The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

The House of Bishops Committee on Constitution and Canons presented its Report #20 on Resolution B008 (Amend Canon II.3.6.a and II.4 to Clarify Authorization of Liturgies) and moved adoption of a substitute.

Original Text of Resolution:

(B008)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring,

That Canon II.3.6.a shall be amended as follows:

a. Whenever the General Convention, pursuant to Article X of the Constitution, shall authorize for trial use a proposed revision of the Book of Common Prayer, or of a portion or portions thereof, having first been proposed by the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, the enabling Resolution shall specify the period of such trial use, the precise text thereof, and any special terms or conditions under which such trial use shall be carried out including translation.

And be it further.

Resolved, That Canon II.4 shall be amended to add a new Canon 4 as follows, renumbering subsequent Canons under Title II:

Canon 4: Of the Types of Supplemental Liturgical Texts

Article X of the Constitution defines what is the Book of Common Prayer and what is eligible for Trial Use as a step towards inclusion in the Book of Common Prayer. Supplemental Liturgical Texts shall mean those texts that are available for use in this church but are not the Common Prayer of this church. In addition to the Book of Common Prayer 1979 and Prayer Book Trial Use, as defined by this church's Constitution, additional supplemental liturgical resources may be set forth by the authority of this Church and used with the permission of the bishop diocesan.

Sec. 1. Authorization and Use of Liturgical Resources Supplemental to the Book of Common Prayer

The General Convention at any one meeting, by a majority of the Bishops entitled to vote in the House of Bishops, and by a majority of the Clerical and Lay Deputies, voting by orders may approve supplemental liturgical resources for use by this Church; having first been duly approved by the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music for this sole purpose.

a. Each supplemental liturgical material approved by the General Convention will be designated as Supplemental Additional Resources (available for use without permission of the bishop diocesan) or Supplemental Alternative Resources (requiring permission of the bishop diocesan).

b. Those Supplemental Additional Resources reviewed and authorized may be used for public worship by the ministers of this church. These include a Book of Occasional Services as a collection of Supplemental Texts in addition to the Book of Common Prayer, which may be authorized for use throughout this Church without permission of the bishop. It may also include propers for the celebration of lesser feasts and fasts, as well as a lectionary for the daily celebration of the Holy Eucharist, which may be authorized for optional use throughout this Church.

c. When proposing liturgical resources pursuant to this canon, the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music shall use The Principles to Guide the Development of Liturgical Texts and The Guidelines for Expansive and Inclusive Language adopted by the General Convention of this Church.

d. Before their approval by the General Convention, all liturgies authorized pursuant to this canon shall be translated by the proper authorities into English, Spanish, French, and Haitian Creole, following the principles of dynamic equivalence.

e. All supplemental liturgical resources will be made available without copyright using digital means to provide access to the wider church.

f. Once approved by the General Convention, supplemental liturgical resources may be removed by an act of convention.

g. If at such time as a previously approved supplemental liturgical resource authorized by act of convention under this canon is to be considered for common prayer usage – that is as Trial Use and common worship without the approval of the bishop diocesan – said liturgy must be brought to the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to begin the process for Trial Use approval as defined by the constitution of this church.

h. A Trial Use period must precede the first reading for any material to be amended or added to the Book of Common Prayer.

Sec. 2. Other Books of Common Prayer

a. Any Book of Common Prayer memorialized by the General Convention is authorized for regular use at any service in all dioceses of this Church.

b. The liturgies from any other Book of Common Prayer that has been authorized previously by the authority in this Church shall be available for use for Sunday worship and for other occasions with the permission of the Ecclesiastical Authority.

c. Any liturgies authorized for regular use by any Church in full communion with this Church may be used with the permission of the Ecclesiastical Authority.

Sec. 3. Use of Other Eucharistic Prayers and Liturgies not authorized by The Episcopal Church

A Eucharistic Prayer that is neither Rite One or Rite Two, may be authorized for seasonal use on Sunday provided it follows An Order for Celebrating the Holy Eucharist (Book of Common Prayer 1979 pp.400-405) and that it has been submitted in writing to the Ecclesiastical Authority in advance for approval.

Sec. 4 Alternate Psalter

An Alternate Psalter may be authorized by resolution at the General Convention for study and occasional use in the Episcopal Church with the approval of the bishop diocesan.

Sec. 5 Authorized Lectionary

The General Convention may at any one meeting, by a majority of the whole number of the Bishops entitled to vote in the House of Bishops and by a majority of the Clerical and Lay Deputies of all the Dioceses entitled to representation in the House of Deputies, voting by orders may amend the Table of Lessons and all Tables and Rubrics relating to the Psalms.

Committee Substitute:

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring,

That Canon II.3.6. shall be amended to add sections b, c, and d as follows: 

a. Whenever the General Convention, pursuant to Article X of the Constitution, shall authorize for trial use a proposed revision of the Book of Common Prayer, or of a portion or portions thereof, the enabling Resolution shall specify the period of such trial use, the precise text thereof, and any special terms or conditions under which such trial use shall be carried out including translation. 

b.  A trial use period in accordance with Article X, Section 3 of the Constitution must precede the first reading for any alteration or addition to the Book of Common Prayer under Article X, Section 2, except for changes to the Lectionary and Tables and Rubrics and the Psalter as provided for by Article X.4.a.

c. During the trial use period, the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music will review the proposed alteration or revision using principles adopted by the General Convention of this Church and include its assessments and recommendations in a report to the General Convention.

d. The calendar of the church, with principal and lesser observances, is part of the Book of Common Prayer and may be revised by following the process for trial use provided for revision of the Book of Common Prayer by the constitution and canons of this church

And be it further. 

Resolved, That Canon II.4 shall be amended to add a new Canon 4 as follows, renumbering subsequent Canons under Title II: 

Canon 4: Of Additional Types of liturgical texts

Sec. 1. Article X of the Constitution defines the Book of Common Prayer and a process of trial use as a step towards inclusion in the Book of Common Prayer. In addition to the Book of Common Prayer and texts authorized for trial use as defined by this church's Constitution and Canons, Supplemental and Alternative Liturgical Resources may be set forth by the authority of this Church.

Sec. 2. Authorization and Use of Supplemental and Alternative Liturgical Resources

a. The General Convention at any one meeting, by a majority of the Bishops entitled to vote in the House of Bishops, excluding retired Bishops not present, and by a majority of the Clerical and Lay Deputies, voting by orders, may approve for use by this Church liturgical resources beyond the Book of Common Prayer or trial use.

b. Each liturgical text beyond those provided in the Book of Common Prayer or trial use as approved by the General Convention will be designated as either a Supplemental Liturgical Resource (available for use without permission of the bishop with ecclesiastical authority) or an Alternative Liturgical Resource (requiring permission of the bishop with ecclesiastical authority).

c. Those Supplemental and Alternative Liturgies reviewed and authorized may be used for public worship by the ministers of this church and may include, but are not limited to:

1. A Book of Occasional Services authorized for use as a Supplemental Liturgical Resource.

2. Propers for the celebration of lesser feasts and fasts, as well as a lectionary for the daily celebration of the Holy Eucharist authorized for optional use throughout this Church.

c. When proposing or reviewing liturgical resources pursuant to this canon, the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music shall use principles adopted by the General Convention of this Church.

d. Before their approval by the General Convention, all liturgies authorized pursuant to this canon shall be translated by the proper authorities into English, Spanish, French, and Haitian Creole, following the principles of dynamic equivalence.

e. All Supplemental and Alternative Liturgical Resources and their official translations will be made available in the public domain using digital means to provide access to the wider church.

f. Once approved by the General Convention, Supplemental and Alternative Liturgical Resources may be removed by an act of the General Convention.

g. If at such time as a previously approved Supplemental or Alternative Liturgical Resource authorized by act of General Convention under this canon is to be considered for trial use, said liturgy must be brought to the General Convention to begin the process for trial use approval as defined by the Constitution and Canons of this church.

Sec. 3. Other Books of Common Prayer

a. Any Book of Common Prayer memorialized by the General Convention is authorized for regular use at any service in all dioceses of this Church. The content of any memorialized Book is understood to be the version in use at the time of memorialization.

b. The liturgies from any other Book of Common Prayer that has been authorized previously by the authority in this Church shall be available for use for Sunday worship and for other occasions with the permission of the bishop with ecclesiastical authority.

Sec. 4. Use of Other Eucharistic Prayers and Liturgies not authorized by The Episcopal Church

A Eucharistic Prayer prepared according to An Order for Celebrating the Holy Eucharist (Book of Common Prayer, 1979 pp.400-405) may be authorized for seasonal use on Sunday provided that it has been submitted to and received advance approval in writing from the bishop with ecclesiastical authority.

Sec. 5. Alternate Psalter

An Alternate Psalter may be authorized by resolution at the General Convention for study and occasional use in the Episcopal Church with the approval of the bishop with ecclesiastical authority.

And be it further

Resolved, that the General Convention direct the President of the House of Deputies and the Presiding Bishop to task the working group charged with the implemetation and reviews related to the newly adopted Article X of this church’s constitution to review the liturgical texts previously authorized by the General Convention and categorize them prior to the 82nd General Convention as:

a. Book of Common Prayer

b. Trial Use

c. Supplemental Liturgies (for use without permission of the bishop with ecclesiastical authority)

d. Alternative Liturgies (for use with permission of the bishop with ecclesiastical authority)

e. Once authorized, but subsequently removed from usage by General Convention.

Motion carried

Substitute resolution adopted

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #113)