Alternative Old Testament Readings for Eastertide
One of the main criticisms of the Revised Common Lectionary has been the absence of Old Testament readings for the Easter Season. Several Provinces of the Anglican Communion developed suggested alternative reading about ten years after adopting the RCL, and after major internal-to-their-churches-consultations. Eventually, these proposals were brought to the Consultation on Common Texts, and evaluated. At the time, the Consultation on Common Texts had just handed on its custodianship of the Revised Common Lectionary to the English Language Liturgical Consultation (the international ecumenical liturgical body made up of representatives of the regional English speaking ecumenical liturgical bodies in eight global regions). ELLC reviewed the various options proposed and made a recommendation of one set of Alternative Readings from the Old Testament for Eastertide.
In 2023, General Synod authorized the Table of Alternative Old Testament Readings for Eastertide as commended by the English Language Liturgical Consultation (2011) for use as an updated alternative to the Revised Common Lectionary offerings for Eastertide. They are provided in this ordo on Sundays in Eastertide and Ascension as alternative readings.
Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings
The Consultation on Common Texts is the multilateral ecumenical liturgical roundtable that created the Revised Common Lectionary in the late 1980s. The Anglican Church of Canada adopted the RCL in 1993. However, because the BAS had already been developed and published by 1985, it did not include the RCL at that time. Dissonances were inadvertently created. The Faith, Worship, and Ministry committee of 2016-2019 dealt with the challenge by forwarding to General Synod the Alternative Collects for the Revised Common Lectionary, authorized in 2019.
With respect to the Daily lectionaries, the Consultation on Common Texts had already at the time of the publication of the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) anticipated this challenge and began work on a Daily Lectionary. Eventually they settled on a model blending from several traditions. It is characterised by:
- a structure that is based on the table of Sunday and Festival readings of the Revised Common Lectionary;
- a weekly model that is based on the paschal cycle as reflected in the triduum and immediate days after Easter: The ‘week’ begins on Thursday, with daily readings that thematically look forward to, anticipate, or set the stage for, the Sunday readings. The readings from Monday to Wednesday then reflect back on, or pull out themes from, the Sunday readings;
- a practice of repetitive concentration on one psalm—the Psalm in the Sunday RCL is prayed for 7 days, beginning on the Thursday and through to the Wednesday.
- an intentional effort on the part of the Consultation members to work into the daily lectionary a wider range of bible passages than was covered in previous 2-year cycles, and not to repeat readings that are in the Sunday RCL.
In 2023, General Synod authorized these Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, as commended by the Consultation on Common Texts in 2005 as an alternative daily lectionary for use in The Anglican Church of Canada. These readings may be found on the Consultation on Common Texts website.
The information here is taken from the background information provided in the resolutions to General Synod.