Whitsuntide in the 1928 BCP

From AnglicanWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Whitsuntide in the 1928 BCP is the Prayer Book keeping of Pentecost and Whitsun-week in the 1928 American Book of Common Prayer. In the comparative propers source for the 1928 revision, the heading "WHITSUNTIDE" begins with "Pentecost, commonly called Whitsunday," gives Whitsunday its collect, Epistle, and Gospel, directs that the collect be used daily through Whitsun Week, provides an optional first-Communion proper for churches celebrating Holy Communion twice on the feast, and gives distinct propers for Monday and Tuesday in Whitsun-week. The season therefore prays the promised gift of the Holy Ghost as illumination, comfort, mission, unity, and incorporation into the Church.

Whitsunday

The Whitsunday collect is the doctrinal center of the 1928 observance. It names Pentecost as the time when God taught the hearts of his faithful people by sending the light of the Holy Spirit, then asks for "right judgment" and holy comfort. Its final clause keeps the feast explicitly Trinitarian: the same Spirit who illumines the Church is confessed in the unity of the one God with the Father and the Son.

O GOD, who as at this time didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people, by sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit; Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

This Collect is to be said daily throughout Whitsun Week.

[1]

The appointed Epistle, Acts 2, gives the feast its public and missionary shape. The Spirit's descent is not treated as private inspiration only: the apostles speak so that Jews and proselytes from many nations hear "the wonderful works of God" in their own tongues.

WHEN the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

[2]

The Gospel, John 14, explains the comfort requested in the collect. The Comforter is the Spirit of truth, sent by the Father in Christ's name, who teaches and recalls Christ's words. The Prayer Book therefore joins Pentecostal power to obedience, remembrance, peace, and the indwelling presence of God.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.

[3]

Francis Procter and Walter Howard Frere interpret the feast historically in relation to the Jewish Pentecost and the Christian Passover. Their account shows why the 1928 BCP can call the day both Pentecost and Whitsunday while treating it as the gift of the Spirit to the Church.

The festival of Whitsuntide corresponds with the Jewish feast of Pentecost. That commemorated the delivery of the Law on Mount Sinai, fifty days after the Passover; and after the same interval from the true Passover when Christ was offered for us, the Holy Ghost was given to the Christian Church.

[4]

Procter and Frere also explain the English name. Their note is useful because it separates the older baptismal association of "White Sunday" from the later popular explanation that connected "Whit" with wisdom or wit.

Professor Skeat is certain that Pentecost was called White Sunday in the northern Churches, and probably because it was the more usual time of Baptism. In England, white was corrupted into whit, and this confused with Wit, as by a writer of the fourteenth century.

[5]

Holy Communion

The 1928 Holy Communion office requires the Nicene Creed on Whitsunday, even though the Creed may be omitted on ordinary occasions when it has already been said in Morning Prayer. This places the feast among the principal doctrinal festivals of the eucharistic year.

Then shall be said the Creed commonly called the Nicene, or else the Apostles' Creed; but the Creed may be omitted, if it hath been said immediately before in Morning Prayer; Provided, That the Nicene creed shall be said on Christmas-day, Easter-day, Ascension-day, Whitsunday, and Trinity-Sunday.

[6]

The Proper Preface for Whitsuntide interprets Pentecost as the fulfilment of Christ's promise. It links the descent of the Holy Ghost to apostolic preaching and to the Church's deliverance from darkness and error into the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ.

THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord; according to whose most true promise, the Holy Ghost came down as at this time from heaven, lighting upon the Apostles, to teach them, and to lead them into all truth; giving them boldness with fervent zeal constantly to preach the Gospel unto all nations; whereby we have been brought out of darkness and error into the clear light and true knowledge of thee, and of thy Son Jesus Christ.

[7]

Percy Dearmer's survey of the Prayer Book identifies Whitsunday with the other great festivals marked by Proper Prefaces at Holy Communion. That observation supports the 1928 pattern: Whitsuntide is not only a proper collect and set of readings, but a eucharistic confession embedded in the great thanksgiving.

Some special days are further marked out. The Great Festivals (Christmas, Easter, Ascension, Whitsunday, Trinity Sunday) have Proper Prefaces at Holy Communion.

[8]

The 1928 revision also adds a special provision for a first Communion when Holy Communion is celebrated twice on Whitsunday. Its collect asks not only for illumination but for strengthening in service; its Epistle from 1 Corinthians 12 turns from tongues in Acts 2 to the ordered diversity of gifts in one body.

If in any Church the Holy Communion be twice celebrated on Whitsunday, the following Collect, Epistle, and Gospel may be used at the first Communion.

ALMIGHTY and most merciful God, grant, we beseech thee, that by the indwelling of thy Holy Spirit, we may be enlightened and strengthened for thy service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

[9]

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.

[10]

Daily Office

The 1928 Daily Office marks Whitsunday at the opening of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer. Morning Prayer provides seasonal sentences from Acts 1 and Galatians 4, then gives a Whitsunday antiphon after the Venite rubric for use on the feast and six days after. Evening Prayer supplies Psalm 46 and Revelation 22 sentences, setting Pentecost within the glad city of God and the Spirit's call to come.

Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

[11]

On Whitsunday and six days after. - Alleluia. The Spirit of the Lord filleth the world : O come, let us adore him. Alleluia.

[12]

There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High.

The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come.

[13]

Monday and Tuesday in Whitsun-week

The 1928 propers do not let Pentecost remain only a single-day commemoration. Monday in Whitsun-week asks that the Holy Spirit direct, rule, comfort, defend, and lead the faithful. Its Epistle, Acts 10, then applies Pentecost to the Gentiles: the Holy Ghost falls on Cornelius and his household, and Peter cannot forbid baptism to those who have received the same gift.

SEND, we beseech thee, Almighty God, thy Holy Spirit into our hearts, that he may direct and rule us according to thy will, comfort us in all our afflictions, defend us from all error, and lead us into all truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the same Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen.

[14]

While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

[15]

Tuesday in Whitsun-week gathers the theology of the week into ecclesial unity. The collect asks that the Church, gathered by the Holy Spirit, may manifest God's power among all peoples, while the Epistle from Acts 8 shows Samaritans receiving the Holy Ghost through apostolic prayer and laying on of hands.

GRANT, we beseech thee, merciful God, that thy Church, being gathered together in unity by thy Holy Spirit, may manifest thy power among all peoples, to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

[16]

When the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (for as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

[17]

Procter and Frere interpret Monday and Tuesday as part of an older extended Whitsuntide observance. They connect the appointed readings with the Spirit's work in Acts, Christ's teaching in John, Old Testament figures of the Spirit's ministry, and the testing of spiritual claims by the Catholic Faith.

In early times the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week were considered as festivals in the same way as Easter week, but here also only the first two days have any special provision: this leaves the way more open for the Ember days following.

[18]

The Epistles read on the Monday and Tuesday are part of a series of three lessons from the Acts of the Apostles recounting the manifestations of the work of the Holy Spirit: the Gospels for Monday and Tuesday are part of a similar trio from S. John's Gospel.

[19]

Prayer Book Use

Whitsuntide should therefore be taught as the answer to the Church's Ascensiontide waiting. In the 1928 BCP, Pentecost is not detached enthusiasm: it is the promised Holy Ghost given by the ascended Christ, the light by which the Church receives right judgment, the comfort by which disciples keep Christ's words, the power by which witness goes to the nations, the unity by which Jews, Gentiles, Samaritans, bond, and free are gathered into one body, and the truth by which error is resisted. Parish observance is shaped through the repeated collect, proper Scripture, Daily Office sentences and antiphon, required Creed, Proper Preface, and the weekday propers of Whitsun-week.

See Also

References

  1. ↑ Episcopal Church, The Book of Common Prayer (New York: Church Pension Fund, 1928), "Collects, Epistles, and Gospels," "Whitsuntide. Pentecost, commonly called Whitsunday," collect and rubric; wording checked against local source sources/justuspropers/ReadingsC.htm, lines 200-218, and extracted 1928 Standard PDF text in tmp/revision-research/whitsuntide-in-the-1928-bcp/1928-propers-whitsun-pypdf.txt, PDF pages 46-47. Society of Archbishop Justus, "The Collects, Epistles and Gospels".
  2. ↑ Episcopal Church, The Book of Common Prayer (1928), "Collects, Epistles, and Gospels," "Whitsunday," Epistle, Acts ii. 1; wording checked against sources/justuspropers/ReadingsC.htm, lines 221-242, and extracted 1928 Standard PDF text, PDF page 47. Society of Archbishop Justus, "The Collects, Epistles and Gospels".
  3. ↑ Episcopal Church, The Book of Common Prayer (1928), "Collects, Epistles, and Gospels," "Whitsunday," Gospel, St. John xiv. 15; wording checked against sources/justuspropers/ReadingsC.htm, lines 243-273, and extracted 1928 Standard PDF text, PDF page 47. Society of Archbishop Justus, "The Collects, Epistles and Gospels".
  4. ↑ Francis Procter and Walter Howard Frere, A New History of the Book of Common Prayer, with a Rationale of Its Offices, revised edition (London: Macmillan and Co., 1907), p. 546, chapter XIII, "Collects, Epistles, and Gospels"; wording checked against tmp/revision-research/whitsuntide-in-the-1928-bcp/procter-frere-ch13.html, lines 815-822; Society of Archbishop Justus transcription, A New History of the Book of Common Prayer: Chapter XIII.
  5. ↑ Francis Procter and Walter Howard Frere, A New History of the Book of Common Prayer, revised edition (London: Macmillan and Co., 1907), p. 546 n. 53; wording checked against tmp/revision-research/whitsuntide-in-the-1928-bcp/procter-frere-ch13.html, lines 1487-1496; Society of Archbishop Justus transcription, A New History of the Book of Common Prayer: Chapter XIII.
  6. ↑ Episcopal Church, The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Holy Communion, rubric before the Creed; wording checked against local source sources/justus1928/HC.htm, lines 226-231. Holy Communion - The 1928 Book of Common Prayer.
  7. ↑ Episcopal Church, The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Holy Communion, Proper Preface for Whitsuntide, "Upon the Feast of Whitsunday, and six days after"; wording checked against local source sources/justus1928/HC.htm, lines 514-524. Holy Communion - The 1928 Book of Common Prayer.
  8. ↑ Percy Dearmer, The Prayer Book: What It Is and How We Should Use It, Churchman's Penny Library No. 4 (London: A. R. Mowbray & Co. Ltd., 1907), p. 31, "The Ideal Before Us"; wording checked against tmp/revision-research/whitsuntide-in-the-1928-bcp/dearmer-1907.html, lines 238-253; Project Canterbury transcription, The Prayer Book, by Percy Dearmer.
  9. ↑ Episcopal Church, The Book of Common Prayer (1928), "Collects, Epistles, and Gospels," Whitsunday first Communion rubric and collect added in 1928; wording checked against local source sources/justuspropers/ReadingsC.htm, lines 278-329, and extracted 1928 Standard PDF text, PDF pages 47-48. Society of Archbishop Justus, "The Collects, Epistles and Gospels".
  10. ↑ Episcopal Church, The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Whitsunday first Communion Epistle, 1 Corinthians xii. 4; wording checked against sources/justuspropers/ReadingsC.htm, lines 291-308, and extracted 1928 Standard PDF text, PDF page 48. Society of Archbishop Justus, "The Collects, Epistles and Gospels".
  11. ↑ Episcopal Church, The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Morning Prayer, Whitsunday opening sentences from Acts i. 8 and Galatians iv. 6; wording checked against local source sources/justus1928/MP.htm, lines 143-150. Morning Prayer - The 1928 Book of Common Prayer.
  12. ↑ Episcopal Church, The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Morning Prayer, seasonal Venite antiphon for Whitsunday and six days after; wording checked against local source sources/justus1928/MP.htm, lines 329-331. Morning Prayer - The 1928 Book of Common Prayer.
  13. ↑ Episcopal Church, The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Evening Prayer, Whitsunday opening sentences from Psalm xlvi. 4 and Revelation xxii. 17; wording checked against local source sources/justus1928/EP.htm, lines 123-128. Evening Prayer - The 1928 Book of Common Prayer.
  14. ↑ Episcopal Church, The Book of Common Prayer (1928), "Monday in Whitsun Week," collect; wording checked against local source sources/justuspropers/ReadingsC.htm, lines 346-355, and extracted 1928 Standard PDF text, PDF page 48. Society of Archbishop Justus, "The Collects, Epistles and Gospels".
  15. ↑ Episcopal Church, The Book of Common Prayer (1928), "Monday in Whitsun Week," Epistle, Acts x. 34; wording checked against sources/justuspropers/ReadingsC.htm, lines 365-391, and extracted 1928 Standard PDF text, PDF pages 48-49. Society of Archbishop Justus, "The Collects, Epistles and Gospels".
  16. ↑ Episcopal Church, The Book of Common Prayer (1928), "Tuesday in Whitsun Week," collect; wording checked against local source sources/justuspropers/ReadingsC.htm, lines 435-443, and extracted 1928 Standard PDF text, PDF page 49. Society of Archbishop Justus, "The Collects, Epistles and Gospels".
  17. ↑ Episcopal Church, The Book of Common Prayer (1928), "Tuesday in Whitsun Week," Epistle, Acts viii. 14; wording checked against sources/justuspropers/ReadingsC.htm, lines 448-460, and extracted 1928 Standard PDF text, PDF page 49. Society of Archbishop Justus, "The Collects, Epistles and Gospels".
  18. ↑ Francis Procter and Walter Howard Frere, A New History of the Book of Common Prayer, revised edition (London: Macmillan and Co., 1907), p. 547, chapter XIII; wording checked against tmp/revision-research/whitsuntide-in-the-1928-bcp/procter-frere-ch13.html, lines 866-886; Society of Archbishop Justus transcription, A New History of the Book of Common Prayer: Chapter XIII.
  19. ↑ Francis Procter and Walter Howard Frere, A New History of the Book of Common Prayer, revised edition (London: Macmillan and Co., 1907), pp. 547-548, chapter XIII; wording checked against tmp/revision-research/whitsuntide-in-the-1928-bcp/procter-frere-ch13.html, lines 872-887; Society of Archbishop Justus transcription, A New History of the Book of Common Prayer: Chapter XIII.

External Links

Retrieved from "https://www.anglicanwiki.org/index.php?title=Whitsuntide_in_the_1928_BCP&oldid=2510"