Pope Gregory’s Place in the Anglican Story By Scoit R. Knitter RB 2 sme Geis ureter commeno- rated the death of Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome, Others moved the observance out of Lent, to Sept. 3. In any case, this year’s observance marks the 1,400th anniversary of Gregory's death in 604. Why is Pope Gregory T of particular importance to Anglicans, and what do we know now about his connection to the music ofthe church? Historian Jeffrey Richards’ book, Gonsud of God. The Life and Times of Gregory the Great (Louden, 1950), begins by calling Gregory “one of the most remarkable figures of the early medieval world.” ‘This deseription is apt: Not only did he become pope at a time of erisis and chaos in medieval Italy, but his achievements had profound effects on many institutions of the time, ineluring the papaey and Roman, ‘Church in general, monasticism, and the civil society of the Roman Empire. Richards writes that Grogony’s reign (590- G04) “marks a watershed in the shadowy period during which the ancient world became the medieval world. ard Just as ne looked forward to 2 medieval world of monastic orders, emergent Wester European states, and a monar- chieal papacy, he also looked back to the vanishing world of imperial order, discipline, and unity, in which Roman Church. and Roman Empire were one and undivided.” Of importance to English Catholies — hoth Romen and, later, Anglican — was Gregory’s mission to England in 597 and his institution of Augustine as the first archbishop in ‘Canterbury. Indeed, Gregory through this mission is credited with the conversion of England to Cluistanity The Rt, Rev. Andrew Marr, OSB, abbot of St. Gregory's Abbey in Three Rivers, Mich., sees not only Gregory's mis- sion to England as significant, but also his approach to the mission field. Abbot Andrew writes, ina personal come spondence: “Gregory's irenic advice jto Angusfine and the others on the mission]—for example, don'ttear down pagan structures but convertthem to Christian use; don't fret about folk customs, but Chrstianize them—hes had a permanent influence on the style of Bnglish Chistian.” The entry on Gregory in The Oxford Diciionary of the Christian Crurch points out that: Gregory’s prolific writings include “directives for the pastoral life of bishop, whom he ards first as a shepherd of souls.” Abbot Andrew writes, regory’s flexible pastoral style as demonstrated in his great book On Pastoral Care seems to have influenced the style of Anglican pastoral ministry. Since Gregory was the first monk to become pope, to what extent ean we altribute Benedictine aspects of Angi anism to his influence on the church in England? We see 20. THELIVING CHURCH » DCTOHER2S, 2004 monastic elements in our divided-choir chancels, eur prese vation of the Daily Office, and other liturgical and architec- tural aspects as well as deeper elements like Benedictine moderation and the Anglican notion of the via media, 8 number of waiters caution against crediting all of histo Gre- gory. Abbot Andrew wnites: *Grezory’s monastic life was probahly not Benedictine in the sense of heing hasedl on Benedict's Rule.” He points out that Gregory's Dialogues with their wellmown account of the life of Benedict may have been written as mnuch as a generation alter Gregory's ‘death ‘What about Gregorian chant, the traditional music of the Wesiem church, certainly known in Anglican hymrals and sung by many of our choirs? The Oxyord Dictionary of the Quristian Church puis it this way: “He fostered the devel- opment of liturgical music, and, though his exact share ints codification is disputed, his name has been so closely linked ‘with plainsong that itis commonly known as the ‘Gregorian Gant’ he gave fo the Roman ‘schola caniorun’ its definite form.” Notwithstanding paintings of Gregory writing out the chant as dictated hy a dove on his shoulder, such a direct influenceas the term *Gregorian” might suggest isno longer considered historical. Gregon’s influence on the liturgy and its music was considerable, but not to the extent of his hav- ing written a chant: book and sacramentary and shipped them off to England by way of Augustine. Instead, Gregory's influence may beseenin the Venerable Bede's areonnt of the nish mission, with Gregory encouraging the monks to study the local customs they find, select “whatever things are devont, religious, and right.” and teach and encourage the English in the catholic faith using these familiar items tools. Projecting this approach from Augustine's time to later centuries, David Hiley writes in his Western Plain- chant: A Handbook, “That. would mean that Carolingan chant of the ninth century could take its place beside hymed songs oftho 12th oF alhyma of the 17th century; and, since the ‘authenticity of the chant isno longer an issue, the selection may be made on grounds of religious quality alone” Porhays this isa key to understanding Gregory’ influence ‘on Anglicanism from 1,400 years ago: his approach allowed truly English style of catholic Christianity to flourish, with an indigenous flavor and a pervasive flexibility. Our liturgy polity, pastoral style, and theology owe much to this monk. author, and pastor. a Scott R. Knitier ts a member of Choerch of te Ascension, Chicago, Mh