New Inclusive-language Texts, 'Not a New Prayer Book', Says Commission
Episcopal News Service. October 4, 1989 [89173]
PHILADELPHIA, September 28 -- "Our intention has never been and is not now to replace prayers that are currently in the Book of Common Prayer." The words of the Rev. Canon Lloyd Casson, convener of the Standing Liturgical Commission's committee on supplemental liturgical texts, were echoed by other members of the commission in a presentation to the House of Bishops, meeting here. Copies of the three-year effort mandated by General Convention of 1988 were given to the bishops during the session.
The Rt. Rev. Arthur Vogel of the church's Theological Commission commented on several aspects of the texts for the bishops. "Our general operative theological principle is that language about God is not inclusive. God is not God because he includes everything he created. God is God because he transcends everything he created," said Vogel, adding that the commission ran up against a number of problems with the language. One was the use of an alternative to the Trinitarian formula "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." Vogel said that the commission did not want to condone the substitute formula, "God who creates, redeems, and inspires," which he criticized as "sheer modalism or functionalism that destroys the Trinitarian community" when used alone. The formula agreed upon by the Standing Liturgical Commission adds the words "One in Three and Three in One" to the substitute, although Vogel said, "I actually do not believe that is still an adequate Trinitarian formula...,but I don't think it's wrong."
Vogel also pointed out confusion arising from the use of the word God to designate the entire Trinity and as a nonsexist substitute for Father.
During a question-and-answer period, Bishop Robert Witcher of Long Island asked the commission, "Are you going to provide flak vests with the book?"
The Rt. Rev. Frank Griswold, bishop of Chicago, doesn't think that kind of protection will be necessary. He said "I found personally that, using some of these texts as prayer and not just as a sort of academic exercise, my whole sense of God has been immensely expanded, and I realize how much I have lived confined by 'Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,' even though at some level I said, 'God isn't masculine."' Griswold added, "I would hope that this is what it might mean to the person in the pew, not just what new, whizzy thing is the Episcopal Church up to now."
Griswold said that the supplemental texts aren't seen as a possible forerunner to a new Prayer Book, although he isn't ruling that out. "Who is to say in another 10 to 20 years what the feeling about these texts might be, or what they might have brought to birth?"
The texts now go to the diocesan bishops, who are to choose which parishes will receive and evaluate the material. The responses will go to a research group from Hartford Seminary for analysis and a report back to the diocesan bishops. The texts, entitled Prayer Book Studies 30 -- The Supplemental Liturgical Texts and Commentary on Prayer Book Studies 30, may be obtained from the Church Hymnal Corporation at 800 Second Avenue, New York City, NY 10017, telephone 1-800-CHC-1918.