Dear Sir,
With reference to John Samuel’s critique of Gibson and Earngey, (en December 2018), I read no unreformed high church teaching in their excellent historical compilation of Reformed liturgies. No-one has suggested that regular repetition of set liturgy is capable of producing spiritual life. This letter seems to be but a modern manifestation of the traditional Free Church reaction against the folly of historic enforced conformity to the Book of Common Prayer.
I was raised on the sparse diet of the traditional nonconformist hymn/pray-er sandwich. Set forms, written prayers were regarded as less spiritual than the extempore. Now, having become familiar with a richer Reformed liturgical tradition I experience no regular repetitive recitation of the same forms, but a rich variety Sunday after Sunday. Gibson and Earngey are not returning us to pre-Reformation liturgical forms but to a rich historic heritage previously neglected. I have used their book for personal devotions too and have been fascinated to see how persecuted saints prayed for their rulers and fellow sufferers.
