Volume 43 2007-8

Communicating the Word: Presidential Address

Marion Dodd

The President, from her background as a professional singer and as one well versed in music, explores the issues relating to communicating in words, against a biblical and theological backcloth. The subject is treated in a Trinitarian format. The address had been accompanied by a multi-media presentation involving visual representation of the Hebrew, Greek and English versions of John 1:1 coupled with a musical setting composed and performed by the President.

New Technologies, New Ways

John R Hume

The former Chief Inspector of Buildings, Historic Scotland, former Convener of the Church of Scotland's Committee on Art and Architecture, and current Chair of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, reviews each technological innovation regarding buildings and worship over the centuries, including building techniques, light and sound, audio-visual systems, disabled access, the organ, the use of other instruments, together with some of the practices made possible, and asks for discernment in the use of each new advance.

Ministerial Dress (South Africa)

Graham A Duncan

Following a statement of the theology of worship, the author explores the priestly tradition and the synagogue tradition, one favouring vestments the other less so. He surveys practice since the Scottish Reformation and notes the lack of uniformity. He looks in more detail at specific items of dress: cassock, girdle, preaching gown, shirt/collar/bands, academic hood, preaching scarf, stole, cap. The symbolism of clerical dress is explored and the paper concludes with a discussion of the issues raised in modern times and whether there is an ultimate requirement around which agreement might be reached.

Book Reviews

Various contributors

The Church Hymnary, Fourth Edition, reviewed by Neil Gardner

Religion: Vol. 12 of Scottish Life and Societyreviewed by Gilleasbuig Macmillan

Secretarial Notes

No author specified

AGM 2007. The combining of the Study Day 2007 with the Symposium arranged by the Working Group on Worship and Doctrine of the Mission and Discipleship Council on 'Holy Communion and the Renewal of the Church'. The proposed website. The 100th birthday of the Very Revd. Roy Sanderson, and the subsequent death of Dr Sanderson. The death of the Very Revd. Professor Thomas F Torrance. The 50th anniversary of the ordination of Dr Henry Sefton. The induction of the Society's Treasurer, the Revd. Jennifer Macrae, to Haddington St Mary's. Best wishes on retirement to the Society's Vice President and former Secretary, the Revd Rachel Dobie.

Jottings

J C Stewart

Notes the launch of the new magazine on church music, Different Voices, edited by the Society's President. Reference to the journal Ecclesiology Today and a note of items of Scottish interest. Notes an article in a parish magazine intimating a variety of ways simultaneously for receiving Communion, refers to the symposium on Holy Communion (see Secretarial Notes above) and suggests that these developments and discussions would benefit from a recovered awareness of roots.

Corrections to 'The Manna of Ecclesiology'

Tom Davidson Kelly

 - published in Record no. 42 (Tom Davidson Kelly). This page to be removed and inserted in that issue of the journal.