The Office is a form of daily prayer which all clergy are required to say by Canon law. Many writers suggest the present situation is one of crisis although it has never been established what proportion of clergy do or do not fulfil the requirement. This research project is based on a questionnaire completed by 270 clergy of the Church of England and explores the present usage and understanding of the clergy with regard to the formal daily prayer of the Church. Whilst the number praying the Office is higher than might be expected there is also significant variety of usage and understanding which points to a lack of information about the Office communicated by the Church at the point of training. The history of the Office is explored with a new suggestion made about its origins. Likewise other liturgical, psychological and professional contexts are explored. Out of these a proposal is then made to enable a clearer understanding of the rationale and possibilities of the Office in the light of the increased flexibility provided for it now by Common Worship. A draft of this proposal was piloted to a sample of clergy and was well received. In addition a more comprehensive theology is proposed here for the prayer itself and the Institution of the Church challenged to improve what is presented about the Office to those in training and those already in ministry. The aim here is to facilitate both the institution of the Church and individual clergy a richer and fuller understanding of the form, content and theology of the prayer so that the possibilities of the Office as a prayer of personal and ministerial transformation as well as one of obligation can inspire and empower the clergy afresh.
The usage, understanding and theology of the daily Office amongst Anglican clergy today
Walker, A. S. (Author). 2014
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Theology and Ministry