we humbly offer and present unto thee, O Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice unto thee, beseeching thee that all we who shall be partakers of this Holy Communion may worthily receive the most precious Body and Blood of thy Son Jesus Christ, and be fulfilled with thy grace and heavenly benediction, and made one body with him, that he may dwell in us and we in him.
And although we be unworthy, through our manifold sins, to offer unto thee any sacrifice; yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and service, not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offences, through Jesus Christ our Lord; by whom, and with whom, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, all honour and glory be unto thee, O Father Almighty, world without end. Amen.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Is the 1954 South African BCP still in print, and available for purchase anywhere in the US or UK?

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