Liturgical Commission Sets Deadlines for Completing Its Work
Diocesan Press Service. October 28, 1974 [74281]
DALLAS, Tex. -- December 31, 1974, was formally set by the Standing Liturgical Commission as the closing date for receiving comments and suggestions from members of the Church regarding the Draft Proposed Book of Common Prayer. Ideas received up to that date will be considered in connection with the preparation of the Commission's final draft. Between January 1 and July 11, 1975 the Commission will review the services to be proposed for General Convention action and put them into final shape. After July 11, 1975, the manuscript of the Draft Proposed Prayer Book will be sent to the printers, to ensure that bishops and deputies to the 1976 General Convention have copies of the Draft Book at least six months before the opening of the Convention at Minneapolis, Minnesota, on September 11, 1976.
The setting of these two dates -- December 31, 1974 and July 11, 1975, was among the more important decisions made by the Liturgical Commission at its meeting of October 8 - 11, held at the Bishop Mason Retreat & Conference Center, Flower Mound, near Dallas, Texas.
The Commission's main effort at this meeting was directed to reviewing once more the initiatory rites in "Authorized Services, 1973 " and revising the services of "Holy Baptism" and "A Form for Confirmation, Reception, and the Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows with the Laying-on of Hands by the Bishop. " The rites approved by the General Convention of 1973 for trial use, and published by The Church Hymnal Corporation in "Authorized Services, 1973 " were revised by the Drafting Committee on Christian Initiation under the Chairmanship of Bishop Frederick F. B. Wolf of Maine, and the revised text was gone over once more by the whole Liturgical Commission.
At the request of Bishop Chilton Powell of Oklahoma, the Commission's Chairman, a large number of bishops have made specific comments and suggestions. These served as the basis for this latest revision. In addition, numerous suggestions from Diocesan Liturgical Commissions and from hundreds of clerical and lay-members of the Church were taken into account in preparing the latest revision. The text was presented to the House of Bishops during its October meeting in Mexico.
As in its earlier drafts, the revised rites seek to enhance the role of the Bishop. They,.also attempt to keep the rites free of any rigid interpretation, especially with regard to the use of oil of chrism in consignation (at the end of the baptismal rite) and also with regard to the meaning of the Bishop's action in the laying-on of hands. The rite seeks to make room for the variety of interpretations which in the course of Anglican history have become attached to the rites.
The revision does, however, make a clear distinction between three actions which may take place within the rite: (1) Confirmation of one's baptismal vows by one baptized in infancy; (2) the reception of a baptized Christian from another branch of the Church; and (3) a solemn blessing upon the mature reaffirmation of baptismal vows by one who has already received the laying-on of hands. These three distinct actions are to be performed by a bishop. Opportunity is provided for an adult who seeks the bishop's laying-on of hands to make a personal statement of his own commitment, subject to prior consultation with his pastor and the consent of the bishop.
The Commission also received and discussed an 80-page report commenting on theological aspects of the revised rites, from its Theological Committee, the Rev. Charles P. Price of Alexandria, Virginia, Chairman. The report includes numerous recommendations for changes, and these have been referred to the drafting committees primarily concerned.
In the course of its meeting, the Commission gave a careful hearing to the recommendations adopted at a Conference of Chairmen of Diocesan Liturgical and Music Commissions held at Amarillo, Texas, Sept. 23-27. The votes in favor of the several recommendations varied from simple majorities to near unanimity. The conference, among other recommendations, urged that the integrity of each of the rites at present authorized for use should be maintained (i.e., when a rite from the official Book of Common Prayer is used, it should be used properly, in full conformity with its own rubrics, and not altered arbitrarily in the light of provisions applicable to the corresponding rite authorized for trial use).
In another important action, the Commission decided formally against any shortening of the Season of Lent. Instead, it urged all drafting committees to consider how the penitential element in the various services may be strengthened. It appointed a committee headed by the Rev. H. Boone Porter, Jr., of Kansas City, Missouri, to review the present structure of the Church Year in order to ensure a clear articulation of its various Seasons.
The Commission also
* completed work on the Marriage rite, except for necessary editorial revisions;
* reviewed the structure of the services of Daily Morning and Evening Prayer as presented by a committee under the Chairmanship of the Rev. William A. Dimmick of Southport, Connecticut;
* discussed several problems raised by its Committee on Rubrics (Mr. Harrison Tillman of Valdosta, Georgia, Chairman), especially with regard to the use of the term "Minister ";
* discussed a report by the Very Rev. Robert H. Greenfield of Portland, Oregon, concerning the Catechism (originally prepared under the Chairmanship of Bishop Stanley H. Atkins of Eau Claire), and considered various approaches to the most effective manner of setting forth the Faith of the Church, so as to provide young people and enquirers with a helpful guide to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church;
* considered suggestions from its First Services Committee (the Rev. Donald L. Garfield, New York, Chairman, who could not be present, but whose committee's views were presented by Dean Greenfield) regarding certain elements of the Burial Service and the Holy Eucharist;
* set the dates for its next two meetings in January and March, 1975.
In a deeply moving ceremony the Commission paid tribute to one of its members, the Rev. Canon Lee M. Benefee of Nashville, Tennessee, who died October 3, 1974. A Solemn Eucharist in thanksgiving for the life and work of Canon Benefee, was celebrated on Thursday, October 10, in the Chapel of the Holy Saviour, on the grounds of the Center. The chief celebrant was the Rt. Rev. James W. Montgomery, Bishop of Chicago. The Rev. Charles P. Price preached a homily. Later that evening a telegram of condolence from the entire Commission was dispatched to Mrs. Benefee and her family, and a Memorial Minute was adopted for inclusion in the Commission's Report to the General Convention of 1976.
Two representatives of the Synod Committee on Doctrine and Worship of the Anglican Church of Canada were present and took part in the Commission's work. They were the Very Rev. David J. Carter of Calgary, Alberta, Vice Chairman of the Canadian Committee, and the Rev. Canon A. Gordon Baker of London, Ontario, Editor of the Committee's publications.
The Standing Commission on Church Music was represented by the Venerable Frederic P. Williams of Indianapolis, Indiana, and the Rev. Norman C. Mealy of Berkeley, California. They introduced the newly-appointed Co-ordinator of The Standing Commission on Church Music, Dr. Alec Wyton of New York.