Anglicans rid of troublesome Priests

An item in the agenda of the Sydney Anglican Synod (October 18-27) calls for abolition of "priests".

Well, not exactly. Rather replacement of the taboo word with "minister", "elder" or other acceptable term.

It was a long time coming. Some 40 years ago two students at Sydney's temple of Calvinism, Moore College, produced an unauthorised version of the Major General's song from Pirates of Penzance.

The opening line, normally "I am the very model of a modern Major General", was rendered as "I am the very model of a modern evangelical." A later verse said something about: "I never call a priest a priest but always call him minister - the other word we all dislike because it sounds so sinister".

The Oxford English Dictionary has several definitions of priest, the most common being simply: "clergyman, especially one above deacon and below bishop with authority to administer sacraments and pronounce absolution".

A second definition refers to "minister of the altar, especially officiant at Eucharist". All very fishy, something with which the Jensen brothers would feel understandably uncomfortable.

However, how can they change it? The Anglican Ordinal itself calls for the three-fold ministry of bishops, priests and deacons. Not that this would cause concern in Sydney, where a few years back opponents of Philip Jensen, at the time considered a front runner for the about-to-be-vacated archbishopric, circulated tapes of a sermon, recorded in the UK, in which he challenged the nature and office of bishop.

We live in a funny world. Whilst evangelical Anglicans wish to do away with "priest" a number of Catholic priests seem to be now calling themselves "pastor", which used to be considered Protestant of a Lutheran sort. Then there's "presider", a strange word indeed. "Pastor" creates problems with pronunciation. A north country English lady of my acquaintance pronounces the word as if she is choosing from the menu of an Italian restaurant.

Talking of Lutherans, many television viewers were surprised at the beauty of the recent royal wedding in Copenhagen. Officiating clergy wore vestments. Chorale music - including the British coronation anthem Zadok the Priest, sung in English - was of an exceptionlly high order.

It prompted one Anglican, writing in the newsletter of the broadly based movement, Anglicans Together, to bemoan the loss of similar fine music resulting from the recent changes at Sydney's St Andrew's Cathedral.

But there are two sides to every story. Some years ago your correspondent visited Melbourne's St Paul's Cathedral as the traditional Evensong began. A full "troop" of some 20 choristers entered the old building accompanying three resident clergy. The actual congregation numbered about six.

After it was over one of the clergy explained to this writer that the "performance" itself was a kind of prayer. The matter of attracting a congregation was secondary, hence the event would still be "valid" even if there were no congregation at all.

Perhaps the Jensen idea of turning Sunday evening services at the cathedral into a kind of Christian youth forum might have validity after all.