Editorial
Observations on how far the Church of Scotland is mistress of her own affairs; on the putting up of regimental colours in churches; about a service of reconciliation in Melrose Abbey.
Volume 04, Number 02 Nov 1974
The Real Presence
This, the presidential address of May 1974, ranges over a number of issues that are arising at the time before focusing on the real presence of Christ in the eucharist, welcoming the contribution towards restoring the full understanding of this in recent Roman Catholicism by Dom Odo Casel and showing how this had continued as the Reformed Church's position over the centuries. The paper does not seek to discuss the mode of the presence of Christ in the Sacrament so much as the need for contemporary worship to acknowledge Christ's presence in all dimensions of worship, that, as reports on worship to the General Assemblies of 1970 and 1973 affirmed, Christian worship shares in the worship of Christ.
On Being a Bishop in the Church of England
This article continues the description of the workings of the Church of England begun in the previous issue, in this case by the person who was secretary on the Anglican side at the conversations with the Church of Scotland. The bishop notes several roles: the liturgical, confirmation, consecration, the pastoral, the administrative, and the Church's contribution, through its bishops, to the House of Lords.
Eucharistic Theology and Eucharistic Origins
This paper was given at a gathering of the Leicester Diocesan Clergy. It may be taken as a continuation of the set of papers over more than one issue of the Liturgical Review in which the doctrine and practice of the Church of England are shared. The paper first explores the concept of eucharistic sacrifice, finding that the eucharist affords access to the death and resurrection of Christ. It then explores the concept of real presence, finding three misunderstandings, which he explores with the help of T F Torrance. This paper is to be continued in a future issue.
The Sierra Leone Church: Local or Foreign?
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The Sierra Leone Church: Local or Foreign?
The author works in the University of Sierra Leone and offers a detailed analysis of how the various denominations find expression in a culture which itself was alien to its environment. The account covers how Christian doctrines find echoes in local traditional religious beliefs and how Christian practices and styles of worship are modified by local practice.
Saints and Kings at Medieval Melrose Abbey
The author is a fellow of Downing College, Cambridge, and Head of the Department of Art History in the University of Cambridge. Taking as a starting point an appraisal of part of a relief, he expands the context to embrace the history of the Cistercians and their attitudes to art and architecture at the time, and allows other statues and imagery to help in the analysis of the relief. This leads to a more definite suggestion as to a place it might have originate as well as the purpose for the relief.
The Vocabulary of the Kirk
Here, the editor of the Scottish National Dictionary discusses how far the vocabulary of the nation related to church usage. A widespread example is 'mass', and the saints gave their names to fairs and events throughout the country. Included are the words and terms used around the Communion seasons post-Reformation. This article is to be continued.
The Dress of Women Ministers
This feature is by several writers, male editor, male elder, female research student, female student of theology, who all from their various standpoints write about how women should dress as women, both in the leading of worship and in the course of their pastoral duties.
A Service for the Baptism of Infants
This is compiled from a number of sources.
Witness and Communication
This sermon on Thomas's question, 'How can we know the way?' asks whether Christian language is private language, confined to 'islands of thought' and beyond normal understanding compared with the 'real world' of scientific language and discovery. Yet, adopting this, we have cut ourselves off from the depths of our own being and narrowed the horizon of our understanding. But the exclusiveness of Jesus' answer to Thomas – 'No-one can come … except through me' – has become an embarrassment. It need not be exclusive; the same light that shines for us through Jesus may shine through Isaiah, Plato, Zoroaster, Buddha and others. We have much to learn but we cannot learn unless our learning comes from the depth of our own (Christian) experience.
The Church Service Society - Notes
This reports 65 members at the Annual Meeting, and an account of the meeting follows, when the Revd John B Logan was elected President. This was only the second Annual Meeting that had taken place in Greyfriars, the other being on the Society's Centenary. The notes separately announce the death of Mr William McCrea, an architect member.
List of Plates
Plate 1. Relief Sculpture, Melrose Abbey Museum
Plate 2. Great Seal of King John Balliol
Plate 3. Cambridge University Library Ms. Es. 3.59 f.29 vo
Plate 4. Rt Rev R R Williams, DD, Lord Bishop of Leicester