Monday, August 4, 2008

Prayer Book Tyranny

Sarah Hey at Stand Firm posted this very interesting bit of information.

First, TEC is still the only province that does not allow use of an "authorized" but older prayer book in entirety. TEC does allow limited use of portions of another prayer book with the bishop's permission -- but that is far far different from blanket allowance of use of older, orthodox Prayer Books with no additional permission needed by bishops. Even Canada allows that.

But loving, inclusive, affirming TEC does not. And we all understand why -- it's because the gospel & propaganda the national church is promoting must be the only one available, since it cannot bear to compete. Other provinces may have their strange or heretical books -- but they still allow the older authorized Prayer Books' use.


I came in under the 1979 BCP and it's the only one I really know. But the more I study it and compare to the 1928 American BCP and the 1662 BCP, the more I realize the objections to the '79 book are not just about knee-jerk conservatives wanting to have antique language in their worship. There are substantial theological changes in the '79 book. No wonder we are forbidden to use the old book. We might actually prefer it and that would threaten the "new thing" theology.

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