Lama wrote: > My problem was I couldn't find the exact wording that I remembered so > clearly from my Episcopalian confirmation days. >
Vince had previosuly written: > ou would probably find that "the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away" as a > phrase in those precise words is found in old English books of common > prayer. I define as "old" as Reformation era and later, through > the varous editions of prayer books in the 1500s and 1600s. Aha! Episcopalian confirmation days! That would lend support to my belief that you'll find that phrase in liturgy as opposed to Scriptures (and I should note Brenda's citation from Job was exactly right, the source of the liturgical phrase, especially in that Job also is the source for "I know that my redeemer lives..." which is another liturgical staple, especially in funerals, where the Lord giveth phrase is used.) The original text may have been penned by Cranmer or adapted by him from elsewhere . Beginning during the reign of Edward VI, the Church of England started producing prayer books which were modified repeatedly over the next 100 years as the various fortunes of the reformers waxed and waned. If one (not me!) were to look in the 1549 Prayer Book, the 1552 revision, the 1559 primer, 1560 Latin edition tranlsated back to English, 1662 book - or the 1789 American edition of the book of common prayer, or 1892 revision, or myriad others you will find it somewhere, I am sure. But Anglicans are perfectly capable of fussing from prayer book to prayer book over whether they say "in the joyful expectation of eternal life with those they love" vs "in the sure expectation of a joyful reunion in the heaveny places" so if you researched this out far enought you would have your doctoral thesis! (Lutherans say, "in a sure and certain hope..." and with such minor changes have the churches occupied themselves through the years., kind of arguning Joni lyrics sometimes!) Just came from prayers with one who is dying. Will be our second parsih death in two days. I just kind of free-formed a lot of the liturgy today, while yesterday used the book and the exact wording, and somehow it all comes out about the same. (the Rev) Vince
