Since 2005 there has been confusion whether married Roman Catholic deacons may have sex with their wives. It is a little surprising to me that for a church that usually dots its i’s and crosses its t’s the reintroduction of the married diaconate was not done with a little more care and thought about the
Vatican allows deacons to have sex Read More »
This post makes little sense unless you are aware of the common NZ Anglican practice of having a lay person “lead the first half of the Eucharist”. [Such a “lay worship leader” is often called a “liturgist” sic!] The practice appears to have developed from the union of three different trends The desire to give
Roman Catholic canon law requires all its clergy, married or not, to abstain from sex. Canon 277 has long been ignored but suddenly is hitting the blogosphere. This is relevant not only to the tens of thousands of married Roman Catholic deacons, but to clergy in the Anglican Ordinariates. More than a year ago, through
No sex please, we’re clergy Read More »
I opened the most recent Anglican Taonga, the official magazine of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. The first article was dominated by a photo of what looked to me to be a priest with the stole crooked. The photo was large and clear (13x18cm; 5x7inch). My first thought was, couldn’t someone
Should deacons dress up as priests? Read More »
Should priests dress up as deacons? This post is the sequel to the discussion whether we should ordain per saltum. Many communities have a tradition (or are developing, or seeking to develop a tradition) of a Eucharist with a presiding priest, a deacon, and a subdeacon (see photo on the left by Gordon Plumb). Leaving
the end of the dalmatic? Read More »
Direct ordination or not? Priesthood is normally understood as church-facing/Christian-community-facing leadership. Priests gather and lead the Christian community gathering (breathing in). Priests in the Church are called to build up Christ’s congregation, to strengthen the baptised… to be pastors… to declare forgiveness through Jesus Christ, to baptise, to preside at the Eucharist, to administer Christ’s
per saltum ordination Read More »
Prior to the 1970s, NZ Anglicans had to be confirmed in order to be allowed to receive communion. Then in the 70s and 80s General Synod allowed those baptised who had been “Admitted to Communion” to receive communion. This followed the then RC model of “First Communion”. In 1990 General Synod restored the tradition of
blessing or communion? Read More »
Maybe we have our weighting wrong. Last weekend I was at an ordination. In our grand, full cathedral, with one of the world’s excellent choirs, with grand processions of robed clergy, coped archdeacons, billowing incense, and five splendidly attired bishops, with prostrations and much ceremony, the two hour service ordained four priests. The bishop, visiting
baptism confirmation ordination Read More »
