CHURCH OF ENGLAND (WORSHIP AND DOCTRINE) MEASURE 1974 (No. 3)

5 Interpretation. U.K.

(1) References in this Measure to the doctrine of the Church of England shall be construed in accordance with the statement concerning that doctrine contained in the Canons of the Church of England, which statement is in the following terms: “The doctrine of the Church of England is grounded in the holy Scriptures, and in such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures. In particular such doctrine is to be found in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Ordinal.”.

(2) In this Measure the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them:—

• “the appointed day” means the day appointed under section 7(2) of this Measure;

• “Book of Common Prayer” means the Book annexed to the M1 Act of Uniformity 1662 and entitled “The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church according to the use of the Church of England together with the Psalter or Psalms of David appointed as they are to be sung or said in Churches and the Form and Manner of Making, Ordaining and Consecrating Bishops, Priests and Deacons”, as altered or amended by any Act or Measure or in accordance with section 1(7) of this Measure;

• “church” includes any building or part of a building licensed by the bishop for public worship according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England;

• “form of service” means any order, service, prayer, rite or ceremony whatsoever, including the services for the ordination of priests and deacons and the consecration of bishops and the catechism or form of instruction before confirmation;

• “guild church” means a church in the City of London designated and established as a guild church under the M2 City of London (Guild Churches) Acts 1952 M3 1960;

• “incumbent” includes—

(a) a curate licensed to the charge of a parish or a minister acting as priest-in-charge of a parish in respect of which rights of presentation are suspended; and

(b) a vicar in a team ministry to the extent that the duties of an incumbent are assigned to him by a scheme under the M4 Pastoral Measure 1968 or his licence from the bishop;

• “rubrics” of the Book of Common Prayer include all directions and instructions contained in the said Book, and all tables, prefaces, rules, calendars and other contents thereof.

Marginal Citations

M1 1662 c. 4.

M2 1952 c. xxxviii.

M3 1960 and c. xxx.

M4 1968 No. 1.