Something to read...
'Company of Voices' by George Guiver
CR; Canterbury Press rev 2001 ISBN 1-85311-394-8
Many people of all traditions and denominations have read 'The
Fire and the Clay' by Fr. George Guiver of the Anglican Order
of the Community of the Resurrection. 'Company of Voices'
is another superb book written by him. Its appeal across all Christian
traditions is illustrated by the blurb on the cover which quotes
the Baptist Times calling it "the best work of scholarship
on the subject."
The book is a comprehensive review of Daily Prayer in the life
of the People of God. It starts with the Post-Resurrection Church
of the New Testament, and in a broad sweep covers all the developments
of the Daily Office, and the role of the Cathedral (or People's)
Office as well as the Monastic Office. It is a work of scholarship,
but it also well-written and easily read. It is the sort of book
you can dip into. I was especially and not surprisingly fascinated
by the history of the Anglican Office of Morning and Evening Prayer.
Many of us may be familiar with the injunction in the BCP in the
preface on page x viz: "All Priests and Deacons are to
say daily Morning and Evening Prayer" and if in a parish
"shall say the same in the Parish-Church where he ministereth,
and shall cause a Bell to be tolled thereuntothat the people may
cometo pray with him.". When did Archdeacon's Visitations
last pursue this injunction? If Priest and People have no time
these days to pray for the world, the parish and themselves what
are we about? And yet there was a time when the daily office really
was part of the life of thousands of people in England. For Guiver
makes it quite clear that this is the Spirituality that formed
Anglicanism lex credendi, lex orandi- our law of belief
is found in our law of prayer. In 1714 there were still 53 churches
in London that celebrated the daily office of Morning and Evening
Prayer. And furthermore they were well attended. So much so that
Mattins was celebrated twice each day in many places; at 6am for
the workers and later on for the leisured classes of society.
At fashionable Bath, non-attendance at the Daily Offices was considered
scandalous. Assumptions that the Daily Office was neglected until
the Oxford Movement of the 19th century are far from the truth.
Bequests in wills were made to ensure that there was a curate
to lead the office. Guiver concludes his book by examining the
Offices today and making some suggestions on how we might recapture
the Spirituality of the Anglican Offices. He is critical of the
appropriateness of the Lectionary, and I agree with him. Many
of the Bible readings are too long, and some of them frankly of
interest only to scholars. We need the courage to take what is
appropriate to public worship from the psalms and confine some
of them to use only in the study (eg psalm 58). He also recommends
that more of the office be sung on weekdays. This is a fascinating
book and reminds us that the faithful and loyal priest and laity
who gather early on cold mornings to do their duty (Latin:officium
hence the word office) in praying for the world and themselves
are even today not alone. For we worship with the Angels, Archangels
and the Whole Company of Heaven. It is time that some of the Company
on earth found time to join them.
Offices was considered scandalous. Assumptions that the Daily
Office was neglected until the Oxford Movement of the 19th century
are far from the truth. Bequests in wills were made to ensure
that there was a curate to lead the office. Guiver concludes his
book by examining the Offices today and making some suggestions
on how we might recapture the Spirituality of the Anglican Offices.
He is critical of the appropriateness of the Lectionary, and I
agree with him. Many of the Bible readings are too long, and some
of them frankly of interest only to scholars. We need the courage
to take what is appropriate to public worship from the psalms
and confine some of them to use only in the study (eg Psalm 58).
He also recommends that more of the office be sung on weekdays.
This is a fascinating book and reminds us that the faithful and
loyal priest and laity who gather early on cold mornings to do
their duty (Latin: 'officium' hence the word 'office') in praying
for the world and themselves are even today not alone. For we
worship with the Angels, Archangels and the Whole Company of Heaven.
It is time that some of the Company on earth found time to join
them.
- Fr. William Burke, St Kyneburgha, Castor