Scottish Episcopal Church Research Articles

How the Fourth Statistical Account of East Lothian Recorded Developments in the Church in the County Between 1945 and 2000

This article will use the Fourth Statistical Account of East Lothian, which was produced by a consortium of local history societies, to provide a case study of how the church in the county developed between 1945 and 2000. Because East Lothian is the only Scottish county to have a fourth statistical account, the study provides a unique opportunity to trace the development of the church within a Scottish local authority during the second half of the twentieth century. The article will use, as its main sources, essays on four established denominations and the sections on ‘Belief’ in each of the parish entries. It will detail how the Church of Scotland, the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Methodist Church contracted between 1945 and 2000; show that, while the Roman Catholic Church was more stable, it began to suffer from a lack of vocations and the disinterest of younger members of the Catholic population, and that, while the Baptist Church increased its presence in the county and Pentecostal congregations and ‘house churches’ were formed, the Brethren and Church of Christ both declined and, as a consequence, these other churches remained on the margins of the church in East Lothian.

General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church

The General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC) met from 7 to 9 June 2023. The meeting was held in hybrid format, with most members attending in person and a small number online.

To Whom Do We Confess Our Sins? A Feminist Liturgical Critique of the Scottish Episcopal Church’s 1982 Confession

Feminist theologians have been making arguments for moving away from strictly male-gendered terms for God for decades, yet many churches continue to refer to God as ‘Father’ and ‘Lord’ in their weekly liturgies. This article will explore the place of ‘Father’ in the Scottish Episcopal Church’s Confession as found in the 1982 Liturgy. The 2022 General Synod authorised revisions to the 1982 Liturgy, which include the removal of ‘Father’ from two of the post-Communion prayers offered. However, the Confession remains unchanged. Considering the historical foundations and the nature of language about God, this article will use feminist theological arguments to suggest changes that should be made to the Scottish Episcopal Church’s Confession. The article concludes with suggestions for alternate approaches to writing a contemporary version of the prayer for the Scottish Episcopal Church.

General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church

The General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC) met from 9 to 11 June 2022. The previous two meetings of the Synod had taken place in virtual form only. The 2022 meeting was in hybrid format, with most members attending in person and a small number joining online.

To rehabilitate or replace? Reflections on the nature of conversations about male-gendered language for God

ABSTRACT After attending the Responding to the Sacred: Gender and Liturgy in Conversation (R2S) conference, organised by a branch of the Scottish Episcopal Church, this author came away with questions regarding the nature of the conference conversations around the use of male-gendered language for God. This article, therefore, considers the direction of those conversations, which largely seemed to argue for rehabilitation of the language rather than replacement. Reflections on the conference are developed with specific attention to the nature of tradition as unfixed and an observation of the role age plays in conversations about language for God. The opportunity is also taken to consider the place of ‘Father’ and ‘Lord’ in the church’s ‘God-talk’ alongside presentation of alternative, progressive, non-male terms for God. The concluding argument suggests that this conference fell short of encouraging much-needed movement away from male language for God.

General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church

The General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC) met in virtual form on 10 and 11 June 2021. In his charge to Synod, the Most Rev'd Dr Mark Strange, Primus, encouraged Synod members not to place their light under a bushel. The COVID-19 pandemic had denied people opportunities normally available to them to make their light shine and, at times, the bushel had felt very close. He reminded Synod members that in the valley of the shadow of death one need fear no evil. The evils of child poverty, the plight of refugees and unwarranted attacks on individuals in the public eye were all current evils to be confronted. Despite everything, the place of quiet waters and the comfort of the Shepherd's rod and staff still brought hope and joy, even in a pandemic.

Peace Cranes in a Sanctuary

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article On Mental Health, People, and PlacesFull AccessPeace Cranes in a SanctuaryEzra E. H. Griffith, M.D.Ezra E. H. GriffithSearch for more papers by this author, M.D.Published Online:25 Oct 2021https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2021.11.19Whenever I am away from home on Sunday, I find it rejuvenating to attend a church service as a visitor. I enjoy observing the rituals and listening to a new preacher. I take note of the level of the music ministry and the lay members’ participation in their faith group. Most recently, I took the one-mile stroll from my lodging to St. John’s Scottish Episcopal Church in downtown Edinburgh. I decided to visit this branch of Protestantism because I had already attended a service at a Church of Scotland, with its philosophy and rituals closer to those of John Knox and the Calvinist Reformers. One glance at the day’s service program and my eyes landed on the claim that St. John’s “seeks to be an open community, walking in the way of Jesus, engaging with an ever-changing world, and living a faith that is timeless yet contemporary, thoughtful, and compassionate.” This declaration of modernity was in striking contrast with the greying mass of stone that characterized the external appearance of the building. The seeming contradiction would come up in my conversation after the service with the associate rector, the Rev. Rosie Addis.Everyone followed the public health rules and wore a mask. The choristers took off theirs while fulfilling their duties, as did the clergy when leading the prayers, preaching, and reading the liturgical texts. Clergy and congregation had found an operational middle ground, a way of functioning while wearing masks and respecting distance. No collection plate was circulated during the service. A member explained that the new method, forced by COVID-19, was for someone to stand at the church door after the service, with the collection plate in hand. I learned that the new method is called “retiral collection.”A mobile of cranes floats above the sanctuary in St. John’s Scottish Episcopal Church in Edinburgh.Brigitte Griffith with permission of the Rev. Rosie AddisIt is hard to explain the Sunday morning peacefulness of an urban church, built almost 200 years ago. With the organ in the hands of an aficionado and the choir chanting the psalm expertly, the 16th-century motet by William Byrd was performed elegantly. The sacred sounds were bouncing lightly off the church walls accompanied by the sun’s rays dancing on the mobiles hanging from the ceiling and light fixtures around the church. The photograph shows an example of the extensive mobile made of thousands of peace cranes handcrafted from origami paper. I learned the cranes were part of an exhibition by artist Janis Hart intended to transform St. John’s Church into a bird sanctuary for peace. The idea was to provoke viewers into thoughts about the victims of the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima. That is complemented by the church’s work for inclusion of LGBTQ people in the life of the church and in society.The Rev. Addis explained the mission of this urban faith group, first by helping me understand better the morning’s sermon. It was about EFM, which stands for “Education for Ministry” or “Exploring Faith Ministry.” She pointed out that this movement is not intended for the education of clergy. It is to help church members explore religious matters and facilitate their theological reflection about what God is asking them to do in service to others. Hence, the mission’s orientation toward peace, abolition of nuclear weapons, and fellowship with nondominant groups such as Blacks, other minorities, and the LGBTQ community. Rev. Addis has also determined her pathway toward serving a unique group. She is an expert in British Sign Language and directs a monthly service for what she calls the “Messy Church.” This meeting is for those suffering the indignities and problems related to hearing disabilities.Several elements in the service collectively framed an ambience of togetherness and concern for others. The play area to one side of the sanctuary welcomed children. The tables and chairs at the rear invited attendees to socialize and enjoy tea and cake at the conclusion of the service. These ideas about caring for others, or for one another, reinforced the aesthetic and moral impact of the multicolored paper cranes fluttering in the air currents above us. The reminder of what we should do for neighbors was powerful. ■Ezra E. H. Griffith, M.D., is professor emeritus of psychiatry and African American Studies at Yale University. ISSUES NewArchived

General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church

The 2020 meeting of the General Synod had originally been planned to take place in June. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a change in plans and the meeting was postponed. It ultimately took place as a one-day virtual meeting in December 2020. Owing to the fact that the meeting was limited to a single day, rather than the usual two and half days, the business programme was restricted to those items regarded as essential.

Gender and liturgy: their conversation within the Anglican Communion

ABSTRACT This article developed out of a symposium on gendered language for God, convened in April 2021 as part of the preparation for further initiatives in liturgical revision in the Scottish Episcopal Church. Across the Anglican Communion, revision projects have paid attention to gendered language, and especially gendered language for God, as part of a determination to include individuals whose needs and identities have been marginalised or ignored by the Church’s language of prayer. The article surveys some of these projects, focusing in some detail on the Anglican Church of New Zealand and the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil. Both have discovered an idiom for composition which could inform other Anglican Provinces. In addition, any work of revision should take account of theological and literary considerations, as well as hearing directly from those it seeks to include. The survey ends by setting out key questions for future revisers, rather than proposing solutions.

General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church

The General Synod met at St Paul's and St George's church in Edinburgh from 6 to 8 June. In his opening charge to Synod, the Primus, the Most Revd Mark Strange, encouraged Synod members to listen to the voice of God and respond to the command ‘this is the way, walk in it’. The Scottish Episcopal Church needed to be able to respond to a society crying out for reconciliation, fairness and hope but could only do so if, inside the Church, such values marked the way in which members treated one another.

A Gothic Reformation: Tractarianism in the Scottish Episcopal Church

From the mid-eighteenth century Episcopalianism experienced a remarkable resurgence, reflected in membership, church building and – equally – the development of distinctive liturgical and aesthetic traditions. This article explores the influences of Tractarianism, Romanticism and the gothic literature and architecture on the development of a distinctly Scottish Episcopal tradition.

General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church

The General Synod met at St Paul's and St George's Church in Edinburgh from 7 to 9 June. It was the first General Synod at which the new Primus, the Most Revd Mark Strange, presided. In his charge to Synod, he preached on the love of God and the meaning of ‘loving your neighbour as yourself’. The mission of the Church was about revealing God's love and making life better for all, not just for church members.

Liturgy and Theological Method in the Scottish Episcopal Church

Liturgy and Theological Method in the Scottish Episcopal Church

The Brothers Forbes and the Liturgical Books of Medieval Scotland: Historical Scholarship and Liturgical Controversy in the Nineteenth-Century Scottish Episcopal Church

The Brothers Forbes and the Liturgical Books of Medieval Scotland: Historical Scholarship and Liturgical Controversy in the Nineteenth-Century Scottish Episcopal Church

The Missions of the Scottish Episcopal Church in the Nineteenth Century

The Missions of the Scottish Episcopal Church in the Nineteenth Century

General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church

The General Synod met at St Paul's and St George's Church in Edinburgh from 8 to 10 June. In his charge to Synod the Primus, the Most Revd David Chillingworth, called the Church to unity as it debated its understanding of marriage. He suggested that God privileged agreement: ‘if two or three agree on earth about anything in my name, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven’. The converse was that the inability to agree closed off blessing and the challenge was whether the Church's oneness in Christ could sustain unity in the face of the diversity of views.

General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church

The General Synod met at St Paul's and St George's Church in Edinburgh from 9 to 11 June 2016. In his charge to Synod, the Primus, the Most Revd David Chillingworth, reflected on the injunction of St Paul to ‘please God, who tests our hearts’. As the Synod prepared to consider canonical change in relation to marriage, he asked how the Church was to continue to express the love and unity to which it was called by God. During the preceding year, deep pain in relationships had been experienced both in the Anglican Communion and with the Church of Scotland and Church of England – and there was a need to explore whether the Scottish Episcopal Church itself might have contributed to that distress and to shape a response that ‘pleased God, who tests our hearts'. In the light of the (then) forthcoming referendum on the European Union, the Primus suggested that it was not the wish of many in Scotland to use national borders to protect economic privilege. If the referendum took the UK out of the European Union, it could have profound effects on the unfolding story of the new Scotland and of the UK as a whole.

The Importance of Moral Authority: Reflections on Current Events in the Anglican Communion

ELLEN K. WONDRA*On January 14, 2016, the Primates of the Anglican Communion announced that they had passed resolution requiring that for period of three years Episcopal Church no longer represent us on ecumenical and interfaith bodies, should not be appointed or elected to an internal standing committee and that while participating in the internal bodies of the Anglican Communion, they will not take part in decision making on any issues pertaining to doctrine or polity.* 1 action was taken in response to the Episcopal Church's 2015 decision that the sacrament of marriage is to be available to same-sex as well as opposite-sex couples.2 Notably, the resolution makes no mention of this subject. Rather, it is about doctrine and discipline, and who has what kind of authority to make determinations about both.A week after the meeting, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said that the Primates had that the Episcopal Church not participate in the activities stipulated by the Primates,3 whose actions he clearly supports. In his address to the Church of England's General Synod, the Archbishop used the term to describe the Primates' actions, term used in the drafts of the still-unapproved Anglican Covenant.4 Further, Archbishop Welby has said, This decision binds the Primates as group, but not any Province or other Instrument of Communion. It is powerful and morally forceful guideline.5At the beginning of the April 2016 meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council, Archbishop Welby gave report on the Primates' meeting, in which he said that the Primates' gathering had to balance three things, freedom, order and human flourishing. He specifically rejected the idea that the Primates had imposed sanctions or suspension, while also indicating that could be expected for any province that promotes its own autonomy over that of the catholic interdependence and mutual accountability of others.6 He noted that no of communion can legally bind the actions of any other, while also noting that the 1988 Lambeth Conference had passed resolution stating that the Primates have an enhanced responsibility in offering guidance on doctrinal, moral and pastoral matters, such that the Primates are a key to growth of interdependence within the Communion.' Archbishop reported that he had fulfilled his responsibility as an instrument of communion, which included asking Episcopal Church of interfaith or ecumenical bodies ... whose appointment he controls, to stand down, and they have done so.8 Archbishop has also appointed the Task Group for which the Primates called.At the end of its meeting, the Anglican Consultative Council passed resolution saying:The Anglican Consultative Council1. receives the formal report of the Archbishop of Canterbury to ACC 16 on the Primates' Gathering and Meeting of January 2016; and2. affirms the commitment of the Primates of the Anglican Communion to walk together; and3. commits to continue to seek appropriate ways for the provinces of the Anglican Communion to walk together with each other and with the Primates and other Instruments of Communion.9When asked what this resolution meant for the the Primates had called for, Archbishop Welby said, The consequences stand.10 Episcopal Church representatives to the ACC said that beyond [the Archbishop's] report, ACC members seemed to have little energy for answering the primates' call for consequences, for discussing disagreements over human sexuality, or for taking up the call of Anglican Communion Secretary-General Josiah Idowu-Fearon to pursue the Anglican Covenant. Yesterday [April 18, 2016], in fact, resolution that sought to pursue further consequences against Episcopal Church was withdrawn just before it was scheduled for debate.* 11In other words, three of the four instruments of communion of the Anglican Communion12 have now acted in response to the actions of the Episcopal Church, and indicated that similar may follow from possible actions of the General Synods of the Anglican Church of Canada (to be held in July 2016), the Scottish Episcopal Church (to be held in 2017), and any others that may make decisions similar to those of the Episcopal Church. …

General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church

The General Synod met in St Paul's and St George's Church in Edinburgh from 11 to 13 June. In his charge, the Primus, the Most Revd David Chillingworth, told Synod that the most significant challenge before it was same-sex marriage; and he believed that the time had come when that fundamental issue had to be addressed. It had been an extraordinary experience to be in Dublin, the city of his birth, just after the Constitutional Referendum on Same-Sex Marriage, when the most Catholic country in Europe decided to make the change. Just because society changed, the Church did not have to change as well – but it clearly had to consider the possibility of change. And that is what Synod would do.

Invisible suffering: breathlessness in and beyond the clinic

Invisible suffering: breathlessness in and beyond the clinic