"The public reading of Scripture has been a part of Christian liturgy since the very earliest days of the ancient Church. It is the bedrock upon which our faith is built and its phrases echo throughout our prayers and songs and rituals which we useweek by week. .... This issue of Liturgy Canada begins with a forceful critique of the RCL [Revised Common Lectionary] by Dr. Walter Deller ... Four other people [Kevin Flynn, John Hill, Richard Leggett and Debbie Palmer] who use and teach liturgy then comment on Dr. Deller's article. Walter is then given the last word in which to respond to the responders."
"The Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) as it stands at present is a disaster. This is a strong opinion, and in what follows I wish to explore my reasons for such a conclusion in relation both to specific aspects of the form of the lectionary as used by the Anglican Church of Canada, and in relation to broader questions of the functions of lectionaries".
Lectionary, Church and context : the disaster of the Revised Common Lectionary : Use of Scripture in the Revised Common Lectionary as found in the Book of Alternative Services, Anglican Church of Canada, 2004 edition
"Compiled by Walter Deller, 2004". Printed on yellow paper, a companion piece to: 'Lectionary, Church and context : the disaster of the Revised Common Lectionary', pp. 1-6 of this same issue.
On behalf of Andrew Asbil, Chair of the Faith Worship and Ministry Committee, the Very Rev. Peter Wall opened the presentation with two resolutions.
The second resolution dealt with the Liturgy Task Force which was authorized by the 2010 General Synod to work on liturgical revision. The group is now asking Counsel for authority to disseminate the texts so people can use them and then provide comment. Once revised, the new pieces would be brought to General Synod for authorization.
Text
That this Council of General Synod authorize the publication, for study, trial use, and evaluation, where permitted by the Ordinary, of the following provisional texts of the Liturgy Task Force:
- Inclusive Language Liturgical Psalter;
- Morning and Evening Prayer, seasonally, beginning with Ordinary time;
- Revised Common Lectionary Based Collects, beginning with Pentecost Year A and following through the seasons as these become available.
That this General Synod adopt the Revised Common Lectionary, as appended to this motion, and commend it to the dioceses for use where authorized by the Ordinary. CARRIED WITHOUT DEBATE Act 80
Notes
[The text of the Lectionary was distributed with Resolution A-232 in the Convening Circular.]
"A generous reading of Walter Deller's essay ["Lectionary, Church and context : the disaster of the Revised Common Lectionary"] would suggest that the real target of his critique is not so much the lectionary as those churches which persist in forms of gathering that clearly fail to make disciples".