Anglicans: The Archbishop Is a Protestant

“Are you a Protestant?” Earl Alex ander of Hillsborough, a Baptist, demanded of the Archbishop of Canterbury during debate in the House of Lords on a measure to permit more elaborate priestly vestments at Communion services. “I am a Protestant precisely in the way the Prayer Book and the Anglican formularies use that term,” replied the Most Rev. Arthur Michael Ramsey.

The answer did not satisfy Lord Alexander. As far as he is concerned, Anglican Communion already resembles too closely the Roman Catholic Mass; and the measure to permit the use of the alb (a long-sleeved white tunic), the chasuble (a poncholike garment), the amice (a linen neckcloth) and the maniple (a band of cloth worn on the left arm) would strengthen what the London Times called a “drift toward the Roman Catholic form of service.”

Nevertheless, the measure was approved by the Lords 86 to 15, and now heads for stormy debate in the Commons. One of two reforms approved by the Church Assembly of bishops, clergy and laity, it stirred heated passion because it touches on issues that have long caused strains within the Church of England.

Since the 17th century, the Church of England has been divided between High Church Anglo-Catholicism and Low Church Evangelicals. Low churchmen oppose any changes in Anglican canon law, last codified in 1604, and not much altered since, that would permit more “Popish” vestments and ceremonies. But though considered illegal, the alb and the chasuble are worn by priests in a fourth of the Anglican churches in Britain. The intent of the vestments measure is to make legal, though optional, practices that have been widespread since Victorian days.

Many Anglican clergymen, High and Low, felt that the vestments issue had been blown up beyond proportion. Canterbury himself said: “In some churches, I wear no more than a black scarf”—leading Punch to take gleeful note that the archbishop had also called for understanding and forbearance for wearers of topless bathing suits. The Rev. Nicolas Stacey, rector of Woolwich, strongly deplored the concern with trivialities. “Our work is hopelessly undermined when our fellow churchmen, claiming to speak in the name of Christ, make issues about clerical vesture. It confirms people’s suspicion that when the crunch comes, the church doesn’t care a damn about the things that matter. I would celebrate the Holy Communion service in my pajamas if I thought it would help someone to find faith.”