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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
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"epistle side" and "gospel side": significance?
In Jan Karon's books about Mitford and Father Tim's Episcopal church, there are mentions of an "epistle side" and a "gospel side". Some of the characters in the books normally sit on the epistle side, while others sit on the gospel side.
At http://www.allsaintssmyrna.org/www/html/glossary.htm there's a glossary of terms pertaining to the Episcopal Church. Among other things, it says
Lesson
also the Epistle; any reading from the Bible except the Gospels or Psalms; usually read on the opposite side of the church from where the Gospel is read; in older practice the Lesson was read from the "Epistle Side" the right side facing the altar, while the
Gospel was read from the "Gospel Side" the left side facing the altar. Current practice in many Episcopal churches does not conform to this older pattern.
That seems clear enough, but what is not clear is the significance of someone sitting on one side or the other. If I were to sit regularly on the gospel side or the epistle side what would that tell the other congregants about me, if anything?
At http://www.allsaintssmyrna.org/www/html/glossary.htm there's a glossary of terms pertaining to the Episcopal Church. Among other things, it says
Lesson
also the Epistle; any reading from the Bible except the Gospels or Psalms; usually read on the opposite side of the church from where the Gospel is read; in older practice the Lesson was read from the "Epistle Side" the right side facing the altar, while the
Gospel was read from the "Gospel Side" the left side facing the altar. Current practice in many Episcopal churches does not conform to this older pattern.
That seems clear enough, but what is not clear is the significance of someone sitting on one side or the other. If I were to sit regularly on the gospel side or the epistle side what would that tell the other congregants about me, if anything?
Top answer
It might say that your are refreshingly human. We all tend to occupy a favorite seat in any venue in which we find ourself. Regards, Tim Mr.
- It might say that your are refreshingly human.
- We all tend to occupy a favorite seat in any venue in which we find ourself.
- Regards, Tim Mr.
- Gerund
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71 Answers
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It might say that your are refreshingly human. We all tend to occupy a favorite seat in any venue in which we find ourself.
Regards,
Tim
Mr. Gerund
Regards,
Tim
Mr. Gerund
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[nq:1]In Jan Karon's books about Mitford and Father Tim's Episcopal church, there are mentions of an "epistle side" and a ... the gospel side or the epistle side what would that tell the other congregants about me, if anything?[/nq]
It could tell them whether you were male or female.
I was told that the practice began because in Europe, as Christianity spread, most of the heathen live
It could tell them whether you were male or female.
I was told that the practice began because in Europe, as Christianity spread, most of the heathen live
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[nq:1]It might say that your are refreshingly human. We all tend to occupy a favorite seat in any venue in which we find ourself.[/nq]
And there's also "Cantoris" and "Decani" "the Cantor's" and "the Dean's" sides for the choir-stalls in traditionally laid-out English churches and college chapels. This can have musical significance when the music is antiphonal; and may also be used as a way of
And there's also "Cantoris" and "Decani" "the Cantor's" and "the Dean's" sides for the choir-stalls in traditionally laid-out English churches and college chapels. This can have musical significance when the music is antiphonal; and may also be used as a way of
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[nq:2]It might say that your are refreshingly human. We all tend to occupy a favorite seat in any venue in which we find ourself.[/nq]
[nq:1]And there's also "Cantoris" and "Decani" "the Cantor's" and "the Dean's" sides for the choir-stalls in traditionally laid-out English churches and college chapels.[/nq]
And just to bring the discussion down a few levels the "Phil side" and "Bob side"
[nq:1]And there's also "Cantoris" and "Decani" "the Cantor's" and "the Dean's" sides for the choir-stalls in traditionally laid-out English churches and college chapels.[/nq]
And just to bring the discussion down a few levels the "Phil side" and "Bob side"
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[nq:2]In Jan Karon's books about Mitford and Father Tim's Episcopal ... would that tell the other congregants about me, if anything?[/nq]
[nq:1]It could tell them whether you were male or female.[/nq]
Wouldn't that be the "spear side" and "distaff side"?
-skipka
[nq:1]It could tell them whether you were male or female.[/nq]
Wouldn't that be the "spear side" and "distaff side"?
-skipka
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[nq:2]It could tell them whether you were male or female.[/nq]
[nq:1]Wouldn't that be the "spear side" and "distaff side"?[/nq]
It could be, but that is not the question being asked.
I suspect that the only people who could really answer the question would be those who was very familiar with Anglo-Catholicism in the 1920s.
Since there don't seem to be any of those reading
[nq:1]Wouldn't that be the "spear side" and "distaff side"?[/nq]
It could be, but that is not the question being asked.
I suspect that the only people who could really answer the question would be those who was very familiar with Anglo-Catholicism in the 1920s.
Since there don't seem to be any of those reading
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[nq:1]Among Anglo-Catholics, one of the duties of a server at Low Mass was to move the missal from the epistle ... altar. That went out in the mid 1960s, when Anglican and Roman Catholic clergy began facing westwards in celebrating Mass.[/nq]
Well, I remember a decade ago going to Wednesday noon mass at Ascension & St. Agnes in DC, and they were still doing all this (and facing "East", but the
Well, I remember a decade ago going to Wednesday noon mass at Ascension & St. Agnes in DC, and they were still doing all this (and facing "East", but the
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[nq:1]If anyone has a devotional manual dating from the 1930s, perhaps it might explain, but the chance would be slim. It was probably an unwritten tradition, and once it is no longer a living tradition, the meaning is probably irrecoverable.[/nq]
This kind of thing is very rarely inexplicable: the Church is an enormous multi-national organisation based meticulously on the written word. May ev
This kind of thing is very rarely inexplicable: the Church is an enormous multi-national organisation based meticulously on the written word. May ev
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[nq:2]If anyone has a devotional manual dating from the 1930s, ... no longer a living tradition, the meaning is probably irrecoverable.[/nq]
[nq:1]This kind of thing is very rarely inexplicable: the Church is an enormous multi-national organisation based meticulously on the written ... says the Epistle is read at the south side, and the Gospel at the north, but unfortunately doesn't say why.[/
[nq:1]This kind of thing is very rarely inexplicable: the Church is an enormous multi-national organisation based meticulously on the written ... says the Epistle is read at the south side, and the Gospel at the north, but unfortunately doesn't say why.[/
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[nq:1]If anyone has a devotional manual dating from the 1930s, perhaps it might explain, but the chance would be slim.[/nq]
I have a copy of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church USA, and it is silent about where "the Minister appointed" stands for the Epistle and Gospel.
John Varela
I have a copy of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church USA, and it is silent about where "the Minister appointed" stands for the Epistle and Gospel.
John Varela
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