The Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) is organising services in Holy Week to enable clergy to reaffirm their ordination vows. In recent years, Diocesan Bishops have made provision for this to take place at a “Chrism Mass” on Maundy Thursday in their cathedral.
The Chrism Mass is not a well-known service amongst most Christians – even though it has been around since the early centuries of the church. In place in the Western Church by the early Middle Ages, it has only made a significant entry into Church of England life in the last 50 years or so. It usually takes place on Maundy Thursday and is a service at which oils are blessed. Clergy have the opportunity to reaffirm their ordination vows in the context of this service This was not part of the ancient Chrism Mass ‘package’ but has now become an integral part of it in the Church of England.
The use of oils in ministry is of course based in scripture (e.g. James 5: 13 – 15) and oils have scriptural warrant in praying for healing and in anointing to particular vocations (including to monarchy!). The oils that are blessed at a Chrism Mass are taken back to the parishes from the cathedral where the service is held where they are used in ministry as appropriate.
In recent years, some bishops and clergy have elevated the significance and importance of the Chrism Mass to a level that has not yet been theologically justified in the Anglican church. At the same time, there is much that many evangelicals have found helpful about it.
From an evangelical perspective there are a number of observations to make.
First, evangelicals recognise the biblical warrant for using oil in ministry but would not see this usage as sacramental.
Second, most evangelical ministers are happy to use their own ‘supply’ of oil if prayer ministry warrants the use of oil – and most of them do not rely upon a supply of oils blessed at a cathedral Chrism Mass.
Third, evangelical clergy often find it helpful to reaffirm their ordination commitments – but find they can do this in places/times other than/additional to a cathedral Chrism Mass.
The pinch point begins to emerge in that, in recent times, the Chrism Mass has been given a particular significance in terms of how it is believed to express a unity between bishops and clergy, and the fellowship and ministry that they share. It is at this point that some of the current issues emerge and the need for CEEC’s alternative services becomes apparent.
At a time when many bishops have adopted a position which is in contradistinction to the historic teaching of the church about marriage and sexual ethics, a growing number of clergy are feeling themselves to be in some degree of impaired fellowship with their bishop(s) – a reality which makes participation in a Chrism Mass a challenge to their conscience. How can we engage in a service which signifies a degree of unity that is no longer there?
CEEC is therefore offering two services at which clergy (in particular) can confirm their call to ordained ministry, their service of the people God has called them to pastor, and their commitment to remaining Anglican.
To those who see this as something new and untested, it is worth noting that the Society is well ahead of evangelicals in this regard that there are 14 Society Chrism Masses being held this Easter (the reason for their ‘separation’ from the regular diocesan Chrism Masses is to do with sacramental assurance).
To those who view evangelical clergy whose conscience will not allow them to participate in a Chrism Mass as schismatic and separatist, it is worth pointing out that it is the House of Bishops who are leading the Church of England into a position which contradicts and undermines an Anglican theology of marriage and sexual ethics. Many clergy are deeply saddened by the commitment of the House of Bishops to walk away from the ‘faith as we have received it’ and the division and separation that this commitment is creating.
It is likely that further manifestations of the de facto parallel province being constructed by the Alliance will continue to see the light of day if the House of Bishops fails to make adequate provision for those who wish to be guaranteed a secure and flourishing place in the Church of England going forwards.
CEEC hopes and prays that the alternatives it is offering this year will not need to become a permanent feature of the landscape but that a secure settlement will be found as part of the Living in Love and Faith process, which enables all clergy, licensed lay minsters, ordinands and churches needing it to be guaranteed an orthodox Ordinary bishop.
