Canon Dr Phil Groves applaudes liturgical change in the Diocese of Oxford
The Bishop of Oxford has hit the headlines by announcing a change to the initiation liturgy in his diocese. He has approved the inclusion of a clause in the Baptismal Commission so adults being baptised and confirmation candidates commit themselves to ‘strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the Earth’.
Greenpeace has welcomed the change remarking that liturgical change is deep change. A spokesperson said: ‘In a climate and nature emergency, you need to make environmental considerations central to your project right from the very beginning and keep them in mind the whole way through.’
This is music to a liturgist’s ears. Liturgy is central to our church, becasue worship is the heart of who we are and what we do. Amos, Micah, and Isaiah remind us that true worship is justice for the hungry, the poor and oppressed. Isaiah 58 holds the promise that if we act for justice the sun-scorched land will become a well-watered garden. A challenging and hopeful message in the time of climate injustice and impending catastrophe.
There is evidence that the baptismal liturgy can create real change, but only if it is used and used regularly. The change to the liturgy will only be effective if we in Oxford learn from our friends in The Episcopal Church (TEC).
Many clergy in the Church of England wouldn’t know where to find the Baptismal Commission. It is not included in the standard baptismal liturgy and we do so few adult baptisms and attend so few confirmation services, that we just forget it is even there.
Ask any Episcopalian, lay or ordained, about the Baptismal Covenant and they are likely to be able to cite it word for word. It has shaped many lives and it has shaped the life of their church.
The Baptismal Covenant was included in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer as a commitment made by the whole community as the Lord adds to the number of the baptised. Every one recommits themselves to participate in corporate worship, resist evil, proclaim the faith, serve their neighbours, and strive for justice and peace.
As well as at every baptism, it is recited at major festivals and the Baptismal Covenant has defined the distinctive nature of TEC. They know themselves as a community of the baptised. A huge font is always central to the worship space at General Convention – even though no one is baptised there. It is very important that the eucharist is shared in the context of the symbol of baptism.
The wording Baptismal Covenant differs slightly but significantly from the Church of England Baptismal Commission. The Church of England copied the first four clauses, but extended and developed the clause to strive for justice and peace. The TEC Covent ends with a punchy call to ‘respect the dignity of every human being’.
It is this ending that has shaped TEC. Respecting the dignity of every human means supporting Black Lives Matter, refusing to demonise immigrants, and backing #MeToo. For many it was obvious that it required the full inclusion of LGBTI+ people in society and church.
The constant liturgical repetition of the Covenant has shaped a church.
If the change in liturgy in the Diocese of Oxford is to be effective in changing the way we live it will require a change in which the Baptismal Commission is used. The Diocese will need to learn form TEC.
In our benefice we have a thriving multi-generational congregation in the Diocese of Oxford with a regular Sunday attendance of 70 in a civic parish of only 650. We use the Baptismal Commission five or six times a year outside of baptisms. It is always used at Easter and Pentecost, but we also use it, for example, in our Christian Aid Service. Last week we used it in a Father’s Day liturgy. I believe reciting the baptismal Commission has played a part in deepening our communal faith.
On Sunday we were delighted to use the new ending and to commit ourselves to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth.
Liturgy works because it seeps theology into our being. Only by repetition will we change how we act when we do our shopping and decide that our Christian faith means we choose to cut our carbon footprint by choosing tofu not chicken. If the change is only for confirmation services, there will be little change in practice.
There is also a challenge from the Dioces of Oxford to TEC. The commitment to the dignity of every human being must never be watered down, but surely now is the time to add the commitment to acting on climate chaos. The dignity of human beings is only possible in that context. TEC can learn from the Diocese of Oxford and include a new final clause, change behavoiur and change to world.
I hope this can be talked about among bishops at the Lambeth Conference – that is why bishops are going.
Let us all strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the Earth
Canon Dr Phil Groves is he Chair of APJN. He is aparish preist in the Diocese of Oxford and a Canon of Mpwapwa in Tanzania. He is dyslexic – there may be typos in this article – live with it!