Bishops Reaffirm Liturgy Transition
Episcopal News Service. October 12, 1978 [78285]
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Episcopal Church House of Bishops has reaffirmed a 1975 pastoral statement which recognizes the need for a "period of transition" in the shift to the Proposed Book of Common Prayer as the Standard Book of the Church.
At the same time, the bishops discovered that there appears to be little widespread, massive resistance to the institution of the Proposed Book which is likely to be ratified by the General Convention next year.
Presiding Bishop John M. Allin had recommended that the House adopt some statement this week "to provide reassurance" to devotees of the 1928 Prayer Book "while work goes forward toward the one Standard Book." He said, "Our clergy need support in leading worship, not restriction."
Bishop George Murray of the Central Gulf Coast warned against any message now which might "create tensions and pressures on this Church which we can ill afford." He urged nothing be done which could lead to "divided cities where 1928 parishes and 1979 parishes" compete with one another.
His viewpoint received support from Bishop Thomas Fraser of North Carolina who declared that his diocese had not been troubled to any great degree about the Prayer Book issue until he started hearing from people who said "they'd had letters from Bishop Allin saying we can have two Books. " Then, he continued, "our clergy started to claim that the House of Bishops had been undercutting" their efforts to effect the acceptance of the Proposed Book. "I don't believe," Bishop Fraser said, "that the bishop as chief liturgical officer in his diocese has the right to decide which Book is used (after 1979.) His obligation is to say that, if General Convention votes for it, the new Book is the Prayer Book of this Church. I beg this House to do nothing else. "
Virginia's Suffragan Bishop John Baden, who chairs the special committee which will make a recommendation to General Convention on this subject, told the House that the committee will defer shaping its recommendation until mid-1979 in order not to cut off discussion.
By a strong voice vote, the House later reaffirmed its 1975 pastoral statement about Prayer Book revision, and then spent a half hour in small groups, assessing response in their various dioceses to the Proposed Book of Common Prayer and estimating the strength of sentiment for "the continuing and full use of the 1928 Book" after 1979. Reports from each group revealed overwhelming acceptance of and use of the Proposed Book at present; they described strong pro-1928 Book feeling variously as "substantially small... dwindling... held by only small minority of laity... no agitation for full continued use... strong but quite spotty."
Exceptions were noted; one diocesan reported 20 percent of his clergy and many lay people definitely favor the 1928 rites. Ten or more diocesan conventions have memorialized General Convention to allow continuing use of the 1928 Prayer Book: some of these moves were taken not out of widespread support but out of consideration for the small segment of persons who feel strongly on the subject.
Prayer Book Revision and Use:
The House of Bishops records its gratitude to the Standing Liturgical Commission for its work since 1954 in drafting a Proposed Prayer Book: to the innumerable clergy and lay people who have used the Trial Rites and responded with their criticisms, and to the many scholars of our sister churches who have contributed their help and advice.
We wish to commend the Commission not only for their industry, but for their patience and their readiness to respond to questions and criticisms, in the production of a book that we believe preserves the best of the Anglican tradition of worship yet meets the needs of a new age, and provides a treasury of corporate and private devotion for all of us.
If and when the General Convention takes final affirmative action on the text of the proposed Book of Common Prayer, that book will become the Standard Book for the Episcopal Church, replacing the Standard Book of 1928.
The House of Bishops understands that a period of transition from the old book to the new will be necessary for many people who have come to love the 1928 Book so dearly.
Wishing to respect the feelings of our sisters and brothers yet being anxious to safeguard the principle of a Standard Book the House of Bishops asks that where alternative rites are permitted by diocesan authority these alternative rites be confined to matter found in the 1928 book. This resolution does not effect the standing of the Book of Offices or the bishop's right to authorize special services for special occasions.