Your answers

Is the psalmody in Morning and Evening Prayer on Sunday, whether said or sung, optional or mandatory? [Answers, 10 June]

Morning and Evening Prayer were derived from the ancient pre-Reformation Offices, which were based around the meditative recitation of the psalms, and which formed a large part of these services. The Prayer Book services continued this with psalmody at their core.

To omit or curtail psalmody at the Offices takes away their core and one of their prime original purposes. It also takes away a great spiritual benefit, not to mention aesthetic benefit, which has been recognised since the beginnings of Christianity.

Whether the psalms are technically mandatory would seem irrelevant.

(Mr) B. Wilkinson

Knaresborough, North Yorks

Your questions

What is the correct form of address for an archdeacon who is also a canon and holds a Ph.D. in theology?

V. B.

I have recently been sworn in as a churchwarden for the third time. Once again, I have pledged to “present those things that are presentable”. What things? To whom? In the past, I have also sworn “not to present those things which are not presentable”. This part has vanished. Does anything go these days? Or is it in line with modern safeguarding policies to be completely transparent?

N. C.

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