Categories News Why is the Prayer Book Being Revised? Post date 27th February 2017 By Cynthia Botha, Publishing Secretary Liturgies do not only offer comfort, they also serve to challenge our present context, our assumptions and presuppositions about the world, about others, God and ourselves, as we look forward to Christ’s coming again. Our understanding of God, ourselves and the world change, and with it the way we express ourselves. Do we have a Prayer Book today which is truly African in form and context? Does it represent the local Southern African situation? To be honest, one would say no. An Anglican Prayer Book, 1989 has been with us more than 25 years now and one may ask – does it really bear witness to the African context? In some areas it is more successful than others. The process to revise APB 1989 was first proposed by the Synod of Bishops in 2012. The Bishops called for a revision that would deal with the masculine and patriarchal nature of the text, in particular with the masculine pronouns for God and for people that are used throughout APB 1989. This proposal was taken to Provincial Standing Committee, who amended the proposal to include a thoroughgoing revision of the whole book in order to make it more relevant to and expressive of our Southern African context. This task was given to the ACSA Liturgical Committee. Together with a Prayer Book Revision sub-committee, the process of revision has started. The first publication in the series of revisions is titled Celebrating Sunday with a sub-title Under Southern Skies in an African Voice and the idea of producing liturgy that is African in the southern hemisphere will govern the process going forward. Who we are and what we are in this Province of the Anglican Communion is important. The whole revision project is expected to take about 10 years or more to complete. See Provincial Notices on this website for regular updates on the revision of the Prayer Book ← New Bishops Consecrated [PHOTOS] → News From Around the Faith World 3 replies on “Why is the Prayer Book Being Revised?” I am a member of the Worship Committee in the Uniting Presbyterian Church, which is likewie working on a revised Service Book and Ordinal. Thank you for your comment. One of our Committee members serves on the CUC and informed us of your work. Please do keep in touch with the progress of your work. Regards Revd Cynthia Botha Liturgical Committee I welcome the changes that will be created with regard to the masculine and patriarchal nature of the text of the Prayer Book. It would be great that women would also be acknowledged in the prayer book, as many women also followed Jesus when he was incarnated and dwelt on earth and even up till today. It inclusivity indeed. Leave a Reply Cancel replyComments are moderated and may take a few days to appear. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Δ
I am a member of the Worship Committee in the Uniting Presbyterian Church, which is likewie working on a revised Service Book and Ordinal.
Thank you for your comment. One of our Committee members serves on the CUC and informed us of your work. Please do keep in touch with the progress of your work. Regards Revd Cynthia Botha Liturgical Committee
I welcome the changes that will be created with regard to the masculine and patriarchal nature of the text of the Prayer Book. It would be great that women would also be acknowledged in the prayer book, as many women also followed Jesus when he was incarnated and dwelt on earth and even up till today. It inclusivity indeed.
