Imagine for a moment, a parish behind bars. It is not too crazy I assure you, because Chaplain David Noles (God rest his soul) was ahead of the curve when he planted Church of the Broken Chalice at Red Eagle Community Work Center in Montgomery, Alabama. Fr. Noles, who simply preferred to go by “Chap” was an inspiration to all who met and knew him. He shepherded not only those at Red Eagle but also served as a chaplain for Faulkner University Athletics. We need more like him and as I was reflecting upon my friendship with him, I felt compelled to write the following.
Let us begin with an often-overlooked but powerful prayer in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, is found on page 46:
O GOD, who sparest when we deserve punishment, and in thy wrath rememberest mercy; We humbly beseech thee, of thy goodness, to comfort and succour all prisoners, especially those who are condemmend to die. Give them a right understanding of themselves, and of thy promises; that, trusting wholly in thy mercy, they may not place their confidence anywhere but in thee. Relieve the distressed, protect the innocent, awaken the guilty; and forasmuch as thou alone bringest light out of darkness, and good out of evil, grant to these thy servants, that by the power of thy Holy Spirit they may be set free from the chains of sin, and may be brought to newness of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Book of Common Prayer, Prayers and Thanksgivings, For Prisoners.
This prayer applies to all of us prisoners enslaved to sin. Each of us needs to be aware of our guilt and reminded we stand guilty before the holy God, in need of clothing in Christ’s righteousness. During the remaining moments of Advent let us pursue Christ and His sanctification through good works as we enter Christmastide. Such good works include bringing the Light of the world into the dark places, including jails and prisons. May we all be delivered free by the Holy Ghost from our chains of sin and walk confidently in the Spirit in the newness of life provided by Life Himself, Jesus Christ.
The American prayer book tradition has a mixed history of changing the 1662 tradition – both good and bad – but one innovation in the 1796 edition was the inclusion of The Visitation of Prisoners. The prayer For Prisoners from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer is a shortening of an entire office formerly included in the American prayer books. The Visitation of Prisoners is not a perfect office by any stretch of the imagination but was retained and edited in the 1892 Book of Common Prayer before being omitted as a formal office and reduced to this single prayer beginning in the 1928 edition. However, this office demonstrated a care for the incarcerated and a certain expectation that the parish cared for the prisoner and the parson was expected to visit those in prison as envisioned in Matthew 25.
‘I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, … ‘And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
Matthew 25:36-40, ESV
We live in interesting times. The cost of mass-producing Scripture has made it inexpensive and more easily accessible in print or online moreso than ever before in the history of the Church. Yet the over-saturation of Scripture’s availability has not created more disciples. Instead, ironically and tragically, the Church is perhaps the least disciplined and catechized since the dawn of the Reformation.
We see through a mirror darkly 