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Monthly archives: July 2018

The Case for Prayer Book Revision

I am an eager proponent of prayer book revision, but we’re not ready. We’re not ready because we haven’t had the conversation well. There have been many forums for conversation about liturgy and liturgical change in the past few years. In my experience of sampling such forums, I’ve found them to be prickly at best…
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The Case Against Revision

As a parish priest, I see a need for Common Prayer revision, but I am strongly opposed to Book of Common Prayer revision. Lest you imagine I am preparing to found the 1979 BCP Society, let me explain. Certainly, parts of the Book of Common Prayer need to be revised and refreshed. From marriage liturgies…
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Demographics of the House of Deputies at #GC79
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The House of Deputies at the 79th General Convention in Austin comprises 852 deputies, 53 percent of whom identify as women, 46 percent of whom identify as men, and slightly less than 1 percent of whom identify as gender queer. According to the Pew Research Center, the Episcopal Church’s membership in 2014 was 55 percent…
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Forecasting the Legislative Weather
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Among the favorite pre-General Convention pastimes on social media platforms where Episcopalians congregate has been guessing what will be the most significant and sensitive legislative issue at the gathering, which begins with hearings tonight but opens officially on Thursday, July 5. At this convention, that game is a little more complicated than in the past….
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Pre-Convention Buzz: A Diversity of Concerns
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There are 852 members of the House of Deputies at the 79th General Convention of the Episcopal Church and, even in these hyper connected times when you can find a Facebook group to discuss what is being discussed in other Facebook groups, it can be hard to know what is on deputies’ minds as they…
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Worship, Barbecue and “Soft Handshakes”
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General Convention isn’t all committee meetings, open hearings and legislative sessions. Occasionally, fun is had, friends are made and hearts are moved in activities not dictated by the Committees on the Dispatch of Business. “I believe it was at the Anaheim Convention [in 2009] that I encountered people from every significant congregation in my journey—where…
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