Your answers

Is the psalmody in Morning and Evening Prayer on Sunday, whether said or sung, optional or mandatory?

I was taught two ways to find out the answer to such a question. Firstly, check the wording of the rubric: look for words such as “may be” or “is”. Second, look adjacent to the text in Common Worship: Daily Prayer: anything with a red vertical line to the left of the text indicates that it must be included.

In this instance, both Morning and Evening Prayer on a Sunday indicate that the psalmody is mandatory.

For further clarification on which parts are optional and mandatory, may I direct the questioner to page 103 of Common Worship: Daily Prayer.

(The Revd) Rich Cresswell

Muxton, Telford

In AD 16, Pontius Pilate was appointed Procurator of Judaea: a post he retained until AD 36. The Synoptic Gospels and St John’s Gospel are not in accord concerning the year during Pilate’s governorship when Christ was crucified. Has consensus already been reached by Churches on when to celebrate the 2000th anniversary of the resurrection? If so, who took the decision and what was the reasoning?

In every church I have served in or know of, the resurrection of Jesus is celebrated every Sunday. I have not picked up a groundswell of enthusiasm for a resurrection bi-milennial (this is the first time I’ve seen it mentioned anywhere), but, if we must, 2033 will do, as 2000 did for the nativity. Both are approximations. I am happy to follow apostolic tradition and stick to Sundays.

(The Revd) David Chamberlin

Milton, Cambridge

Easy! Let’s just agree to celebrate it every Sunday between now and AD 2036. Someone else can decide whether to continue thereafter.

David Walker

North Curry

In his book The Mystery of the Last Supper (Cambridge, 2011), Sir Colin J. Humphreys presents convincing evidence, based on extrapolations from astronomical data, indicating that the precise date of the crucifixion was Friday 3 April 33. Thus the resurrection took place on Sunday 5 April 33, and that date in 2033 will be the right date for appropriate celebrations.

Geoffrey Robinson

Clifton, Bristol

Your questions

So far as I am aware, we in the Church of England do not subscribed to the Nonconformist gathered-church mentality, and by baptism we are members of the one holy Catholic and apostolic Church, and in confirmation we confirm our vows and are confirmed. Being a member of the Church places me in a parish and allows me to be on the parish register because I am a member of the wider Church living in the parish. Some Evangelical parishes appear to think otherwise, however. Which of us is right?

A. B.

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