THOUGHTS ON PRAYER BOOK REFORM

Many moons ago, back in the 1960's, when I was doing my graduate work in history at Florida State, I specialized in the French Revolution and Napoleon under a world-renown scholar. I wrote my doctoral dissertation on an aspect of the political history of the Revolution. I came to appreciate the causes, events, and aftermaths of great revolutions of modern history. I saw why people rise up against the past, what they can achieve, and what can go wrong. The French Revolution was all that in abundance. It found it endlessly fascinating and enlightening about the human condition. I still do.  

The take-away from my studies was this in a nutshell:  institutions had better make reforms, and there can be too much of a good thing. The Revolution broke out because the Old Regime was hopelessly incompetent and corrupt. Once the dam broke, an enormous tsunami of reforms poured out, so intensely that it swept away the very people who were trying to guide it. After awhile, most people began to long for stability and order over more reforms. Along came a young and ingenious general who took full advantage, seized control of the situation, and rode its glory to the inevitable end.

So, what does this possibly have to do with Episcopal Church and its prayer book? Here is what I think:

The Episcopal Church has had its French Revolution. From the 1950s to today we have seen waves of sweeping and dramatic democratic reforms:  civil rights for racial minorities, equality and inclusion for women in the church, a democratized prayer book, and equality and inclusion for non-celibate homosexuals in the church. That is an lot of jarring change in a short period of time (and I am not arguing that the reforms were not necessary). Having made these great and necessary changes, it is time to stop the flood and allow people to absorb what has happened. We need a breathing space. After these reforms, we are at the stage where we must have order and stability. If not, we run the risk of going over the edge of institutional excess into disorientation. We have already seen the painful cost of backlash (counter-revolution), particularly in South Carolina.

This is the time to put the revolution on pause. Unless there is a compelling reason for new prayer book change, we should hesitate to take it up. People need rest and reassurance that what they have done is right. 

I have not seen any compelling evidence that we need prayer book reform; and so I favor the defeat of A068 and the passage of B012 in the General Convention. Down the road, we will need more reform, and we must have it, but now is not the time. The French Revolutionaries could not control their excesses and they paid a terrible price. Let's not repeat that. 



The HOB legislative session resumes this afternoon at 2:15 CDT. It is expected that the bishops will vote on A068. Before that, there is bound to be more debate and amendments. (To me, this is the great moment in the National Convention in that sweltering Parisian summer of 1794 when the bone-weary but passionately committed deputies wrestled, in literally life and death earnestness, with the problem of building up or scaling down the thrust of the revolution. Hint-the scale down side won but only after decapitating the leaders of the other side. Fortunately, I do not think the guillotine waits outside the HOB hall today.

Incidentally, I am cheering for France today in the World Cup. Allez Les Bleus. And, note in the picture of the HOD in the GC, the tricolour hangs next to the U.S. flag.)


UPDATE, July 10, 2:55 p.m.   Final score:

FRANCE - 1,     Belgium - 0