Question regarding the BCP Order of Visitation of the Sick

Discussion in 'Liturgy, and Book of Common Prayer' started by Peteprint, Aug 12, 2013.

  1. Peteprint

    Peteprint Well-Known Member Anglican

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    I have a question regarding the BCP Order of Visitation of the Sick. As far as I can tell all the English Prayer Books have the following prayer in the Order:

    1549 Prayer Book:

    DERELY beloved, know this that almighty God is the Lorde over lyfe, and death, and over all thynges to them perteyning, as yougth, strength, helth, age, weakenesse, and sickenesse. Wherfore, whatsoever your sickenes is, knowe you certaynly, that it is Gods visitacion. And for what cause soever this sickenesse is sent unto you; whether it bee to trye your pacience for the example of other, and that your fayth may be founde, in the day of the Lorde, laudable, glorious, and honourable, to the encrease of glory, and endelesse felicitie: Orels it be sent unto you to correcte and amende in you, whatsoever doeth offende the iyes of our heavenly father: knowe you certainly, that if you truely repent you of your synnes, and beare your sickenes paciently, trusting in Gods mercy, for his dere sonne Jesus Christes sake, and rendre unto him humble thankes for his fatherly visitacion, submytting yourselfe wholy to his wil; it shal turne to your profite, and helpe you forewarde in the ryght waye that leadeth unto everlastyng lyfe.

    1662 Prayer book:


    DEARLY beloved, know this, that Almighty God is the Lord of life and death, and of all things to them pertaining, as youth, strength, health, age, weakness, and sickness. Wherefore, whatsoever your sickness is, know you certainly, that it is God's visitation. And for what cause soever this sickness is sent unto you; whether it be to try your patience, for the example of others, and that your faith may be found in the day of the Lord laudable, glorious, and honourable, to the increase of glory and endless felicity; or else it be sent unto you to correct and amend in you whatsoever doth offend the eyes of your heavenly Father; know you certainly, that if you truly repent you of your sins, and bear your sickness patiently, trusting in God's mercy for his dear Son Jesus Christ's sake, and render unto him humble thanks for his fatherly visitation, submitting yourself wholly unto his will, it shall turn to your profit, and help you forward in the right way that leadeth unto everlasting life.

    American 1892 Prayer book:

    DEARLY beloved, know this, that Almighty God is the Lord of life and death, and of all things to them pertaining; as youth, strength, health, age, weakness, and sickness. Wherefore, whatsoever your sickness be, know you certainly that it is God's visitation. And for what cause soever this sickness be sent unto you; whether it be to try your patience for the example of others, and that your faith may be found, in the day of the Lord, laudable, glorious, and honourable, to the increase of glory and endless felicity, or else it be sent unto you to correct and amend in you whatsoever doth offend the eyes of your heavenly Father; know you certainly that if thou truly repent you of your sins, and bear your sickness patiently, trusting in God's mercy for his dear Son Jesus Christ's sake, and render unto him humble thanks for his fatherly visitation, submitting yourself wholly unto his will, it shall turn to your profit, and help you forward in the right way that leadeth unto everlasting life.

    The American 1928 Prayer Book does not have this prayer, but ones such as the following:

    O MOST merciful God, who, according to the multitude of thy mercies, dost so put away the sins of those who truly repent, that thou rememberest them no more; Open thine eye of mercy upon this thy servant, who most earnestly desireth pardon and forgiveness. Renew in him, most loving Father, whatsoever hath been decayed by the fraud and malice of the devil, or by his own carnal will and frailness; preserve and continue this sick member in the unity of the Church; consider his contrition, accept his tears, assuage his pain, as shall seem to thee most expedient for him. And forasmuch as he putteth his full trust only in thy mercy, impute not unto him his former sins, but strengthen him with thy blessed Spirit; and, when thou art pleased to take him hence, take him unto thy favour; through the merits of thy most dearly beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

    The English (and earlier American Prayer Books) have the prayer that claims that God has visited the illness upon the sick person, something I personally reject. Of course God can send illness at times for purposes of correction, but I don’t believe every illness is sent by God.


    I have heard that the 1928 American BCP is more Catholic, and possibly that might explain the difference. My question is, was the prayer in the English and earlier American BCP’s the work of Cranmer, or can it be found in the Sarum Manual? I can only find the Sarum in Latin (which I can’t read), and I can’t locate any Catholic manuals from the period in English. If Cranmer wrote this, can it be seen as influenced by Calvinism? Orthodox prayers for illness that I have seen state that we deserve to be sick since we are sinners, but not that God has inflicted the illness on us necessarily.
     
  2. The Hackney Hub

    The Hackney Hub Well-Known Member

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    People often say the 1928 BCP is "more Catholic", whilst it does have a dose of "catholic" stuff, it's really a product of Protestant liberalism, specifically the latitudinarianism of the Quadrilateral. All of the trends in the 1979 BCP can be seen in nucleus form in the 1928 BCP.
     
  3. Adrian

    Adrian New Member

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    The English BCP Order is based on 3 services from the Sarum Manual:
    1) The Order for the Visitation of the Sick
    2) Extreme Unction
    3) Commendation of the Soul

    The Deprecation (Remember not, Lord...) in the Sarum Manual was sung as an anthem at the end of the 7 penitential Psalms which were chanted on the way to the sick person's house.

    The First Collect was the last of a group of 9 in the Sarum Manual, the Second Collect was originally 3rd of the 9. The latter Collect took on its more pessimistic outlook in the 1662 revision when the original references to the cure of St Peter's wife's mother, the centurion's servant and the preservation of Tobias and Sara were struck out. The Collect plays down the hope for recovery compared with the earlier BCP versions.

    The Exhortation which you mention was composed in 1549 and is an expansion of a much shorter form found in the Sarum Manual.

    Whilst the BCP Order for the Visitation of the Sick has its basis in the Sarum Manual, it departs from the spirit and tone of Sarum. The BCP order emphasises the view that sickness is generally a divine punishment for sin, and the sick person’s principal duty to glorify God by remaining ill and suffering patiently, rather than by recovering quickly through the ministrations of the Church. In the BCP Order, expectation of recovery, though not entirely absent is relegated to the background.

    The Apostolic/Early and Medieval Church did recognize that God sometimes punishes with sickness and even death but there was a marked disinclination to regard God as the direct author of disease. Many old Offices for the Sick take this view, but the outlook was hopeful. Once the sick person had been moved to repentance and absolution pronounced, it was generally believed that the sick person would be quickly restored to health by God.
     
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  4. Peteprint

    Peteprint Well-Known Member Anglican

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    Thank you both for the responses. Adrian, that is what I thought was the case.
     
  5. Lux Christi

    Lux Christi Active Member

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    In the 1962 Canadian BCP, the heading is called "Ministry to the Sick" instead, and the former paragraph is nowhere to be found. Instead, just like the 1928, that particular extract had been shortened into a prayer for Confession and Absolution of the sick and dying.

    O MOST merciful God, who, according to the multitude of thy mercies, dost so put away the sins of those who truly repent, that thou rememberest them no more: Look upon this thy servant, who most earnestly desireth pardon and forgiveness. And forasmuch as he putteth his full trust only in thy mercy, impute not unto him his former sins, but strengthen him with thy blessed Spirit; and whenever thou art pleased to take him hence, take him into thine everlasting favour; through the merits of thy most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

    I think maybe you should get a personal copy! It's still has the feel of the older BCP editions, but more Catholic, and still rather conservative. I am on the fence with the BAS though!
     
  6. Peteprint

    Peteprint Well-Known Member Anglican

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    Thank you Lux Christi. I have dual American and Canadian citizenship (my mother and sister are Canadian born). My grandparents immigrated to Canada from Britain after WWI. I am interested in examining the Canadian BCP and will have to look into that. I find the original prayer that I bolded to be very problematic theologically (at least for me), and was very disappointed the first time I read it in the 1662 BCP. I would hate to tell a parent with a sick, and possibly dying child, that God was visiting the illness on the child. That seems to come from a Calvinist mindset that attributes everything that happens in the world to God, since they deny any freewill to people, or any possibility of chance in the workings of nature or human affairs. I don't believe for example that the Holocaust or the sinking of the Titanic was God's will. He allows men to exercise their freewill, which includes starting wars and making mistakes.
     
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  7. Lux Christi

    Lux Christi Active Member

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    You can download it via the main website of the Anglican Church of Canada, in pdf form: http://www.anglican.ca/resources/liturgicaltextsonline/

    The BCP 1962 at least has a rite of Confession, something of which I don't seem to see in the 1928 Book. The Sacrament of Reconciliation, done in the right spirit, seems to offset that mindset that forgiveness is something to be done in grovelling.


    Or you can always check out the Canadian Book of Common Prayer 1962 via the Prayer Book Society website as an online resource. I am absolutely not a fan of some Prayer Book Society's stances and of alternative liturgical forms, but the website is accessible!

    Lucky for you to have some Canadian roots! :)

    The one thing that I do appreciate about the Book of Alternative Services, is that the content is a little more catholic, although some of the renditions are terribly simple English.
     
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  8. Peteprint

    Peteprint Well-Known Member Anglican

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    Thank you Lux Christi for the resources!
     
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