The Rev. Canon W. Douglas Kornahrens, Class of 1969, has published a short study of Bishop Thomas Rattray and his seminal liturgical text, The Ancient Liturgy of the Church of Jerusalem. The booklet, published in January by Alcuin Club/ Joint Liturgical Studies is divided into two sections: first is an explanatory introduction; second is Rattray’s liturgical text, as used in 2014 at a small conference on Scottish Episcopalian Church history.

Both Thomas Rattray’s rigorous analysis of the Greek text of the Liturgy of St James and its English translation with rubrics, have been virtually forgotten. Or where not forgotten, grievously misunderstood. It is seminal, because even though out of mind, it has had significant influence.

Rattray was remembered by his contemporaries with affection and respect. His work on the Liturgy of St James, at a time when Scottish Episcopalians had no liturgy of their own, began as a request from clergy for an ancient and useable Eucharistic text. It is clear that Rattray’s ‘Ancient Liturgy’ was meant for use. It found admiration, but not common acceptance; it was too different from what was known. It did, however, lay the foundation of the Scottish 1764 Liturgy from the Offertory onwards, and in turn influenced the American 1789 Prayer of Consecration.

Half of the booklet is the Introduction, and the other half is the text of Bishop Rattray’s redacted liturgy in English, as it was used at a conference on Scottish Episcopalian Church history in 2014, as the 1st paragraph of the intro states.

Copies can be purchased from the Alcuin Club website. The first several pages can be read at jointliturgicalstudies.hymnsam.co.uk