Bishop Brian Carrell released his book, a meme on Anglican Prayers nine years ago. Moreover Brian 86 is one of the New Zealand Panellists for the young writer program.
At that time, NZ Archbishop David Moxon called Brain Carrell’s publication “a remarkable gift” of memory and story, and says it pays “meticulous attention” to the prayer book’s production. “In these pages you will find the human stories, the theological nuances and the spiritual vision that came together in one of the world’s most creative and beautiful prayer books.
“If you ever wonder what the fretwork behind this tapestry was all about, and what strands ended up being woven together, then this book is for you. Creating a New Zealand Prayer Book is the book many of us have been waiting for.”
Bishop John Paterson, retired NZ Primate and former Chair of Anglican Consultative Council, says the book “is an honest and careful account which does not shy from controversies, both theological and political.”
John Paterson sums it up - “It’s a book to be commended for both specialist and general readership.”
Creative
In 1989 the NZ Anglican Church authorised a new modern prayer book to replace their old Book of Common Prayer. Now retired Anglican Bishop Brian Carrell produced a narrative describing how this was achieved that is creating considerable interest in New Zealand. He certainly has his feet on the ground.
His book imaginatively and with illustrations tells the intriguing 25 year story of the process, people, problems and politics over the period 1964-1989 in our neighbour across the ditch that led to the publication of the Prayer Book that is now universally used by Anglicans on the other side of the Tasman.
What he's done is to trace the inside story of the creation of what has become the most treasured and loved prayer book of a nation.
Herein is revealed the drama of any prayer book that is compiled by a commission. In much the same way a similar story has been told of how 400 years ago the King James Bible (Authorised Version) was translated by a coordinated but scattered body of scholars and ordinary parish ministers in England to become a treasure of Christians of all denominations for centuries to follow.
Brian is now one of the few people involved throughout this quarter-century long work of producing this NZ Prayer Book who is still alive and active in ministry today.
There's more
I started this by saying that Brian Carrell has his feet on the ground. Brian is also one of the five NZ Panellists for the young writer program, a joint project by Press Service International and Christian Today.
The Panellists allocate points for the New Zealand young writer articles published each day in Christian Today for the NZ Basil Sellers Young Writer Annual Award.
Bishop Brian Carrell spoke at the 2018 Christchurch young writer conference – addressing the conference on the development of the Kiwi young writer program. As a foundational New Zealand Panellist for the Kiwi young writers, he made the fascinating comment that over these past 8 years he has noticed the articles have moved on from personal life reflections to a broader reflection on issues and theological reflections.
In Bishop Carrell’s address to the young writers’ conference including the Australians and the Internationals, a founding panellist for the Basil Sellers Awards, he explained a number of salient points – first he’d noticed a change over these past 8 years.
Bishop Carrell also made the point that in his many years of ministry, with a keen interest with CMS – Church Missionary Society – this young writer engagement was one of the best understandings as it pointed to the future – young people today are the leaders of tomorrow.
Bishop Carrell came into the Kiwi young writers’ meeting for the final 30 minutes of discussion and greatly encouraged them towards 2019 as a new fresh encounter in ministry and the Lord Jesus Christ.
He also led the Panellists discussion in 2018 on the nature of their role and invited input from both Australiana and New Zealand panellists. Moreover, this year, 2019 he has injected theological and practical suggestions into changing the mode of the panellist marking from a weekly marking to a young writer selecting their Best Article – marking only one article per young writer.
(One other point, Bishop and May Carrell’s son is now the Anglican Archbishop of Christchurch).
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Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html
Dr Mark Tronson - a 4 min video
Chairman – Well-Being Australia
Baptist Minister 45 years
- 1984 - Australian cricket team chaplain 17 years (Ret)
- 2001 - Life After Cricket (18 years Ret)
- 2009 - Olympic Ministry Medal – presented by Carl Lewis
- 2019 - The Gutenberg - (ARPA Christian Media premier award)
Gutenberg video - 2min 14sec
Married to Delma for 45 years with 4 children and 6 grand children