Good words on the Anglican Liturgy conference

There's a lot of excitement around the planning of this conference, slated for November 8-10. I'm including here a few words of commendation that we've received recently. While these words come chiefly from pastors and academics, we have another round that will be coming from artists. We really want artists to come. They're essential to the objectives of the conference. If you have any questions, feel free to send an email to katieb (AT) anglican1000 (dot) org. You can register here. Regular price is $99. For students, artists and church planters, the fee is a steal at $49. For all info see here and here.

And you don't have to be Anglican to come or to benefit from the presentations and workshops.

While we're finalizing the workshop options, here are a few of the possibilities: "'Sacred Space' and Church Planting," "Liturgy and Discipleship," "Liturgy and Mission," "Anglo-Catholic and Charismatic: Both at the same time?" "Plumbing the Resources of Anglican Music," "Releasing Artists in the Service of the Liturgy," "Art, Mission and How Not To Do It Badly."

GOOD WORDS

"In today's Church culture, it would be hard to over-estimate the importance of thinking in fresh and practical ways about the relation between liturgy, formation, mission and the arts.  A superbly conceived event with tremendous potential."  

-- The Rev. Dr. Jeremy Begbie, Thomas A. Langford Research Professor of Theology, Duke Divinity School

“Anglican liturgy is being increasingly recognised as a powerful way to deepen our corporate worship and as an effective means of teaching the Christian faith. Here is an excellent opportunity to understand it more fully with leading thinkers and practitioners. I am sure it will enrich all the individuals that attend and the churches that they represent.” 

-- The Very Rev. Dr. Justyn Terry, Dean and President, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, Trinity School for Ministry

"This promises to be an excellent conference dealing with the very important intersection of worship, belief, and culture.  These scholars know and live out the fundamental principle that the life of the church is not simply about understanding doctrine but about living out our faith in ways that engage each other and the world."  

-- The Rev. Dr. Jonathan S. Riches, Associate Professor of Liturgics and Theology, Reformed Episcopal Seminary

“With apologies to Qoheleth, 'of the making of many conferences there is no end.'  But this one is set to make a mark.  Drawing upon a new generation of liturgists, the organizers have assembled a first-rate lineup of reflective practitioners who are poised to catalyze the next generation.  We've needed something like this, and now here it is.  One might even hope that it is the first of many such gatherings.”  

-- Dr. Garwood P. Anderson, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Associate Professor of New Testament and Greek, Nashotah House Theological Seminary

“Ever heard it said: ‘It's not so much the Jews that kept the Sabbath but the Sabbath that kept the Jews’? I'd risk an echo: ‘It is not so much that Anglicans keep the prayer book as the prayer book keeps Anglicans’. It saves us from 'designer' worship through its time-honored norms, yet provides a bedrock from which to be infinitely creative and fresh.”  

-- The Rev. Dr. Jo Bailey Wells, Associate Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry and Bible, Director of Anglican Studies, Duke Divinity School

“Anglican liturgy has been adored, even idolized, and yet abused and misunderstood as well. We desperately need to better understand our wonderful prayer book heritage and how we can all be both formed in Christ as well as informed by His Holy Spirit through this great gift. I believe this conference will be a big help to us all.” 

-- The Rev. Dr. John W. Yates, II, Rector, The Falls Church, Virginia

“This conference rightly reintroduces liturgy as an urgent pastoral and practical matter--the very form and heart of the Christian life. Faithful evangelism and "church growth" start here, in an ecumenical mode, conscious of the new opportunities occasioned by our shifting culture.”  

-- Dr. Christopher Wells, Executive Director, The Living Church Foundation