Dear Editor,
I enjoyed reading your extensive article on the Anglo-Catholic dimension of our faith (Pressing forward — High Church Anglicanism in print and practice, January 2024) Anglicanism forms a broad church, ranging from the evangelical to the catholic, and the latter gets little play in the affairs of the wider church these days.
One of the key elements of Anglo-Catholic worship is a deep appreciation of the liturgies contained in what is still the legal expression of our faith, the Book of Common Prayer. But apart from the odd said BCP service in some parishes, and choral evensong where sung, the main offices of the Book of Common Prayer have been effectively suppressed in recent years.
I think most Anglicans do appreciate some variety in our forms of worship; for example, our relationship with the Lutherans has generated use of parts of their liturgies. But this does not quite explain why the language of Cranmer in the BCP has been abandoned. I can assure our bishops and clergy that among parishioners of a certain age, if not others, the BCP is still appreciated.
David Collins
Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria
