C018 Amend Title II, Canon 3 to Retain a Printed Form of the Book of Common Prayer
The General Convention of 2022 adopted Resolution 2022-A059 approving (on the first of two required readings) a replacement for the current Title X of the Constitution of the Protestant Episcopal Church (“Of the Book of Common Prayer”). If that revision is adopted on second reading at the General Convention of 2024, the Book of Common Prayer will be redefined as “those liturgical forms and other texts authorized by the General Convention in accordance with this article and the Canons of this Church;” it will no longer be understood as the contents of a single book.
This change, if approved on second reading, will create the need for changes in Title II, Canon 3 (Of the Standard Book of Common Prayer), which provides for the publication of a book and currently makes no mention to texts that exist only in electronic form. The purpose of this proposal is to: (1) bring electronic texts under the supervision of the Custodian of the Book of Common Prayer; (2) make it clear that alterations and additions adopted by General Convention in accordance with Article X of the Constitution become part of the Standard Book of Common Prayer, to which all copies of the prayer book should conform; and (3) provide for the continued availability of the Book of Common Prayer in printed book form.
Explanation
The General Convention of 2022 adopted Resolution 2022-A059 approving (on the first of two required readings) a replacement for the current Title X of the Constitution of the Protestant Episcopal Church (“Of the Book of Common Prayer”). If that revision is adopted on second reading at the General Convention of 2024, the Book of Common Prayer will be redefined as “those liturgical forms and other texts authorized by the General Convention in accordance with this article and the Canons of this Church;” it will no longer be understood as the contents of a single book.
This change, if approved on second reading, will create the need for changes in Title II, Canon 3 (Of the Standard Book of Common Prayer), which provides for the publication of a book and currently makes no mention to texts that exist only in electronic form. The purpose of this proposal is to: (1) bring electronic texts under the supervision of the Custodian of the Book of Common Prayer; (2) make it clear that alterations and additions adopted by General Convention in accordance with Article X of the Constitution become part of the Standard Book of Common Prayer, to which all copies of the prayer book should conform; and (3) provide for the continued availability of the Book of Common Prayer in printed book form.