New Every Morning Anglican Fellowship
Track A — Diaconal Formation
Pre-Test
A Curriculum of Liturgical Formation · The Continuing Anglican Tradition of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer
Candidate Information
Name: __________________________________________________
Parish: __________________________________________________
Date: __________________________________________________
Administering Priest: __________________________________________________
Instructions
Answer all questions as fully as you are able. For short-answer and application questions, write in complete sentences. There is no time limit. This assessment is not a pass/fail examination but a measure of your current knowledge; answer honestly and do not consult your notes. Your answers will be reviewed by your instructor and returned with comments.
1. What are the six major sections of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer? Name them in the order they appear.
2. In a rubric, the word 'shall' means:
A. the minister has complete discretion
B. the act is recommended but optional
C. the act is mandatory and the minister has no discretion
D. the act is traditional but not required. Correct answer: C.
3. A rubric says 'The Minister may say the following prayer.' What does this mean in practice?
4. True or False: When the rubrics are silent about a liturgical practice, that silence constitutes permission for the practice.
□ True □ False
5. The Affirmation of St. Louis (1977) designated which Prayer Book as the liturgical standard of the Continuing Anglican movement?
6. Describe the three levels of the Absolution at Morning Prayer in the 1928 BCP: what does a priest say, what does a deacon do, and what does a lay reader do?
7. Which canticle replaces the Te Deum at Morning Prayer during Lent and Advent?
8. A deacon is leading Evening Prayer alone — no priest is present. The congregation expects the Absolution. What does the deacon do? How would the answer differ if the leader were a licensed lay reader?
9. On which days of the week does the 1928 BCP appoint the Litany to be used?
10. True or False: The imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday is a rubrical requirement of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.
□ True □ False
11. Place the following elements of Holy Communion in their correct order: (a) Prayer of Humble Access; (b) Collect for Purity; (c) Nicene Creed; (d) Gospel; (e) Prayer of Consecration; (f) Epistle; (g) General Confession and Absolution.
12. What is the deacon's principal liturgical act at Holy Communion?
13. Which of the following acts may a deacon perform at Holy Communion?
A. Pronounce the Absolution after the General Confession
B. Administer the chalice to communicants
C. Consecrate the bread and wine
D. Consume the remaining consecrated elements after Communion. Correct: B.
14. The rubric at BCP p. 83 states that after Communion, the remaining consecrated elements must be consumed by whom?
15. List four specific acts that a deacon may NOT perform.
16. True or False: The diaconate is simply a probationary period before ordination to the priesthood and has no distinct theological significance of its own.
□ True □ False
17. In what emergency may a deacon (or any baptised person) validly administer Holy Baptism, and what is the essential form?
18. A parishioner is dying and desires absolution. The priest cannot be reached for thirty minutes. What does the deacon do?
19. What are the Commendatory prayers, and who may say them?
20. Easter Sunday falls on April 13th. What is the date of: (a) Ash Wednesday; (b) Ascension Day; (c) Pentecost (Whitsunday)?
21. What are the Ember Days, and what is their traditional significance for ordination?
22. You are assisting at a Low Mass. Describe what you, as deacon, do from the moment the Epistle ends until the congregation receives Communion.
23. The BCP Table of Fasts lists 'all the Fridays in the year, except Christmas Day.' What does this require of an Anglican Christian, and is it a 'shall' or a 'may' rubric?
24. Name the five seasons of the Christian Year in order, beginning with Advent, and give the theological character of each in one sentence.
25. What is the rubrical significance of the phrase 'Then the Priest, if present, shall' (BCP p. 6)?
26. In one paragraph, explain the difference between a rubrical requirement and an accumulated custom, and give one example of each from the 1928 BCP.
Instructor Scoring Guide
The following answers and scoring notes are for the instructor's use only. Do not distribute this page to candidates. Score each response according to the criteria given; where a range of answers is acceptable, use professional judgement. Return completed assessments to candidates with written comments, not merely a numerical score. The purpose of this assessment is formative — to guide further study — not merely summative.
1. What are the six major sections of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer? Name them in …
Answer: The Daily Office (Morning and Evening Prayer); the Litany; Holy Communion; the Collects, Epistles, and Gospels; the Occasional Offices (Baptism through Ordinal); and the Catechism and Articles of Religion.
Scoring: Award 1 point for each correct section named (up to 6). Accept reasonable paraphrase. Full credit requires correct order.
2. In a rubric, the word 'shall' means:
Answer: C
Scoring: A = the minister has complete discretion; B = the act is recommended but optional; C = the act is mandatory and the minister has no discretion; D = the act is traditional but not required. Correct answer: C.
3. A rubric says 'The Minister may say the following prayer.' What does this mean i…
Answer: The minister may include the prayer or omit it at his or her discretion. It is liturgically legitimate either way; no reason is required to include it, but if omitted the minister should have a pastoral or liturgical reason. 'May' does not mean 'may not if inconvenient.'
Scoring: Full credit for explaining that the act is permissive, not mandatory, but that discretion should be exercised for good reason. Half credit if the candidate simply says 'it is optional.'
4. True or False: When the rubrics are silent about a liturgical practice, that sil…
Answer: False
Scoring: Silence is not permission. An unmentioned ceremony requires justification from tradition or pastoral reason. Full credit for 'False' with explanation; half credit for 'False' without explanation.
5. The Affirmation of St. Louis (1977) designated which Prayer Book as the liturgic…
Answer: The 1928 Book of Common Prayer (American).
Scoring: Full credit for '1928 BCP' or '1928 American BCP.' Half credit for 'the 1928 Prayer Book' without specifying American. No credit for '1662' or '1979.'
6. Describe the three levels of the Absolution at Morning Prayer in the 1928 BCP: w…
Answer: FIRST LEVEL — PRIEST: pronounces the Absolution in the declaratory form: 'Almighty God...He pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent.' This is an act of priestly authority. SECOND LEVEL — DEACON: the 1928 BCP provides no substitute form — when no priest is present the Absolution is simply omitted. The traditional custom in many APCK parishes is for the deacon to use the Collect for Trinity 21: 'Grant, we beseech thee, merciful Lord, to thy faithful people pardon and peace; that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve thee with a quiet mind.' This is a prayer for pardon, not a pronouncement of it — custom, not rubric. THIRD LEVEL — LAY READER: Canon 21.03(1)(a) requires omitting the Absolution and making no substitution for it — not even the Trinity 21 Collect.
Scoring: Full credit requires all three levels correctly stated: (1) priest pronounces the Absolution; (2) deacon — 1928 BCP omits, Trinity 21 Collect is the traditional APCK custom described as a prayer not a pronouncement; (3) lay reader — Canon 21.03 requires omission with no substitution whatsoever. Deduct if candidate attributes the Declaration of Forgiveness to the 1928 BCP — that form belongs to the 1979 and 2019 BCPs only.
7. Which canticle replaces the Te Deum at Morning Prayer during Lent and Advent?
Answer: The Benedicite (O all ye Works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord).
Scoring: Accept 'Benedicite' or 'O all ye Works of the Lord.' The rubric at BCP p. 14 requires this; a 'shall' rubric.
8. A deacon is leading Evening Prayer alone — no priest is present. The congregatio…
Answer: The deacon does not pronounce the Absolution — that is reserved to the priest. The 1928 BCP provides no substitute form; when no priest is present the Absolution is simply omitted. The traditional custom in many APCK parishes is for the deacon to use the Collect for the Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity: 'Grant, we beseech thee, merciful Lord, to thy faithful people pardon and peace; that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve thee with a quiet mind.' This is a prayer for pardon, not a pronouncement — custom, not rubric. If the leader were a licensed lay reader, Canon 21.03(1)(a) applies: omit the Absolution and make no substitution — not even the Trinity 21 Collect.
Scoring: Full credit requires: (1) the deacon omits the Absolution — may not pronounce it; (2) Trinity 21 Collect identified as the traditional customary substitute, and described as a prayer not a pronouncement; (3) lay reader contrast — Canon 21.03 requires omission with absolutely no substitution. Deduct significantly if the candidate states the deacon says a 'Declaration of Forgiveness' — this form does not exist in the 1928 BCP.
9. On which days of the week does the 1928 BCP appoint the Litany to be used?
Answer: Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Scoring: All three days required for full credit.
10. True or False: The imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday is a rubrical requiremen…
Answer: False
Scoring: The imposition of ashes is a customary practice supplied by the People's Anglican Missal tradition, not a rubrical requirement of the 1928 BCP. The BCP provides the Commination and Penitential Office for Ash Wednesday but does not mention the imposition of ashes. Full credit for 'False' with this explanation.
11. Place the following elements of Holy Communion in their correct order: (a) Praye…
Answer: Correct order: (b) Collect for Purity → (f) Epistle → (d) Gospel → (c) Nicene Creed → (a) Prayer of Humble Access → (g) General Confession and Absolution → (e) Prayer of Consecration.
Scoring: 1 point for each element in correct position relative to its neighbours (up to 7). Accept reasonable answers about the position of the General Confession — it comes after the Offertory Sentence in the 1928 BCP.
12. What is the deacon's principal liturgical act at Holy Communion?
Answer: The proclamation of the Gospel. The deacon carries the Gospel book, announces the Gospel, makes the sign of the cross on book, forehead, lips, and breast, proclaims the Gospel, and leads the concluding versicle.
Scoring: Full credit for 'proclaiming the Gospel' with some description of the traditional form. Half credit for naming Gospel proclamation without description.
13. Which of the following acts may a deacon perform at Holy Communion?
Answer: B
Scoring: A = Pronounce the Absolution after the General Confession; B = Administer the chalice to communicants; C = Consecrate the bread and wine; D = Consume the remaining consecrated elements after Communion. Correct: B.
14. The rubric at BCP p. 83 states that after Communion, the remaining consecrated e…
Answer: By the Priest, and such other of the Communicants as he shall then call unto him — immediately after the Blessing.
Scoring: Full credit requires: the priest, with others he may call. Half credit if only 'the priest' is given without the qualification.
15. List four specific acts that a deacon may NOT perform.
Answer: Any four of: pronounce absolution; consecrate the Eucharist; give the blessing at the close of a service; anoint the sick in the sacramental form; lay on hands for healing sacramentally; administer the Last Rites independently; preside at a marriage; consume the remaining consecrated elements independently.
Scoring: 1 point per correct item up to 4. Deduct credit if the candidate lists acts a deacon CAN perform.
16. True or False: The diaconate is simply a probationary period before ordination t…
Answer: False
Scoring: The diaconate is a distinct order with its own theology, vocation, and obligations. It is not a waiting room. The BCP Ordination of Deacons treats it as a genuine calling. Full credit for 'False' with explanation.
17. In what emergency may a deacon (or any baptised person) validly administer Holy …
Answer: When a person is in danger of death and a priest cannot be obtained. The form: the water is poured on the person while the minister says 'I baptise thee in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.' This is the minimal valid form; the person should subsequently be received into the congregation by the priest if they survive.
Scoring: Full credit requires: the emergency condition, the Trinitarian formula, and mention of subsequent reception if the person survives.
18. A parishioner is dying and desires absolution. The priest cannot be reached for …
Answer: The deacon may lead the Commendatory prayers, pray with and for the dying person, read Scripture, and comfort the family. The deacon may NOT pronounce absolution. The deacon should make every effort to reach the priest and should explain to the dying person that the priest is coming. If the person asks for absolution, the deacon tells them that God's mercy is not limited by the priest's absence, and leads them in a general act of contrition.
Scoring: Full credit requires: correct statement that the deacon may NOT absolve; what the deacon CAN do; the pastoral response to the dying person's request. No credit if candidate suggests the deacon may pronounce absolution in this emergency.
19. What are the Commendatory prayers, and who may say them?
Answer: The Commendatory prayers are the prayers at the point of death in the Visitation of the Sick (BCP p. 317), beginning 'Into thy hands, O merciful Saviour, we commend the soul of thy servant.' Any minister — priest, deacon, or layperson — may say them.
Scoring: Full credit for location, first words, and identification as sayable by anyone.
20. Easter Sunday falls on April 13th. What is the date of: (a) Ash Wednesday; (b) A…
Answer: (a) Ash Wednesday: February 26th (46 days before Easter, counting Easter Sunday). (b) Ascension Day: May 22nd (40 days after Easter). (c) Pentecost: June 1st (50 days after Easter, counting Easter Sunday as Day 1).
Scoring: 1 point per correct date. Accept dates within 1 day if the candidate's method is correct but counting slightly differs.
21. What are the Ember Days, and what is their traditional significance for ordinati…
Answer: The Ember Days are four sets of three fasting days (Wednesday, Friday, Saturday) occurring after: the first Sunday in Lent; Whitsunday; Holy Cross Day (September 14); and St. Lucy's Day (December 13). They are the traditional seasons for ordination — the whole Church fasts and prays as new ministers are made.
Scoring: Full credit requires: definition as fasting days, the four seasons, and the connection to ordination.
22. You are assisting at a Low Mass. Describe what you, as deacon, do from the momen…
Answer: After the Epistle, the deacon takes the Gospel book to the north side (or ambo), announces the Gospel, makes the sign of the cross on the book and on himself, proclaims the Gospel, and leads the closing versicle. He returns to the priest's side. During the sermon he stands. After the Creed, he assists at the Offertory (preparing the altar, assisting with the chalice). During the Canon he stands at the priest's right, making appropriate reverences. He does not join in the Consecration. After the priest communicates, the deacon administers the chalice to communicants using the correct form.
Scoring: Score holistically: 2 points for the Gospel proclamation, 2 for Offertory assistance, 2 for the Canon, 2 for the administration. Deduct for any act the deacon should not perform.
23. The BCP Table of Fasts lists 'all the Fridays in the year, except Christmas Day.…
Answer: The Table of Fasts has the force of a canonical requirement — it uses no conditional language. Every Friday is a fast day in the Anglican tradition (commemorating the Crucifixion), with Christmas as the sole exception. The form of fasting (abstinence from meat, reduced eating, etc.) is not specified but the obligation exists. This is effectively a 'shall' rubric — the Table is not presented as optional.
Scoring: Full credit for identifying the requirement as canonical/mandatory and for understanding its commemorative significance. Half credit if only one element is present.
24. Name the five seasons of the Christian Year in order, beginning with Advent, and…
Answer: Advent: preparation for the coming of the King. Christmas/Epiphany: the manifestation of God in Christ. Lent/Holy Week: penitence, self-examination, and the Passion. Eastertide: the life of the resurrection and the gift of the Spirit. Trinity: the long season of moral and spiritual formation in the light of the whole mystery.
Scoring: 1 point per season named in correct order (up to 5); 1 point per accurate characterisation (up to 5). Total 10 points possible.
25. What is the rubrical significance of the phrase 'Then the Priest, if present, sh…
Answer: The conditional 'if present' means the service can proceed without a priest — the Daily Office is not reserved to the priesthood. The 'shall' that follows applies only to the priest: if a priest is present, he must pronounce the Absolution; if not, a deacon omits the Absolution — or uses the Trinity 21 Collect as a traditional non-rubrical substitute. The rubric thus both restricts the Absolution to the priest and makes the Office accessible without one.
Scoring: Full credit for both elements: the conditional allowing the Office without a priest, AND the 'shall' applying only when a priest is present.
26. In one paragraph, explain the difference between a rubrical requirement and an a…
Answer: A rubrical requirement is an instruction printed in the liturgical text that has the force of canonical law when it uses mandatory language ('shall'). An accumulated custom is a practice that has developed in the tradition — often ancient and edifying — but which is not stated in the rubric. Example of rubrical requirement: 'Then the Priest shall offer' (BCP p. 83) — mandatory. Example of custom: the sign of the cross at the Absolution — traditional but not rubrical.
Scoring: Award up to 4 points: 1 for defining rubrical requirement, 1 for defining custom, 1 for a correct BCP example of each. Deduct if the candidate confuses the two categories.
© 2026 · The Reverend P. A. Ternahan, M.A. Hum., Editor · The Continuing Anglican Tradition of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer · For use in the Continuing Anglican tradition of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer