Saturday, July 7, 2018

Voting on prayer book revision

The 2015 General Convention mandated the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to “prepare a plan for the comprehensive revision of the current Book of Common Prayer and present that plan to the 79th General Convention.” The SCLM presented its report in the Blue Book earlier this year, and prayer book revision has been a topic of much discussion and debate ever since.

Today, the House of Deputies voted to approve Resolution A068, which calls for the process of revision to begin. The vote was by orders, meaning clergy and lay deputies’ votes were tallied separately, and the margin was roughly 2-1 in favor in both orders.

Read an Episcopal News Service report on the vote here

The resolution now goes to the House of Bishops for discussion and, likely, amendments that would have to be reconciled between the two houses of General Convention before a final plan emerges. Most agree that it will be 2030 at the earliest before a revised prayer book actually comes into use.

The South Carolina deputation voted in favor of the resolution: Lay deputies were unanimous and in the clergy order the vote was 3-1.

Deputation Chairman the Very Rev. Richard Lindsey said he voted for the resolution so the process could begin.

“It’s time for the language of the prayer book to speak to a new generation,” he said. The last revision was almost two generations ago, in 1979.

The Rev. Dr. Jim Taylor said he voted against the resolution simply because of the finances. Estimates put the cost of the revision at about $2 million, and many deputies raised that figure during debate on the floor.

The Very Rev. Wil Keith said that, unlike previous revisions, this time the voices of marginalized groups in the church can be heard.

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