Lay Presidency at the Eucharist?: An Anglican Approach

Description

The demand for allowing lay ministers to preside at the Eucharist has become a pressing issue in many churches, not only in Anglicanism. Within the Anglican Communion this issue seems to be potentially divisive as most provinces refuse to accept lay presidency, but some - as the Archdiocese of Sydney - are discussing schemes to introduce it. In Lay Presidency at the Eucharist an Anglican theological approach to controversial questions is articulated. Taylor investigates in particular what allegiance to Scripture entails, and how its authority is to be applied in the Church today. The evidence of the New Testament and early Church on the Eucharist and ministry, and how critical scholarship relates to the authority of Scripture in the life of the Church, are explored, whilst the Reformation and subsequent developments in Anglican theology and Eucharistic practice are considered. Pressure to authorize lay presidency is largely a response to a shortage of clergy to meet demand for Eucharistic worship, and alternative provision for this need is discussed, before going on to consider specific schemes. The theological issues, to do with the Church, the Eucharist, and the ministry, are reviewed, and outstanding questions identified.

Nicholas Taylor is an Anglican priest and Research Fellow in Theology of the University of Zululand. He has taught in universities and theological training institutions in the UK and in southern and central Africa. He is author of Paul, Antioch and Jerusalem (LNTS 66, 1992).

"Nicholas Taylor is to be congratulated on producing a major and extremely valuable publication ... The Church will be greatly in the author's debt for the thorough, clear and scholarly treatment of the subject. He has provided a much needed theological platform upon which a consensus might be sought on the matter of lay presidency at the eucharist and the catholic and reformed character of the Church more fully manifest." - Stephen Pickard, Assistant Bishop, Diocese of Adelaide, Australia 'The drastic rupture of the traditional Anglican ministerial discipline in the election and consecration of the present Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire has tended to eclipse the equally drastic rupture of Anglican tradition championed by the diocese of Sydney,namely to allow lay presidency at the eucharist. Nicholas Taylor's thorough discussion of the questions and implications of lay presidency is a timely contribution to this vexed debate.' - Bryan D. Spinks, Yale Divinity School and Yale Institute of Sacred Music, New Haven, CT, USAv -- Bryan D. Spinks