A Common Story, a Shared Journey, and a Sacred Meal: Maintaining Liturgical Integrity in a Time of Crisis and Transition

The 1979 Book of Common Prayer encountered stiff resistance and reaction when first introduced in the 1970’s.  Was it the modernized language?  New forms of prayers? Greater varieties of liturgies for various occasions?  Or was it something much deeper?  During this conference we will explore how this “new” Prayer Book, as so many still call it, has an organic and deeply-rooted logic which is immersed in scripture, governed by a shared journey, centered in the Paschal mystery, and nourished in the Eucharist.  This reality has reshaped the church and its members in myriad ways for ministry and mission.  As we enter an era of potential Prayer Book revision, and in the midst of unprecedented challenge and change in the world around us, we as liturgists and musicians will do well to re-engage and re-discover these bedrock fundamentals of our common life and worship.