Wednesday thoughts on A068
Sometime in the next two days, a resolution addressing Prayer Book revision will come before the House of Deputies. This version of the resolution is new to the Deputies; it was adopted by the House of Bishops as a replacement for the text of the resolution that passed the House of Deputies by a wide margin five days ago, which called the church to begin a process of study towards revision of the Book of Common Prayer. As in our national government, the same version of a resolution has to pass both legislative bodies — the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops — to succeed.
There are a lot of questions about the current version of this resolution, A068. Why does it cut the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music (SCLM) out of the process? Can it be read to make the ’79 Book of Common Prayer simply one among many liturgical options, similar to the situation in the Church of England — and if so, was that intentional or accidental? Are the bishops of our church really committed to what this resolution asks of them — to “engage worshiping communities in experimentation and the creation of alternative texts to offer to the wider church”? How is any of this supposed to happen for $200,000 (that’s $66k per year), if that money even ends up in the church’s budget?
Several people have asked what I think of it. I think it’s kind of a mess; and I hope, fervently, that it passes the House of Deputies without amendment.
Here’s why.
Today, Wednesday, July 11, is the third-to-last day of the 79th General Convention. A068 is not on the legislative calendar for the House of Deputies today. Even if it comes to us as soon as possible tomorrow, if the House of Deputies amends A068 to fix or clarify and sends it back to the House of Bishops, the amended version may not pass. The Bishops may not have time to take it up, or may not choose to make it a priority in their remaining hours.
If the House of Deputies amends A068 from the floor, it looks to me like there’s a very good likelihood that we will leave Austin with NO resolution about liturgical revision at all. I’ve seen folks who know the General Convention process far better than I do say the same.
Our Church is hungry for a doorway into revision. The last Convention directed the SCLM to prepare a plan for comprehensive prayer book revision. The version of A068 that came to the House of Deputies last week passed by a wide margin among both clergy and laypeople — with support strongest among lay deputies. The report of the Special Committee highlighted the missional and pastoral urgency of making our liturgical language better reflect our convictions and vision of God.
A068 is an odd and imperfect piece of legislation. But it offers us something we need — an invitation into a churchwide period of liturgical exploration and conversation.
Let’s trust the Bishops — trust each other — and most of all, trust the Spirit of God working through our struggle and confusion to accomplish God’s purposes among us.
If you have a vote to cast, I ask you cast it for A068.
