Formulary Friday: Marriage in the Prayer Book
The 1662 Book of Common Prayer is still the official liturgy of the Church of England. It is substantially based upon Edward VI’s 1552 liturgies, although with some ‘concessions’. The brilliant work of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (1489 – 1555) gave liturgical shape to large theological shifts that marked the departure from medieval theology to Protestant theology.
Cranmer’s thorough recrafting of the Sarum rite generates the distinctive theology of the Church of England. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the only two sacraments recognised by the Protestant Church, and much has been said about the way in which Cranmer’s theology is expressed through these liturgies.
Throughout the BCP, Cranmer’s theology is less ritualistic and less focussed on the priest. For example, the bread and wine is efficacious in the receptive, faith-filled believer. Hence the Institution Narrative focuses on the penitent, believing heart, not on the priestly role of the officiant.
Often overlooked, however - and rather relevant to modern discussions about the status of marriage – is the BCP understanding of the service of Holy Matrimony. The single biggest change to the marriage service is the rejection of marriage as a sacrament and an inculcation of a more Protestant view.
There are several illustrations of this changed approach: first, the focus is upon the mutuality of promises made between husband and wife, not on the role of the priest in securing their mystical union; secondly, the giving and receiving of rings are to be viewed as ‘tokens’ of the couple’s love; thirdly, the priest does not preside over a sacrament but rather pronounces God’s promise and blessing. There are no candles, blessed water and repeated blessings. Moreover, the priest witnesses the exchange of vows and presides over the ceremony, but it is quite clear that it is God alone who can do the “joining” of them together.
These changes are in keeping with Cranmer’s aim, which could be summarised as ‘reformed theology’ in ‘post-medieval dress’ (Kenneth Stephenson, Nuptial Blessings, p. 139).
The BCP Marriage Service makes certain assumptions about marriage which jar with modern trends. Marriage is an indissoluble union between one man and one woman for life. Marriage is the context for raising children and is designed for the essential good of society. And, whilst they stand before God as equals, the complementary vows call upon the wife to obey her husband and the husband to love his wife. For both of them, marriage is part of Christian discipleship lived before God, according to his word.
Modern services adopt a more celebratory tone and some offer opportunity for repentance, all of which must be thought to be positive developments. The ‘complementarian’ vows of the BCP are replaced by ‘egalitarian’ vows between husband and wife, emphasising their equal commitment and promise one to another.
Despite some positive later developments, abiding principles enshrined in the BCP marriage service should not be lost.
First, it contains a rich biblical understanding of how God’s mystery is unveiled in and through human marriage. The BCP advocates that marriage should reveal to the world something of God’s saving plans through his Church and anticipates the final marriage of Christ, the groom, to his spotless bride, the Church.
Secondly, whilst continuing to debate its priority, the BCP Marriage Service makes an absolute connection between childbirth and childrearing and its place within marriage.
For these reasons and many more, we should cherish the BCP Marriage Service as Reformed, biblical theology, celebrating marriage, and witnessing beyond itself to Christ and his saving purposes for the world.
These thoughts are further amplified in Simon Vibert’s Latimer publication, Till Death us do Part, http://www.latimertrust.org/index.php/publications/anglican-foundations/224-af08