Rethinking Prayer Book Revision

A recovery of a common scriptural language will facilitate the development of a new Book of Common Prayer for Anglicanism in North America.

By: The Rev. Keith Acker, Alpine Anglican Church of the Blessed Trinity, Alpine CA (Reformed Episcopal Church)

Fundamental to the English Reformation was a recovery of Holy Scripture and Liturgy in the language of the people. Most prayer book revisions, and especially those which have caused alienation and division, have approached the process as seeking modernization or adding variety to our prayers. However, I believe that the Book of Common Prayer possesses a greater principle of common scriptural language as its foundation for revision. If emerging Anglicanism in the United States is to approve a new Book of Common Prayer, we need to regain a common scriptural language.

The Books of Common Prayer in American usage prior to the 1950s had a common scriptural language of the Authorized Version (King James). While Canada and United States have divergent formations of their Books of Common Prayer, they shared the same common scriptural language. With a prayer book whose content is predominately biblical (some place it at 80+ percent scriptural reference) the language of the Authorized Version has long been our common prayer language. The introduction of multiple modern language translations of the Bible has also introduced a divergence into our common prayer language.

It may be necessary to approve as authorized liturgies interim texts which reflect our historic Anglican theology embodied in the prayer books of 1662 and prior to meet our immediate need to distance ourselves from more modern theological innovations. I believe American Anglicans have an opportunity to recover a common scriptural language in this year of the founding of a new Anglican province in North America. Recovering a common scriptural language means having our various partners, dioceses, affinity groups, and other constituents authorize a new translation of Holy Scripture, a new authorized version.

In this year of our provincial founding, the English Standard Version of the Bible was released with the Apocrypha (January 2009, Oxford University Press). This version has a translation heritage from the William Tyndale New Testament to the Revised Standard Version, incorporating the richness of language and authenticity to the ancient texts. This is a new millennium translation which is finding acceptance among traditional and modern language worshipers at this early stage of its publication. As a 1928 Book of Common Prayer user, I find the texts of the English Standard Version flow nicely in its use of the Daily Office, from opening sentences to the Psalter to the canticles. As Anglicans have always insisted that Holy Scripture includes the books of the Apocrypha (see the 39 Articles), in this year of our formation, the English Standard Version can provide us with a common scriptural language.

Reacquiring a common scriptural language only occurs by common usage. The leadership of the new province has an opportunity at our formation to give its endorsement of the English Standard Version as we authorize interim liturgical texts and work toward a new American prayer book (likely a Canadian and a United States version for each national group’s Anglican heritage and identity). With the advent of modern translation in the previous century, our Church gave its approval to specific translations as adequate translations of the ancient texts (i.e., without redaction from a sectarian theological perspective).

Now is the time for us to recover a common scriptural language which reflects the language of the people in A.D. 2009. We need our House of Bishops, our partners, our diocese, and our leaders to see the magnitude of this opportunity. As King James’ Authorized Version shaped our common prayer for several centuries, we have a chance to build a language of common prayer for the coming century. Until we have a common scriptural language to form our Prayer Book revision, there is sure to be disappointment and dissatisfaction. We are venturing to build a spiritual reawakening, and as Anglicans we need to embody Lex orandi, lex credendi in our new province.

Keith Acker is pastor to a church plant congregation ( www.AlpineAnglicans.com ) affiliated with the Reformed Episcopal Church, Forward in Faith NA, San Diego Anglicans, and Western Anglicans. He serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Nashotah House Seminary, a member of Council of Forward in Faith NA, and a member of the Society of the Holy Cross. He is the guitar instructor of the outreach program www.FreeTeenGuitarClass.com. He and his wife live east of San Diego in Alpine, CA.