Volley # 63

THOSE PESKY RUBRICS

We have a quandary. On the one hand, we want our worship to be contemporary, flexible, responsive, interesting, and relevant to people’s lives. We want to be inclusive of lay people of all ages, to all manner and condition of people, and affirming to their gifts and ministries. We certainly do not want to be stodgy, formal in the stilted sense, clergy-centered, rote, or archaic.

At the same time, we hear from those who travel how important it is to them that Episcopal worship the world over has a certain Anglican predictability about it. When we visit, we feel at home somehow, because we can slip right into the worship of a congregation-- certainly when we hear the old Cranmerian cadences of the Book of Common Prayer, but sometimes even when it is non-English-speaking-- and recognize the familiar patterns of the liturgy.

I am discovering in my travels that ALL Episcopal clergy consider themselves to be experts at liturgical innovation. We think that we have brilliant, creative, inspired ideas to enliven and deepen our congregations’ worship. How can I put this delicately: most of us are deluding ourselves. Often, the result is just quirky. We’d be far better off to pick a liturgical style, of which there are several normative ones out there, and stick with it.

My suggestions for liturgical creativity are, that before beginning, we ask ourselves seriously what our aim is, and be very clear about that. Second, that we rehearse the congregation carefully, making sure it is clear to them what we are doing, and that all are prepared for their own role in the liturgy. Third, it is important to evaluate the activity: did it accomplish the desired effect, and were there any unexpected, troublesome side effects? Should it be considered a permanent or occasional worship innovation for the congregation? Can a guest priest easily pick up on it? Is it meaningful to most, or simply eccentric?

One more consideration should overshadow all of the above, however. Is the practice being considered in accordance with the prayer book rubrics and the diocesan policy for public worship? Those traditions have a purpose, and they are not mere suggestions. They set up reasonable norms that apply to all. They keep us Episcopal.