wfn.org | Episcopal convention considers liturgical issues

[Daphne Mack <dmack@dfms.org>]

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James Solheim
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GC2000-092

General Convention considers liturgical issues

by Genie Carr

     (ENS-DENVER) Issues of worship and ministry occupied the 
73rd General Convention legislatively, as deputies and bishops 
considered a number of resolutions dealing with liturgical 
practice and vocational polity.

     The ministry of the laity received particular attention, on 
its own and in the language of resolutions dealing with other 
ministries. In one resolution, the Standing Commission on 
Ministry Development was directed to develop appropriate canons 
for the adjudication of disputes and due process for licensed lay 
persons, and to develop appropriate canons for lay persons and 
their ministries (C011).

     Active ministry of the baptized has grown in congregations 
and dioceses, the resolution notes, but rules for licensed lay 
ministries and other lay involvement are confusing, or lacking, 
in cases of disagreements and misconduct.

     The Convention also noted the growing number of vocational 
deacons and their role in the church, a role that has become 
subject to debate and discussion  (C033). What duties vocational 
deacons are given differ among dioceses, so an attempt will be 
made to discern and regulate their role on a national level. 
After reviewing that role, the ministry development commission 
will recommend canons to establish norms for their participation 
at all levels of the church.

     Looking toward possible changes in the Title III canons that 
deal with ministry, the commission prepared a paper, "Toward a 
Theology of Baptized and Ordained Ministry," which will be the 
basis for review and possible revision of the canons. The 
Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music was directed to work 
closely with the ministry development commission in preparing for 
the 74th General Convention any proposed changes to the Ordinal 
in the Book of Common Prayer and the Book of Occasional Services 
(A073, A076).

Liturgy and music

     Trial use of The Revised Common Lectionary will continue for 
the next triennium (A063), and the use of the 1928 Book of Common 
Prayer for special occasions was reaffirmed (B042a).

     The canon regarding authorized versions of the Bible and 
their liturgical use was amended to indicate that the lessons 
prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer shall be read from 
"versions of the Bible, including those in languages other than 
English, which shall be authorized by diocesan bishops for use 
within their dioceses or in specific ministries" (A070). 
Authorized versions are numerous, the resolution's explanation 
notes, ranging from the 17th-century King James or Authorized 
Version to the New Revised Standard Version of 1987. Therefore, 
"the proliferation of biblical translations . . . makes it 
impractical for the church to authorize specific versions for use 
in worship as a matter of canon law."

     In response to those who continue to be dissatisfied with 
the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, the convention voted to apologize 
"to any members of this Church who were offended or alienated by 
inappropriate or uncharitable behavior during the time of 
transition" to the 1979 prayer book (B034).

     Supplemental liturgical materials were authorized, including 
"Ministry with the sick and dying" and "Burial of a child," to be 
published in Enriching Our Worship II (A069). In addition, songs 
such as "Deep river," "Swing low, sweet chariot," "Give me 
Jesus," "I'm agoing to eat at the welcome table," "Jesus loves 
me, this I know," and "Free at last" from Lift Every Voice and 
Sing were approved for addition to the musical resources already 
suggested in Enriching Our Worship (B017).

     Some critics of the Prayers of the People in the 1979 Book 
of Common Prayer have said that they are "maintenance-oriented," 
not "mission-oriented" or "evangelism-oriented," according to a 
resolution (D062) referring two evanglism-oriented versions of 
the Prayers of the People to the Standing Commission on Liturgy 
and Music. The two versions include "New Prayers of the People" 
and "New Additions to the Existing Prayers," collected by the 
Episcopal Network for Evangelism; and the Prayers of the People 
from A New Zealand Prayer Book.

     Bishops were not omitted from the liturgical considerations 
of the convention. A 1998 Lambeth Conference resolution on the 
importance of bishops being faithful in praying the daily offices 
was affirmed, and bishops were urged to recommit themselves to 
that spiritual discipline. They were also were urged to encourage 
their clergy and people in the discipline of daily prayer (D048).

--Genie Carr is a free-lance writer living in Winston-Salem, 
North Carolina.