AN INTRODUCTION

AN INTERPRETATION OF THE TRADITIONS AND SYMBOLISM USED IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND

Symbols are the simplest form of communication.

I am undertaking this task because over the 24 years I have been ordained I have been asked ‘why do you do this Vicar?’ so often that I have decided to put it all down in writing!

I began this work as an investigation into iconography of English Saints and to prepare a portfolio of details of these saints that could be used by a writer of icons to utilise and hopefully to encourage the writing of icons for English saints. However, it has become more apparent that the information about ‘why’ we do certain things in the church of England is more necessary, as I have found that lots of my colleagues do not understand the symbolism of the actions they use and clothes that they wear when working in the church. This is a sadness, as these symbols have been speaking to the masses over millennia and communicating at the simplest level the message of the church and the love of Christ.

I am going to look at the various aspects of these symbols and traditions that have been handed down TO ME! This will be my interpretation of them as I have either been instructed or I have reckoned them to mean. There may be other interpretations which may be equally valid as the ones I give them – that is the beauty of symbols – they can mean different things to different people and can sometimes give a false impression if the original meaning is obscured (read Dan Brown’s novels for illustration of this principle – really good reading but somewhat errant in interpretation but without any guidelines they give a perfectly legitimate rendering for his purposes!)

The description will be broken down to three main areas of description which may or may not all be utilised. These areas are :-

1 Practical application these actions and symbols have a practical and useful meaning

2 Spiritual application these actions and symbols portray and try to communicate something of the presence of God.

3 Traditional application which may not necessarily be part of the Christian heritage - some traditions are used to convey a secular aspect of society. E.g. see ‘weddings’

Also colours play a large part in this heritage but may mean something different to what is understood in our social context by those outside it.