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CLASS 7:

Introduction

In the last class we discussed how Anglicans (Episcopalians) define themselves by how they pray. Worship is at the center of the Anglican life, and the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) is the anchor of our corporate (and in many cases our private) worship experience. Worship is precisely at the center of our existence as individuals and as a Christian community. Out prayer defines both our worship and our mission. Both are rooted in Christ, and are integral to our lives. Unlike members of the confessional churches such as the Lutheran denomination, Anglicans and Episcopalians have their faith defined liturgically through the practices found in the Book of Common Prayer (BCP). The unity of the world-wide anglican communion is quite literally found in our liturgy.

Although the prayer book is so important, many Episopalians do not know what is in the Book of Common Prayer other than the pages that deal with the Eucharist (the ones that are "dirty" in the pews). This class will introduce the whole Prayer Book and the Hymnal in order to become familiar with the tremendous theology contained in these works, and the many resources found in their pages. Since Eucharist is as the very center of Anglican worship, we will spend time examining the Eucharistic prayers to learn their various components, and to develop an appreciation for their different viewpoints.

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The 1979 Book of Common Prayer (BCP)

This is a "hands on" part of the class, and the instructor will lead the students through the prayer book section by section, pointing out important parts of the book along the way. Get the handout for this class.

Title Page

Table of Contents

The Daily Office

The Great Litany

The Collects

Proper Liturgies

Baptism

Eucharist

Pastoral Offices

Episcopal Services

Psalter

Catechism

Historical Documents of the Church

Tables

The Sunday Lectionary

The Daily Office Lectionary

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The 1982 Hymnal

The current version of the Hymnal was approved for use in the Episcopal Church in 1982. It replaced the 1940 Hymnal (to many people's dismay). This is also a "hands on" part of the class. The instructor will lead the students through the hymnal stressing the indices which make the book highly useful.

Table of Contents

Service Music

Hymns

Daily Office

Church Year

Baptism

Eucharist

Pasotral Offices

Hymns by Theme

Miscellaneous

Indices

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The Structure of the Holy Eucharist

Within the pages of the prayer book are two rites for the Eucharist, seven different forms of the prayers of the people, and eight different forms of Eucharistic Prayers. In addition there is an Order for Celebrating the Eucharist (often called Rite III) which provides for great variety of liturgical expression within the confines of the rubrics provided (see BCP pages 400-405). Note that Rite III is not used for the principal Sunday worship service. The forms of the Eucharist are shown in the following table. Finally, in the supplemental liturgical book, Enriching Or Worship are more forms for the Eucharist. Get the handout for this class.

Components of the Holy Eucharist

Rite	Prayers of People	Eucharistic Prayers	Comments	BCP Pages
I				323-349
		Form I	Sacrificial; from 1789	333-340
		Form II	Creation/Incarnation	340-343
	One fixed form			328-330
II				355-382
	Form I			383-385
	Form II			385-387
	Form III			387-388
	Form IV			388-389
	Form V			389-391
	Form VI			392-393
		Prayer A	Modernized Form I	361-363
		Prayer B	From Hippolytus (3 rd C.)	367-369
		Prayer C	Penitential/Creational	369-372
		Prayer D	St. Basil (4 th C.)	372-376
III				400-405
		Form 1		402-403
		Form 2		404-405

The overarching structure of the Holy Eucharistic Service is as follows. The worship service has two components, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Table. In a typical Rite II service, the peace separates the two halves of the worship service.

The Liturgy of the Word

The Liturgy of the word consists of the following parts (the colors separate the actons within the major parts):

Major Part	Action	Comments/Notes
We gather
	Entrance Rite (BCP p. 355) is performed, and a hymn, psalm, anthem may be sung
We Proclaim
	Collect for Purity (BCP p. 355)
	Gloria (BCP. p. 356)	Not used during Advent or Lent (see p. 406)
	Collect of the Day (BCP p. 357) (see also BCP p. 211-261)
	Lessons (BCP p. 357)	The Eucharistic or Sunday Lectionary is on BCP pages 888-931 and is arranged in a 3 year cycle (A, B, and C). 2005 is year C. A Psalm can follow each reading except the Gospel)
	Sermon (BCP p. 358)
	Creed (BCP p. 358)	Note the Creed is required on Sundays and major festivals. The Baptismal covenant takes place of creed during Baptism services.
We Pray
	Prayers of People (BCP p. 359 )	If the Litany is done, prayers of people are omitted. Note the direction for the forms of the prayers on BCP p. 359.
	Confession (BCP p. 360)	If penitential order is said, then the confession is omitted.
The Peace	This is the "hinge" that can separate the two halves of the worship service. However, note that the peace does not have to come in the middle of the service.

 

The Liturgy of the Table

The liturgy of the table consists of the following major parts:

Major Part	Action	Comments/Notes
We Prepare The Table
	The Offertory and the Offertory Anthem
We Bless	The Great Thanksgiving	BCP p. 361 and pages following
	Greeting (BCP p. 369)
	Sursum Corda (BCP p. 370)
	Preface (BCP p. 370)	HE II Eucharistic Prayers C and D have fixed prefaces, whereas HE Eucharistic Prayers A and B have proper prefaces. See BCP pp. 377-382 for HE II proper prefaces.
	Sanctus and Benedictus qui venit (BCP p. 371)
	Oblation of Elements (BCP p. 371)
	Epiclesis (BCP p. 371)
	Institution Narrative (BCP p. 371)	Matt 26:26-29 Mk 14:22-25 Lk 22: 19-20 Cor 23-25
	Anamnesis and Oblation (BCP p. 371)
	Memorial Acclamation (BCP p. 371)
	Supplication (BCP p. 372)
	Doxology (BCP p. 372)
	Great AMEN (BCP p. 372)
	Lord’s Prayer (BCP p. 364)
We Break
	Fraction (BCP p. 364) and the Fraction anthem (Agnus dei)
We Eat and Drink
	Communion (BCP p. 364-365)
We Ungather
	Post-communion Prayer (BCP p. 365 or p. 366)
	Dismissal (BCP p. 366)

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The Details Of A Eucharistic Prayer

The structure of the Eucharistic prayers generally follows the form shown above for the Great Thanksgiving. There are variations (see the table immediately above). Below is a table outlining the structure of Eucharistic Prayer C that we used during this past Lent. The table shows the major subdivisions and illustrates the portions of the text from the BCP that fall within each of the divisions. The class handout shows a comparison of Eucharistic Prayers A and C.

STRUCTURE OF EUCHARISTIC PRAYER C

Opening

The Lord be with you. And also with you .

Sursum corda

Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give him thanks and praise .

Preface

God of all power, Ruler of the Universe, you are worthy of glory and praise. Glory to you for ever and ever. At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home. By your will they were created and have their being . From the primal elements you brought forth the human race, and blessed us with memory, reason, and skill. You made us the rulers of creation. But we turned against you, and betrayed your trust; and we turned against one another. Have mercy, Lord, for we are sinners in your sight Again and again, you called us to return. Through prophets and sages you revealed your righteous Law. And in the fullness of time you sent your only Son, born of a woman, to fulfill your Law, to open for us the way of freedom and peace. By his blood, he reconciled us. By his wounds, we are healed.

Sanctus

And therefore we praise you, joining with the heavenly chorus, with prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and with all those in every generation who have looked to you in hope, to proclaim with them your glory, in their unending hymn: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.

Benedictus qui venit

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Oblation of the Elements

And so, Father, we who have been redeemed by him, and made a new people by water and the Spirit, now bring before you these gifts.

Epiclesis

Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Institution Narrative

On the night he was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.” After supper, he took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”

Anamnesis and Oblation

Remembering now his work of redemption, and offering to you this sacrifice of thanksgiving.

Memorial Acclamation

We celebrate his death and resurrection, as we await the day of his coming.

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References

Jeffrey Lee. Opening the Prayer Book. Boston: Cowley Publications, 1999.

Daniel B. Stevick. “The Spirituality of the Book of Common Prayer.” In William J. Wolf, ed. Anglican Spirituality. Wilton, CT: Morehouse-Barlow Co.

Marion J. Hatchett. Commentary on the American Prayer Book. New York, NY: HarperSanFrancisco, 1995.

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