Bishop James Parker Dees a Low Churchman? Part 2

March 2, 1977
TO: THE MEMBERS OF THE CLERGY
SUBJECT: LAY PARTICIPATION IN THE CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION

Dear Friends:

Bishop James P. Dees

We are all in agreement, I believe, that [this] Church with its doctrine and worship is the continuation of the ancient and time-honored Church that has come to us from Apostolic times through the Reformers of the Church of England.

The Sacrament of the Holy Communion and our doctrine concerning it, we believe as established in the Book of Common Prayer and Thirty Nine Articles, is true to the Church's use in the earliest times and true to what our Lord instituted with the Apostles.

The Holy Communion Service from earliest times is a priestly function, and not a lay function, and has always been celebrated by ordained priests of the Church. This is borne out in the rubrics of the Prayer Book.

In recent years the Episcopal Church(USA), in its general breakdown of doctrine and morality and practices, has permitted violations of this ancient and accepted practice by giving certain roles in the Celebration of the Sacrament to the laity. This is contrary to both the doctrine concerning the priesthood and to the ancient practice of the Church.

I would like to request and to remind you that the Celebration of the Holy Communion is a priestly function throughout (except for the recognized and normal duties of the acolytes, who assist by giving the celebrant the bread and wine at the proper time, the lighting of the candles and putting them out, the disposition of the offering plates, etc.) The laity is not given the duties of reading any part of the Prayer Book Service nor of dispensing any of the elements (the bread and wine), which , as indicated above, are priestly functions and are to be reserved to the priesthood .

I believe that the clergy in our Church are celebrating already the Holy Communion as indicated above, in relation to the laity, but I wish simply to make this position clear so that you will have a definitive statement from the Bishop's Office as to the Church's position on this matter.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Sincerely your friend,

James P. Dees

Metropolitan

The Orthodox Anglican Communion

*Bold emphasis added

Bishop James Parker Dees a Low Churchman?

June 28, 1972

Memorandum To: The Clergy

Subject: The significance of the Episcopate, Holy Orders, and the Sacraments in this Church.

My dear Brethren:

Greetings!

As all of you know, we have been relying heavily on Bishop J.C. Ryle in the preparation of Lay Readers’ sermons.  Bishop Ryle was a man of great spiritual depth and was a profound Biblical Scholar.

Bishop James Parker Dees, 3/1969

I have found, however, that Bishop Ryle, in his writings, tends to minimize the Episcopate, Holy Orders, and the Sacraments.  He places great emphasis on the Scriptures and Biblical Truth and on a man’s personal relationship with God, but he belittles Ecclesiastical structure and the things mentioned above.  I have found that he has virtually no conception at all of the sacramental nature of the church, and he does not hesitate to run it down on many occasions in his writings, casting aspersions on the Episcopate, Holy Orders and those who are in Holy Orders, and on the significance of the Sacraments as well.

When preparing Lay Readers’ sermons from Bishop Ryle’s writings, we have wisely deleted Bishop Ryle’s observations concerning these things and have used his positive contributions in the area of the Scriptures.

I want to warn you all about this weak spot in Bishop Ryle’s writings.  His position in regard to these matters is not the position of this Church. 

[This] Church recognizes the Episcopate, Holy Orders, and the Sacraments as being the essence of this Church.  These things constitute the “esse” of this Church; and not just the “bene esse,” as some would contend.**  This is not to say that people in churches without the episcopate are lost.  It is to say that they lack something that this church has and which we think is necessary in order to have Apostolical ecclesiastical authority, and which we think is desirable for this and other reasons.

I consider the proclamation of the Gospel is also the essence of the Church.  If a church does not preach the Good News of salvation available to all mankind though faith in the redemption effected on the Cross, it certainly is not the Church of Jesus Christ.  We affirm that [this] Church is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic in all that these terms imply.

Clergymen in this Church are expected to strongly affirm their regard for the Episcopate, Holy Orders, the Sacraments and the Gospel Message, and not to emphasize one at the expense of the other.  They all stand together.

Be careful, therefore, in using Bishop Ryle and others who may not have concern for these things that we do.

God bless you all.

Sincerely,

James P. Dees

Metropolitan

The Orthodox Anglican Communion

*Bold emphasis added 
**bene esse (of the well being), plene esse (of the fullness of being), esse (of the necessary being)