Heidi Norton
Incense has been used in religious ceremonies for thousands of years, dating back to ancient India and Egypt. In the Church of England, the use of incense was abandoned in the 19th century and was even thought to be illegal. However, in recent years, some Anglican churches have started using incense again for special occasions, and it is a regular fixture in Anglo-Catholic churches. The use of incense is often seen as a symbol of cleansing and purification, with the sweet fragrance representing Christ's robe of righteousness that covers the sins of humanity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Use of incense in the Church of England | Abandoned by the turn of the 19th century, later thought to be illegal |
| Use of incense in Anglican churches | Used in Anglo-Catholic churches, some middle-of-the-road Anglican churches use it for special occasions |
| Incense in religious services | Used to symbolise "cleansing and purification", also represents "Christ's robe of righteousness" |
| Incense in the Church of England and criminal charges | Home Office ministers have reassured that the use of incense in religious services will not be covered by the psychoactive substances bill |
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What You'll Learn
Incense use in the Church of England was abandoned by the 19th century
Incense use has been a part of religious rituals since ancient times. The first recorded use of incense was by the Indians in the Indus Valley Civilisation in 3600 BC. The ancient Egyptians, Hindus, Chinese, and Koreans are also among the many groups that have historically used incense in spiritual practices.
In Christian churches, incense is burned during worship services to symbolise "cleansing and purification", as well as to represent "Christ's robe of righteousness" that covers the sins of humanity. Incense is mentioned frequently in the Hebrew Scriptures, such as in Psalm 141:1: "Let my prayer rise like incense before you; the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice."
In the Church of England, the use of incense was abandoned by the turn of the 19th century and was later considered illegal. The Non-Jurors, High Churchmen like Thomas Ken, were among the principal Anglicans who used incense in the liturgy in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. However, by the 19th century, the use of incense had become associated with a particular brand of churchmanship, and its use was discontinued in the Church of England.
Today, the use of incense in Anglican churches varies depending on their churchmanship. Anglo-Catholic churches may use generous quantities of incense, while some middle-of-the-road Anglican churches may use incense on special occasions. The number of points within the liturgy at which an Anglican church may use incense can differ.
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Incense is used in Anglican churches of Anglo-Catholic churchmanship
Incense is used in many religious rituals and has been for thousands of years. The practice has its roots in ancient India, with the first recorded use of incense by the Indians in the Indus Valley Civilisation in 3600 BC. The Egyptians during the Fifth Dynasty (2345-2494 BC) were the first non-Asian users of incense, and the practice was transmitted to many other Asian countries by the Hindus.
In Christian churches, incense is burned during worship services. It is used in Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, and Anglican churches, among others. The use of incense in an Anglican church is a good indicator of how 'high' or 'low' the church is, i.e., how Catholic or Reformed its liturgy is. Anglo-Catholic churches may use generous amounts of incense, while some middle-of-the-road Anglican churches use it sparingly for special occasions.
Incense is used in the Anglican churches of Anglo-Catholic churchmanship at virtually every service. The number of points within the liturgy at which an Anglican church may use incense varies. It can be used at the entrance procession, at the beginning of Mass to incense the cross and the altar, at the Gospel procession and proclamation, and after the bread and chalice have been placed on the altar, to incense the offerings, the cross, the altar, the priest, and the people. It is also used at the elevation of the host and the chalice after the consecration, and at Solemn Vespers, Solemn Evensong, funerals, and the consecration of a church or altar.
The use of incense is symbolic of "cleansing and purification", as well as its fragrance suggesting "Christ's robe of righteousness" that covers the sin of humankind. Incense is mentioned frequently in the Hebrew Scriptures, and the practice was taken up by Christians from the Jews.
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Incense is symbolic of cleansing and purification
Incense has been used in Christian worship since ancient times, especially in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Catholic Church, Orthodox Christian churches, Lutheran Churches, Old Catholic/Liberal Catholic Churches, and some Anglican Churches. The use of incense in the Church of England was abandoned by the 19th century and was later considered illegal. However, in recent times, some Anglican churches have started using incense occasionally for special services.
The practice of burning incense has its roots in the traditions of Judaism during the time of the Second Jewish Temple. In Christianity, the use of incense is symbolic of "cleansing and purification". The clouds of incense represent the purification of the soul, and the sweet fragrance is likened to "Christ's robe of righteousness" that covers the sin of humankind. This symbolism is reflected in Psalm 141 (140), verse 2: "Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight: the lifting up of my hands, as the evening sacrifice."
Incense is often employed as part of purification rituals in various religious traditions. In Islam, for example, incense is used in the regular rite of purifying and cleansing the Ka'aba in Makkah. The sweet-smelling incense is believed to perfume the air and uplift the souls of pilgrims.
In Christian worship, incense is used at the celebration of the Eucharist, solemn celebrations of the Divine Office, Solemn Vespers, Solemn Evensong, funerals, benediction, and the consecration of a church or altar, among other services. The thurible, a metal incense burner suspended from chains, is used to burn incense during these services. The incense is placed on burning charcoal inside the thurible, which is then swung towards the objects or people being censed, such as the bread and wine offered for the Eucharist, the clergy, the congregation, or the body of the deceased during a funeral.
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Incense is mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures
The use of incense in the Church of England is a fairly reliable guide to churchmanship, indicating how 'high' or 'low' the individual church is. Anglo-Catholic churches may use generous quantities of incense, while some middle-of-the-road Anglican churches use it occasionally for special occasions.
> "Take unto yourself sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight: And you shall make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together [salted], pure and holy: And you shall beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with..." (Exodus 30:34-35, ESV).
The sweet spice stacte, also known as gum resin, is derived from the bark of myrrh bushes and ground into powder. Onycha is made from ground mollusk shell scrapings, while galbanum is a resin obtained from the ferula plant. Salt, with its antibacterial properties, was also added to the blend to prevent decay and symbolise the purity of the ingredients.
The high priest was assigned the role of burning this sacred blend on the altar of incense, which stood in the Holy Place, the outermost room of the Tabernacle, directly in front of the entrance to the Holy of Holies (Exodus 30:1-6). The incense was burned twice daily, once before the morning sacrifice and again after the evening sacrifice (Exodus 30:7-8).
The use of incense is symbolic of "cleansing and purification", with the smoke representing the prayers of the people and protecting the high priest from the direct presence of God (Leviticus 16:12-13).
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Incense is used in various spiritual and ceremonial traditions
Incense is mentioned frequently in the Hebrew Scriptures. In the Gospel, Zechariah is in the temple at the time of the incense offering (Luke 1), and the gifts the Magi offered to the Christ Child included gold, frankincense, and myrrh. In Second Corinthians, the knowledge of Christ is compared to a fragrant odour (2:14-16). The vision of heaven in Revelation includes the elders holding bowls of incense, described as the prayers of the saints (Revelation 5:8). The clouds of incense represent "cleansing and purification", and the sweet smell suggests "Christ's robe of righteousness" that covers our sin.
In Christian churches, incense is burned during worship services, with its use symbolic of "cleansing and purification", as well as its fragrance suggesting "Christ's robe of righteousness" that covers the sin of humankind. Incense may be used at the celebration of the Eucharist, at funerals, and at other services. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Lutheran churches, and Anglican churches of Anglo-Catholic churchmanship, incense is used at virtually every service.
Beyond its ecclesiastical use, the thurible is also employed in various other spiritual or ceremonial traditions, including some Gnostic Churches, Freemasonry, Co-Freemasonry, and the practice of ceremonial magic.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Church of England does use incense. In recent years, some Anglican churches have taken to using incense a few times a year for special occasions. Anglo-Catholic churches may use generous quantities of incense.
The use of incense is symbolic of "cleansing and purification", as well as its fragrance suggesting "Christ’s robe of righteousness" that covers the sin of humankind. Incense is also used to honour God before entering a temple or place of worship.
Incense is burned in a thurible, a metal incense burner suspended from chains. The acolyte or altar server who carries the thurible is called a thurifer. Incense is usually blessed with a prayer and spooned onto coals. The thurible is then closed and swung by the priest, deacon, or server towards what or who is being censed.
The number of points within the liturgy at which an Anglican church may use incense varies. Incense may be used at the entrance procession, at the beginning of Mass to incense the cross and the altar, at the Gospel procession and proclamation, and after the bread and chalice have been placed upon the altar.
Yes, the use of incense in the Church of England is legal. In 2015, the Home Office reassured the Church of England that the use of incense would not be covered by the government's proposed new blanket ban on legal highs.
