Following a brief commentary by Bishop Short, it was
Text
That the Holy Eucharist, An Alternative Canadian Use herewith submitted as Canadian Anglican Liturgical Series #4, be approved as an alternative form to the Book of Common Prayer service.
An amendment to the motion was
Moved by: The Rev. Canon E.R. Fairweather
Seconded by: The Rev. Canon R.E. Ivany
That, following the words, 'Canadian Anglican Liturgical Series #4', the words, 'and the Second Service of the Episcopal Church and the Third Service of the Church of England', be inserted.
The Mover and Seconder of the original motion agreed to accept the amendment as part of the motion.
Moved by: The Rt. Rev. M.L. Goodman
That the motion be tabled.
As there was no Seconder to the motion, it was not accepted.
A second amendment to this motion was
Moved by: The Rev. J. Hattersley
Seconded by: Miss Betty C. Graham
That the word "approved" be deleted, and the word "commended" be inserted in its place.
The Mover and Seconder agreed to this amendment. The motion will now read:
That the Holy Eucharist, An Alternative Canadian Use herewith submitted as Canadian Anglican Liturgical Series #4, and the Second Service of the Episcopal Church and the Third Service of the Church of England, be commended as alternative forms to the Book of Common Prayer service.
That Second Reading be given that Canon XIV be amended by adding thereto the following:
5) Third Collect for Good Friday
The Third Collect for Good Friday is to be deleted from use and from further printings of the Book of Common Prayer. CARRIED in all Orders on Second Reading Act 39.
That Section 3, Subsection b) be preceded by the words "Notwithstanding the above" and that the words "marriage between them shall be prohibited" shall replace the words "the minister must be satisfied that the parties consent to the marriage free from any duress, undue influence or coercion, past or present."
Amendment to the amendment
The mover and seconder agreed to amend Section 3, Subsection b) by adding the words "or live" after the word "lived"
The amendment was then put and - CARRIED
The amended resolution now reads:
That first reading be given to the resolution
That Canon XXI be amended:
(1) by striking out section 3 of Part I and substituting therefor the following:
3. Impediments of Relationship
a) Notwithstanding the Table of Kindred and Affinity contained in The Book of Common Prayer (1962), when making the inquiries directed in section 2 the minister shall, with respect to impediments of relationship, be guided by the `Marriage (Prohibited Degrees) Act' which prohibits marriages between persons who are related
i) lineally by consanguinity or adoption,
ii) as brother and sister by consanguinity, whether by the whole blood or the half-blood, or
iii) as brother and sister by adoption.
b) Notwithstanding the above, where the parties to the intended marriage have previously lived or live in the same household and one party has been treated by the other as a child or parent, marriage between them shall be prohibited.
(2) by striking out clause 17 a) ii) of Part III and substituting therefor the following:
Winnipeg, April 6, 1989 -- The Anglican Church's Supreme Court of Appeal has concluded its hearings here this morning.
The Court was convened on Tuesday for the first time in history to hear arguments about the validity of the church's Book of Alternative Services (BAS). Opponents of the BAS argue that only the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) contains valid forms of liturgy (worship services) for Canadian Anglicans.
The Court received written submissions from 20 "intervenors" in the case. Ten of the intervenors made oral presentations to the Court.
The validity of the BAS was challenged by Mr. Donald J. MacLean, of Regina. He initially launched a civil suit challenging the lawful status of the Bishop of the Diocese of Qu'Appelle. At stake may be the authority of bishops whose consecration was conducted with liturgy from the BAS and the validity of the ordination of priests who were ordained under the BAS. Mr. MacLean halted his civil suit when the church decided to hear the case in its own court.
Lawyer Criticizes Client
In a dramatic development Wednesday morning, Mr. MacLean's lawyer publically disassociated himself from comments Mr. MacLean had made to media representatives. Mr. MacLean questioned whether certain members of the Court were impartial.
His lawyer, Mr. Frederick Dunbar, told the Court he was distressed by Mr. MacLean's comments and sought to withdraw from the case. However, he said other colleagues had persuaded him that it would be inappropriate to withdraw halfway through the case.
Marriage Validity Upheld
One of the doctrinal questions before the Court is whether marriages performed with a service from the BAS are valid. Speculation in the Court and in the media reports often focussed on this aspect, possibly causing concern among Anglicans. A survey last year found that most marriages are now based on BAS texts in more than 60 percent of congregations.
At the conclusion of its sitting, the Court responded to this concern with a statement upholding the validity of these marriages. The statement reads:
Because of statements made during the course of these proceedings, concern about the validity of marriages celebrated according to the forms in the Book of Alternative Services has been expressed in the media and may have caused some anxiety.
On this issue the members of the Court wish it to be known that in their opinion these marriages are valid.
Judgment Follows
The Court's judgement is not expected before the first of May, because bishops in the church have the right to submit comments on the case until the end of April. The General Synod, the church's highest legislative body, convenes in mid-June. It is expected the Court will wish to have a judgment ready for General Synod.
BAS Background
The General Synod authorized its Doctrine and Worship committee in 1983 to prepare a book of alternative services "and to present the complete material to the National Executive Council for permission to publish for use, where authorized by the Diocesan Bishop, at least until the 32nd General Synod" [in 1989]. In a subsequent meeting (May 1984) the National Executive Council received the completed BAS and authorized its publication.
Mr. MacLean argued that this authorization is insufficient because the BCP is established by canon (church) law as "the authorized Book of Common Prayer". The BAS, he argues, would also have to be authorized by canon -- a complex procedure which requires approval in two successive General Synods. The General Synod meets only once every three years.
Court Members, Assessors
The nine members of the Court are selected according to criteria established in the Anglican Church's "canon law". It calls for three bishops, three clergy, and three lay members. The Court is also assisted by four "assessors", or advisers, two of whom are legal scholars, and two of whom are theologians.
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For further information, contact: Doug Tindal, Director of Communication (416) 924-9192 ext. 286; (416) 335-8349 (residence)
A Thesis submitted to Boston University School of Theology in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Theology 2000.
Bibliography: p. 270-286.
"Confronted by questions of relevance and identity, the Anglican Church of Canada initiated a process of liturgical revision in 1985. The dissertation argues that, at the end of this process with the publication of the Book of Alternative Services in 1985, the Anglican Church of Canada had both a reconstituted liturgical text and a transformed definition of church. The dissertation builds on scholarly investigations, and it bridges the pastoral and scholarly gap in the historical development of the Anglican Church of Canada. To date no other study has attempted to close this gap by examining the Book of Alternative Services." "The dissertation set out to determine whether or not the Book of Alternative Services was 'tinkering with Cranmer' or whether the book reflected a distinctiveness in the continuing liturgical tradition of the Anglican Church of Canada. The latter has been confirmed by demonstration. Further study may well want to focus upon the integration of the Book of Alternative Services into the church's life and its impact upon the church's understanding of ordained ministry and church architecture". -- Abstract.
Contents: Acknowledgements -- Glossary -- Abstract -- Introduction -- The Anglican Church of Canada in Turmoil -- Prayer Book Revision in Canada 1893-1985 -- Liturgical, Theological and Social Assumptions Regarding Baptism -- Liturgical, Theological and Social Assumptions Regarding the Holy Eucharist -- Conclusion -- Appendix 1: Significant Events in the Life of the Anglican Church of Canada. -- Appendix 2: Solemn Declaration (1893) -- Appendix 3: Sessions of the General Synods since 1983 -- Appendix 4: Pastoral Letter, September 1985 -- Bibliography.
Author is a priest of the Anglican Church of Canada.
That this General Synod approves Recommendations 1,3,4 and 6 of the Book of Alternative Services Evaluation Commission.
1. That for the next six years the Church not undertake any full-scale revision of its liturgical provision and continue to use the Book of Common Prayer and the Book of Alternative Services unchanged.
3. That at the first General Synod of the next century the Church establish a revision commission to undertake a full revision of the BAS, taking into account (1) experience of use of the supplementary materials; (2) ongoing discussion of the theological trends which compose contemporary Canadian Anglicanism; (3) new developments in liturgy in the Anglican Communion as a whole; (4) other Canadian liturgical developments. The end product of this revision will be a canonically-authorized book of contemporary language liturgies.
4. That alongside any revised book of contemporary language liturgies, the Book of Common Prayer retain its canonical status and availability.
6. That the processes of the production and testing of liturgical texts be as inclusive of the variety of theological and liturgical convictions as possible.
Motion to Refer
Moved by Bishop J. Baycroft, seconded by Canon J. Hill,
That recommendations 3 and 4 be referred to the first General Synod of the next Century. DEFEATED
The original motion was then put and CARRIED Act 67.
Notes
The Primate expressed appreciation to the Chair and members of the BAS Evaluation Commission and this was followed by applause.
"Archbishop Harold Lee Nutter, who died September 9 [2017] at age 93, is being mourned by many as a gentle, humble pastor who oversaw the diocese of Fredericton and the ecclesiastical province of Canada through a time of considerable turmoil". "Nutter served as bishop of the diocese from 1971 to 1989, and as metropolitan of the ecclesiastical province of Canada (which covers the Atlantic provinces and much of the province of Quebec) from 1980 to 1989. He was the first bishop of Fredericton to have been born in New Brunswick". "Nutter was bishop when the Anglican Church of Canada's General Synod authorized the ordination of women as priests in 1976. Nutter did not initially support the practice, but is said to have moderated his position over time. He presided over another divisive issue, the introduction of the 'Book of Alternative Services' in 1985. According to a biographical sketch on the website of the diocese of Fredericton, Nutter insisted that the 'Book of Common Prayer' continue to be used in at least half the services in any parish".
March 9, 1994 -- A new survey in the Diocese of Qu'Appelle has confirmed the results of an earlier, nationwide survey of Book of Common Prayer (BCP) and Book of Alternative Services (BAS) usage, according to the BAS Evaluation Commission.
The Commission, meeting March 5 to 8 [1994], received a report of a survey conducted in Qu'Appelle in which parishioners in each parish were given an opportunity to express their opinions.
More than 1,500 parishioners responded -- more than 10 percent of the number of members on parish rolls in the diocese, and almost half the average weekly attendance at worship. The report indicated widespread use of both the BAS and BCP and, in general, satisfaction with the pattern of worship which involves the two books.
The Rt. Rev. Eric Bays, who chairs the commission, says it has nearly completed its information-gathering. Among other things, the Commission has examined material held in the Archives of General Synod, which included hundreds of letters received following the publication of the BAS; and working groups have spent time preparing a detailed analysis of various parts of the book.
It has received limited response to its publication "Thinking about the Book of Alternative Services," and is urging further study and reflection on the issues raised in this document in hope of receiving further response.
The Commission is moving now from collecting information to formulating its report and recommendations to General Synod.
Also in this meeting, the Commission:
- considered a report from the Native Ministries council in the Diocese of Calgary, which raised questions about the understanding of liturgical services in aboriginal communities. The Commission agreed that aboriginal concerns will be included in their final report and recommendations;
- discussed concerns raised by women;
- considered ecumenical issues;
- discussed the framework of the final report.
The Commission will hold its final meeting in February, 1995.
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For further information, contact: Eric Bays, Bishop of Qu'Appelle, (306) 522-1608