VOLUME xi ISSUE 1 MICHAELMAS 2005
Lectionary, Church and context – the disaster of the Revised Common Lectionary TheRevised Common Lectionary (RCL) as it stands at present is a disaster. This is a strong opinion, and in what follows I wish to explore my reasons for such a conclusion in relation both to specific aspects of the form of the lectionary as used by the Anglican Church of Canada, and in relation to broader questions of the function of lectionaries. Walter Deller
am not opposed as a matter of contemporary lectionaries that have become principle to lectionaries – they are a the Revised Common Lectionary (in its normative aspect of the way most diverse forms) has been to give the Church religions handle their sacred texts, something valuable and helpful and good. and there is considerable evidence I’m no longer convinced that it is doing us that both Jewish communities of the good they may have intended to do. IJesus’ time and the earliest Christian com- munities had regular cycles and patterns The Anglican lectionary tradition and the for reading the books of the Bible. My dilemma of post-modernity questions relate more to how a lectionary I’m going to deal first with the Anglican lec- is interacting with ‘specific’ context, and tionary tradition. I am an Anglican and one to what expectations we might have about of the key perspectives from which I assess how a lectionary should interact with the the lectionary is the degree to which it as- scriptures themselves. sists my own part of the church universal in I pose these questions because I begin sustaining its unique identity and tradition. from a fundamental assumption. The Now clearly this may be an unfair question reading of the scriptures in public and to bring to an ecumenical lectionary; the in private is an essential element in how compromises in any ecumenical project the Spirit forms Christian individuals are such that they will increasingly blur the and communities to be faithful disciples diverse identities which have come together and to join with God in the unfolding for the common purpose. The assumption divine intention for creation, redemp- behind much ecumenism seems to be that tion and sanctification. (See, for instance, diversity is an evil thing for the Church. On the fine section on scripture in the recent the contrary, I think our diversity may be Windsor Report.) We read the scriptures as a Church because in one of the few ways in which the contemporary Church is suc- them we meet and know the Word made Flesh, through them ceeding in being faithful—it’s much too easy in a McDonaldized we are formed to love God and neighbour as partners with that world to imagine that God’s will for creation is that everyone Word and through their work in us, they release the Spirit into should eat Big Macs for Eucharist, and that Gothic arches should our world in ways that shatter all fetters and bonds. I think the be replaced by Golden Arches. The Revised Common Lectionary genuine intention of those who have been part of developing the certainly feeds the church on a Big Mac version of the Bible.
Volume 11 | Issue 1 | Michaelmass 2005 There are two ele- Editorial Designer’s note ments to the Anglican Lectionary as it stands he public reading of Scripture has f you are reading this, you are among in the Book of Common been a part of Christian liturgy a very small group of dedicated Cana- Prayer (BCP) tradition. T since the very earliest days of the I dian Anglicans privileged to share this First, there is the Eucha- ancient Church. It is the bedrock upon fascinating debate about how we read ristic lectionary, a series which our faith is built and its phrases the founding document of the Christian of readings from the echo throughout the prayers and songs faith, the Bible. Epistles and the Gospels and rituals which we use week by week. As the designer of this publication for each Sunday of the Christian year, Naturally, the way in which Scripture since its inception some ten years ago (if accompanied by a series of thematic col- is used in liturgy has changed as the cir- the masthead is correct, this is the 41st lects. BCP scholars have argued cogently cumstances of the Church have changed issue) this has been the most difficult that this lectionary lays out a ‘doctri- down through the years. Today, most of one to design. More often than not I am nal’ exposition of the Christian faith, the mainline Christian churches use one confronted with a collection of diverse designed in some degree of continuity version or other of the Revised Common articles. Most of these lend themselves to with the tradition of the Western Church, Lectionary in choosing which portions of some sort of illustration. but also to make explicit the particular Scripture are used at a particular liturgy. In the present case no illustrations came theological emphases of the reformed tra- This issue of Liturgy Canada begins with to mind. This issue is about words, logos, dition as received in the Church of Eng- a forceful critique of the RCL by Dr.Walter The Word. It is also a thematic issue, i.e., land. This series of lections, reiterated on Deller, Principal and Professor of Old it is about one topic. Words are what I an annual basis through the cycle of the Testament and Congregational Life at specialize in as a designer/typographer. church year, sets out key elements of the the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad In book and publication design the de- faith of the church and its understanding in Saskatoon. Four other people who signer has to be constantly aware that it of discipleship and the faithful life. use and teach liturgy then comment on is the content, not the typography or the The second lectionary in the Book of Dr. Deller’s article. Walter is then given design, that is important. Readability is of Common Prayer is attached to the daily the last word in which to respond to the utmost importance. Such design has been Offices, setting out two passages from responders. referred to as “the quiet art.” It is quiet the Old Testament and two from the New We have previously used this method of because the frst impression should not Testament for reading at Morning and opening up a particular topic in Liturgy be directed toward the typography, but Evening Prayer on each day of the calen- Canada, and we hope you find it stimulat- to the contents. So the designer has to be dar year. In this way the faithful heard ing and provocative. Often it is all too discreet and take a backseat, not exactly the entire New Testament about twice easy to simply carry on in the usual way the most prominent features of my per- each year, and the bulk of the Old Testa- in which we use Scripture, “the way we’ve sonality. ment over every two-year period. The always done it.” We hope that this edition Still, the eye needs some stimulation. In Psalms were read through in order once of Liturgy Canada will help you think a world innundated by communication, in the course of each month. I use the carefully about how Scripture serves and stimuli need to be provided to keep up term ‘the bulk’ because even in the 1552 teaches those who come to worship with the interest. I hope my use of words as Prayer Book most of Leviticus and sub- you every Sunday. illustrations – and as editorial comment stantial other portions were omitted from – help you to absorb the contents of this the office lectionary. Thus even this early The Rev. Canon John Wilton is the Incumbent important issue. in the formation of the Anglican tradi- of St. George’s Anglican Church, Willowdale, tion, some portions of the Old Testament Ontario, and is a member of the executive of Willem Hart is the designer of Liturgy seem to be set in a secondary relationship Liturgy Canada. Canada. to the rest of the canon in terms of their
Volume XI, Number 1, Michaelmas 05 Review Editor Membership Rates ISSN: 1493-6259 John Hodgins
Liturgy Canada usefulness for Christian formation. This lectionary and its function. While more represents over a three-year period only lectionary was revised again in 1662. That of the faithful than we may imagine at- 20 percent of the entire scriptures. 1662 revision is still the authorized Prayer tempt to slog their way through the daily Over the entire three-year period, only Book of the Church of England, and the readings, the fact of our present context is 8.4 percent of the Old Testament is read prayer book of reference for the Anglican that Sunday morning is the main church (1740 of 20,684 verses). Only ten percent Church of Canada’s Solemn Declaration contact and exposure to the reading of the Torah is read, the majority of that of 1893. and reflection on scripture that most from Genesis and Exodus, but even these This pattern of reading sets up a dual congregation members are likely to have. samplings represent only 21 percent and expectation around the interpretation of The implication of this is that we may 15 percent of the two books respectively. scripture. Anglicans interpret the Bible need to re-imagine and recast our entire Isaiah is the most overworked book with through a lens of doctrine as laid out in approach to the use of the scriptures in 37 Sunday readings drawn from its 66 the chosen Eucharistic epistles and gos- the Sunday liturgy, and in this regard, we chapters. Even that represents only 21 pels, but we also read scripture in relation might have to consider no less a revolu- percent of the entire book of Isaiah. Only to the broad tion than that seven percent of Jeremiah is read, and sweep of the We read the scriptures as a Church of the Reforma- only two percent of Ezekiel. Of the great entire story of because in them we meet and tion era in its historical narratives in the books found God’s work of know the Word made Flesh… handling of the in the Former Prophets (Joshua through creation, the scriptures for 2 Kings) a mere 09.4 percent appears. election of Is- proclamation Of the Minor Prophets, Hosea, Joel and rael, its journey and history, the tradition and exposition. However we may wish to Amos get the lion’s share of readings (27, of the prophets and the wisdom writers. look at our lectionaries, the main puzzle 25 and 23 respectively of a total of 416 There is a story we are supposed to know that confronts us if we wish to be faithful verses). Only six verses of Jonah appear and reflect on in its entirety—and the to our Anglican heritage of the dual ends and only eight verses of Habakkuk. Oba- only way we can know and assimilate in reading scripture—doctrine to shape diah, Nahum and Zechariah do not ap- that story is through a devout, devoted our ongoing reading of scripture, and pear a single time in the lectionary. Given and daily work of reading in consecutive grasp of the entirety of scripture to give the degree to which Zechariah forms a order through the books of the Bible. It’s us subtlety and depth to apply doctrine backbone of allusions in the Gospel pas- not just the doctrine that shapes our read- faithfully to life in the world—is the puz- sion narratives this is a striking omission. ing of the story, it’s the entire scripture zle of how to achieve the second objective: Ten of the 38 verses of Haggai are read. story in all its richness (and the more we exposure to the entire story in its richness Of the remaining books, only one-third know of it, its ambivalence), that enables and ambiguity. Taken at its best inten- of Ruth appears and only 11 verses of us to interpret doctrine in the context of a tions, the RCL appears to have attempted Esther. Nothing appears from the Song changing world. to combine both a doctrinal lectionary of Songs, except for a passage offered as So one of the ways I assess the Revised with periods of sequential reading—but an option instead of a psalm. Of the 1764 Common Lectionary is the degree to at what cost? And how effectively? verses of Chronicles not a single one is which it achieves this dual end. Here we read; of the 686 verses of Ezra and Nehe- come on a snag: The RCL provides, in The use of the Bible in the Revised Com- miah only eight appear. From the major addition to a Sunday lectionary, a second, mon Lectionary wisdom writings, Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes) two-year lectionary setting out readings I include with this article a tabulation of is ignored completely, 62 verses (six per- for the daily offices. Is it fair to judge the the use of the entire Bible in the RCL as cent) of Job appears, and 70 verses (eight Sunday lectionary by the dual criteria? it appears in the Book of Alternative Ser- percent) of Proverbs. Despite this almost This is where we begin to come up against vices of the Anglican Church of Canada complete disuse of the canonical wisdom contextual issues that I believe now seri- (2004 edition). The tabulation represents books, the lectionary finds it necessary ously affect our understanding of the all Sunday and Saints’ Days readings, as to turn to the deutero-canonical books of well as those for other Holy Days and Sirach and Wisdom of Solomon on five for Passion week, and assumes a Vigil at occasions. Now it’s your turn which all the proposed readings are used. If the nugatory use of the Old Testa- If you have been touched, stimulated, In other words, this tabulation repre- ment in the Lectionary would give cheer informed, angered, inspired, confused or sents all the scripture which would be to the heart of a Marcionite, the use of otherwise affected by this asessment of heard by a person who attended church the New Testament hardly presents a the Revised Common Lectionary we would on every possible occasion in the entire better picture. Over the three-year cycle like to help you share your opinions with three-year cycle. For the purposes of the we hear only 62 percent of Matthew, only others. Your responses are most welcome! following calculations, I omit the Psalms 68 percent of the shortest gospel, Mark, in the overall counts, since they are used only 60 percent of Luke, and a whop- Send your responses to Liturgy Canada at: differently again, and deserve indepen- ping 69 percent of John. In total, only 64 77 Canterbury Place dent comment. In total, the lectionary percent of the entire four gospels appears North York, on m2n 2n1 uses 5757 verses of a total of 28,641 in in the list of readings. Despite being read OR By e-mail to: [email protected] the entire Bible (psalms excluded). This throughout Easter season in each year, we
Volume 11 | Issue 1 | Michaelmass 2005 hear only 222 verses of readings and other portions do not—then to highlight the latest scholarly ‘focus’ in the total 1007 in Acts. it would seem that an argument can- scripture study. Nonetheless, when Paul gets a good run. not be made that the lectionary is first we look at how the Forty-seven percent of and foremost doctrinal. There is clear lec- Romans appears—pas- evidence that some portions of sages from Romans 8 the evidence on seven different oc- casions in the cycle. One-half of 1 Corinthians shows up; chapter 13 is read in its entirety, but the succeeding chapter which discusses the appropri- ate use of charismatic gifts, never appears. 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, Colos- sians, and the two letters to the Thessalonians are well-sampled tionary (ranging from 43 to 62 percent of treats Judges, some ques- each of their totals). Other than tions become obvious. First of all, given Philemon, from which the last few are laid out in a all the book’s gripping narratives of the verses are inexplicably lopped off, semblance of sequential. Except by Spirit empowering individuals for the the winner in the lectionary sweepstakes the most audacious graces of the Spirit, community’s deliverance, why do we hear is Ephesians of which nearly three-quar- doctrinal and sequential rarely appear to only seven verses from Judges 4—the epic ters is read. Hebrews, James, 1 Peter and flow together. narrative version of the Deborah-Barak- 1 John all run in the 40- to 60- percent Moreover, where the readings sug- Sisera episode. We do not even hear the range. The Second and Third Epistles of gest an attempt to be sequential, they full story of the deliverance of Israel, only John and Jude do not appear in the canon frequently are not. So, for instance, the its prediction. Beyond this, we might le- as far as the RCL is concerned. Those devout person who decided to read the gitimately ask why the lectionary chooses concerned about growing apocalypticism Elijah-Elisha cycle during the summer, the later prose version over the much may feel a pang of worry: Forty-three when it forms (putatively) the framework earlier poem in Judges 5, a poem which verses from Revelation of 404 (and 11 of for the sequential readings from 1 and some scholars have cogently argued is the the 357 verses of Daniel from the Old Tes- 2 Kings, would be quite confused, since literary creation of a woman? tament) ensure that most preachers will the episodes selected do not follow the More importantly, the readings are never be obliged to discuss or expound biblical order. Or a sequence of readings excessively short for any adequate com- these books responsibly in public wor- uses short excerpts so wildly, that what is prehension of the biblical context, and ship, and that the faithful can continue to heard on a series of Sundays bears almost are quite often made up of tiny slivers of be nourished in this regard by televange- no resemblance to the actual narrative one or more chapters linked together. In lists. flow of 1 and 2 Samuel or Genesis—far parishes where the readers read from a In total, only 50 percent of the entire too much has to be omitted. Clearly, Bible this can lead to lengthy and bizarre New Testament is used over the three then, the choice of readings in a proposed pauses in mid-reading while the desper- years. The overall use of the four Gospels sequential series flattens out the texture ate reader stops at verse five and searches amounts to only 64 percent of their total of the biblical text, renders it tame. (We for verse 14b where they are to pick up text. What’s happening that we can’t even should own here that this is one of the again. Sometimes the edits appear to manage to hear the entirety of any of the functions of doctrine—to render the God bear some relation to some historico- gospels in their assigned year? of the Bible tame, harmless and predict- critical or redaction critical theory about able. It is also one of the functions of the formation of the text. But this too Fragmentation and dissociation any attempt to render the Bible into a begs the question: Since when did some The lectionary has become a confusing semblance of ‘great meta-narrative.’) One twentieth- century scholar’s view of what jumble of fragments. Very few clergy I common complaint is that any challeng- the text might have been at some point know (even those who have gone to some ing and difficult passages from the Old in its evolution have any bearing on what trouble to try to find out) are at all clear Testament do not appear. Certainly femi- we accept as the canonical text? Quite any more on whether there is a doctrinal nists legitimately point out that most of commonly, it’s thrashing around with rationale for the readings, and if so, what the difficult passages relating to women the anomalies of the canonical text that it is. If my understanding is correct—that play little part in the lectionary’s selec- bears the most fruit, and putting back the portions of the lectionary follow tradi- tion. Others might respond, with reason, bits the lectionary omits often clarifies for tional schemes of ‘doctrinally’ selected that the function of the lectionary is not the preacher the exegetical challenge and
Liturgy Canada books, and the media into illusions and sound such as bites. Seekers, converts or, for that matter, Ruth and the aging long-time faithful, most have Jonah, encountered Christianity as a series of could fragments. The Revised Common Lection- aptly be ary reiterates this experience of disso- read in ciation and raises it to the level of high total at art on the average Sunday. I teach at a a sit- theological college, and after hearing the ting week’s readings at our Monday Eucharist, and I am often left astounded that the student assigned to preach succeeds in making would make much anything coherent out of them. more sense than a tiny fragment. Post-modernity teaches us to question potential of As for the Psalms, the RCL uses more of all meta-narratives, and all versions of the the passage. them than its predecessor did, but this ‘great story.’ This is one of its healthy im- In a cycle of 156 Sundays, why is still only 102 out of 150, and in many petuses, although, oddly, it doesn’t apply can’t we even read all 87 chapters in the cases not the whole psalm but some the same stringent standards to economic four gospels at least once? In fact, with a fragment which often bears no resem- theory. But to develop the critical acumen little judicious combining, we could likely blance to the form and genre of the psalm required to question and deconstruct the succeed in reading all three synoptic from which the compilers have snipped meta-narratives first requires that we ac- gospels through twice in their year and it. There are a few psalms we genuinely tually know what the meta-narratives and John once in the third year. The incom- might wish to omit reading in worship ‘great stories’ are. I would argue that the prehensible though much-loved endless (58, 109, perhaps 137). It seems to me that first job of the church is to give believers discourses from John could perhaps sorting out the entire collection of 150 and seekers a clear acquaintance with the be dished out lavishly on hot summer over a cycle of 150 Sundays would not shape and context of that meta-narrative. Sundays for their soporific and incanta- leave lectionary makers brain-dead. This means we need to read the gospels tory effects, and what with low turnouts These are simple propositions that from beginning to end again and again, in most congregations during the holiday would give us a much more comprehen- and to hear not simply five or six verses season, the risk of John being widely sive and coherent reading of the New but the entire chapter or unit of scripture heard and understood as anti-Semitic Testament, and would remedy some of in which given pericopes are situated. would be substantially reduced. the difficulties posed by the size, scope We began our college Great Books Seminar this year by reading aloud …the readings are excessively short for Mark’s Gospel. At the conclusion, one student expressed absolute astonishment. any adequate comprehension of the “I had no idea,” he said, “that all those biblical context… familiar quotations and all those pieces we hear in church fitted together into a The same holds true for the remainder and variety of the Old Testament. What I complete pattern told as a story.” It’s all of the New Testament. Acts through am putting forward, in effect, is that the very well to wonder what a student with Revelation includes 171 chapters of which Sunday norm becomes three full chapters so little knowledge of the Bible is doing 22 are in Revelation. Here again, a little from our Holy Scriptures. And yes, I am in a theological school, but this very judicious combining of shorter chapters suggesting that this would add about 15 bright and well-educated man (two prior would allow for the entirety to be read minutes of listening to readings to our university degrees) is not an anomaly. A over the three-year cycle. normal Sunday worship. By the standards class made up of 22 Lutheran, Anglican Dealing with the Old Testament would of many world religions, Christians read and United Church theological students, be a much more difficult proposition. It aloud very few of their holy books in most of them beyond the first year of would be difficult to fit its 779 chapters public, and it is no wonder that others their program, frequently asks where to (excluding the psalms) into the 156 Sun- consider with mockery our sheer igno- find books of the Bible, and has almost no days of the cycle. But even if we removed rance of, and lack of commitment to, our ear for hearing the echoes and resonances the seven Sundays of Easter season for own foundational scriptures. among the parts of its huge chorus of readings from Acts in each of the years, scriptural voices. This is the norm among we would be left with 135 Sundays over Post-modernity and our responsibility those seeking to be ordained—our future three years. A sampling of 135 full chap- for coherence congregational leaders, pastors, priests ters from across the Old Testament would Whether we like it or not, we live in the and diocesan bishops. These are the represent roughly 17 percent of the total, world of post-modernity. Whatever most devout and the called, and they have been a vast improvement over the 8.4 percent people have acquired of Christian culture de/formed by listening to the Revised we now hear across the cycle. Some is Velveeta-cheese, processed by television Common Lectionary every Sunday for
Volume 11 | Issue 1 | Michaelmass 2005 the past 20 years. Lectionary, Church and context is to create patterns of stability in the The central questions I seek to raise here reading and interpretation of the scrip- Some international are not so much about the intentions of tures over a long period of time—this was lectionary group is now the lectionary, although as a document it exactly the tremendous unifying power of proposing a lectionary is not a particularly clear witness to them. the Book of Common Prayer. So I might of daily readings which The questions are broader ones about equally deconstruct my own argument would reduce the number what we are trying to do at this point and ask: Is it perhaps time just to leave of readings for each day in the life and history of the church as the lectionary alone for a few hundred from three to one, and we interact with the particular cultural years, to stop tinkering and revising, and most of those passages of a few verses. It forms and issues of the world around to just get on with living with it? is recommending this to make it more us. At what point do we have to own our convenient for overworked clergy and responsibility to work harder to inculcate Walter Deller is Principal and Professor of lay people. How can we begin to imagine in all the faithful a much richer aware- Old Testament and Congregational Life at The College of Emmanuel and St. Chad, Saskatoon. that this is an adequate exposure for key ness, knowledge and working grasp of community leaders—let alone that it will our Scriptures, and the rich life and adequately equip layfolk most of whom history of their originating communi- actually spend the greatest part of their ties of faith to which they are a witness? waking hours with non-Christians? How might that require us to re-imagine Over and above these issues, the and reconstruct our worshipping life and fragmentary pericopes of the present that part of it which is given to feeding lectionary open up another question about the community from these Spirit-filled how people hear and connect with what ‘testimonies’ to God’s saving purposes? they hear. It is a What is the broad truism that most hermeneutic com- people cannot Whatever most people have petence we seek to listen to more acquired of Christian culture is create among the than five to ten Velveeta-cheese, processed by community of the minutes of prose faithful, and what without getting television and the media into is the best way to lost. In part, this illusions and sound bites. accomplish that is the result of a task? If lectionar- sound-bite world, ies are to have a and presumably a skill that once existed doctrinal function, is it not impossible to among people can be re-cultivated with create an effective ecumenical lectionary attention and intention. I would argue since, beyond the banalities, different from over 25 years of experience of read- branches of the Christian faith do have ing large portions and whole books of the genuinely different approaches to doc- Bible with groups that short pericopes, trine, ecclesiology and to the processes in fact, contribute to people disconnect- by which they are derived from and con- ing, and that reading passages a chapter nected back to the scriptures? or more in length leads people to connect I am not pretending that these are easy with and recall more of the material. I questions—they involve long-engrained know from my own experience that if one practices and aspects of our communal is distracted by anything at the beginning life about which Christians have become of the average Sunday reading, it is fre- very casual. Others who are much more quently over before one has found time to knowledgeable about the lectionary than disconnect the mind from the distraction I am will have much to say that would and refocus. When one reads a chapter, challenge my critique. I think the there are more occasions for a listener to questions I pose above stand: float in and out, and more significantly, They are not going to go many more hooks on which to hang one’s away, nor can they be attention and interest. This is not a bad solved by a little more thing—in the cold winter of the modern tinkering with the world most Christians will profit more by Revised Common Lectionary. having lots of sweaters and coats on the I recognize, too, the inner hooks in the hall than by having one care- irony in the questions fully selected fur coat that they left behind I raise. One of the when they walked out the church door. functions of lectionaries
Liturgy Canada The gift of the Revised Common Lectionary A response from Kevin Flynn
s the Revised Common Lectionary mately asked whether the scheme of long, texts. Any “doctrinal” scheme is the perfect? No, but even allowing for my sequential readings which developed in a ingenious discovery of generations of friend Walter’s fondness for hyper- monastic context is really the appropri- preachers attempting to find a coherence bole, I have to say that far from being ate one for contemporary people.2 The between the epistle and gospel. Given, a “disaster,” the RCL is rather a great question turns on whether the main goal too, that the BCP’s Sunday lectionary gift to the Churches, our own in- of the daily office is familiarity with the is little different from its pre-Vatican II Icluded. bible or to serve as a vehicle for prayer. Roman Catholic counterpart, I fail to As Walter points out, lectionaries have For my part, I look for some combination see how we have abandoned something been with us from the time of our Jewish of the two goals and find the BAS lection- distinctively Anglican in favour of a non- forebears in faith.1 TheRCL combines ele- ary serves as well as the BCP’s.3 denominational blandness. ments of two traditional means of orga- The Sunday Eucharistic lectionary of TheRCL and the Common Lectionary nizing lectionaries: lectio continua – the the BCP is another matter altogether. Its before it derive their organizing frame- continuous, or semi-continuous reading one-year cycle is very limited. TheRCL ’s work from the Roman Catholic Church’s of biblical books as seen especially in the three-year cycle provides a far greater Lectionary for Mass (Ordo Lectionum “ordinary” Sundays – and lectio selecta range of Scripture. Walter, and some oth- Missae5). Common to all these Sunday – selected readings which express the ers, however, appear to excuse the BCP lectionaries is the conviction main themes of a feast or a season. In because it offers a “doctrinal” exposition that the both cases, how- ever, the lectionary is a liturgical book, The question turns on whether the main goal of a ritualized form the daily office is familiarity with the Bible or to of reading from serve as a vehicle for prayer. the bible. Without appreciating the li- turgical principles and pastoral concerns of the Christian faith. This claim, how- that inform a lectionary, it is likely to be ever, can be made only by ignoring the misunderstood and misused. history of that lectionary’s development. Before turning, however, to the RCL in Whereas Old Testament particular, I would like to address the two readings were regularly other lectionaries mentioned by Walter. part of early Both the Book of Common Prayer lectionaries, they had (BCP) and the Book of Alternative Services (BAS) have lectionaries for the virtually disappeared daily office which over by the seventh century the course of the in Western Europe.4 For the basic form of Sunday liturgy is not an the Sunday eucha- occasion for a bible study, ristic lectionary largely which I think is what preserved in Walter seems to favour, but both the BCP the occasion for form- and the Roman lectionary of 1570, we can ing and inviting the con- thank the Englishman, Alcuin. As part gregation into the celebration of of his service to Charlemagne, Alcuin the Paschal Mystery. Homilies that year bring before the undertook a reform of the lectionaries of go no further than exegetical exposition worshipper most of Holy his day. Briefly, he amalgamated elements of the reading(s) fail to articulate, illu- Scripture. To be sure, the BAS permits a from two different lectionaries, combin- minate, point to, flow out of, the Paschal greater degree of latitude than does the ing the epistle readings from Gallican Mystery of Christ and how our lives are BCP as to whether all of the readings are, tradition and the gospel readings from to be seen and lived in that light. I do in fact, read. Nevertheless, the scheme is the Roman tradition. Yes, the readings not doubt that, unfortunately, too many there in both books. Although I would for major festivals such as Christmas Day preachers do not understand this point. not personally favour the production of and Easter reflect the day; yet, for the The homily does not stand apart from a lectionary in which only one reading most part, the Sunday readings are an the rest of the liturgy. It is not primarily is used, the question has been legiti- arbitrary hybrid of previously unrelated instructional (though people may learn
Volume 11 | Issue 1 | Michaelmass 2005 from it), but is intended to exhort and feminist critique of the Roman lection- 3 Space does not permit an examination of encourage people to celebrate the liturgy ary and the Common Lectionary resulted the BAS’s daily Eucharistic lectionary, which is virtually identical with that of the Roman more deeply and fully. The homily is a in the inclusion in the RCL of more texts Catholic Church. Most Canadian Anglicans bridge between Baptism and Eucharist, about women, but further work in this will not have direct experience of it. Despite reminding people that they are members area would be justified. the suggestion in the introductory material to of the ecclesia and giving them reason to Any lectionary presupposes on the part the Divine Office on page 41, this lectionary is give thanks.6 of its hearers a prior knowledge of the really not appropriate for use at the Office. The festal seasons, Advent-Christmas overall shape and content of the Scrip- 4 Unfortunately, the Marcionites seem to be and Lent-Easter, feature readings that tures. No one doubts that such knowledge very much with us still. Though Walter may have been selected on the basis of cor- is lacking among many or even most of deplore the scarcity of OT texts in the RCL, I respondence between two or three of the those at a Sunday liturgy. This reality think we would both deplore even more the readings. The readings of the Easter Vigil requires vigorous catechesis, including custom in not a few places of omitting the first may serve as a good example of how the opportunities such as the one Walter reading altogether in order that the service not be “too long.” RCL works generally. The gospel is the describes in which the whole of a gospel preeminent reading and serves as proc- or other book is read aloud at one sitting. 5 This title can be misleading as it actually lamation of and The occasion refers to six different Lectionaries: one for encounter with for doing that, Sundays and Solemnities (such as Christmas, the Risen Christ. Any lectionary presupposes on however, is not the Epiphany, the Easter Triduum), one for week- The apostolic the part of its hearers a prior Sunday Eucharist. day eucharists, one for Saints’ days, one for special ritual occasions such as weddings and reading attempts knowledge of the overall shape funerals, one for various occasions (for the to illustrate how As an ecumeni- Church, civil needs, etc.) and one for votive life is to be lived and content of the Scriptures. cal lectionary, the Masses. because of the RCL also provides Risen One. The readings from the first the opportunity for that catechesis to be 6 See, e.g., Reginald Fuller, What is Liturgi- testament, read in the context of the light done in company with other Christians. cal Preaching? (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1960), p. 12ff; O.C. Edwards, Elements of of Christ in the Paschal candle, are not Similarly, there are many pastors who Homiletic: A Method for Preparing to Preach simply a history lesson sketching out rejoice in the opportunity to prepare (New York: Pueblo, 1982); National Confer- God’s dealings with God’s people but their homilies with preachers from other ence of Catholic Bishops, Fulfilled in Your are the continuation of what the risen traditions. If there is a risk in diluting Hearing: The Homily in the Sunday Assembly Christ did with the disciples on the road Anglican identity through our sitting un- (United States Conference, Inc. 1982). to Emmaus: “Then beginning with Moses der the same or virtually the same set of 7 On this point and for an excellent orienta- and all the prophets he interpreted all the Scriptures with literally millions of other tion to the lectionary, see Normand Bonneau, things about himself in all the scriptures” Christians Sunday by Sunday, it is a risk The Sunday Lectionary: Ritual Word, Paschal (Luke 24:27).7 that I would gladly run. Shape (Collegeville, Minn.: The Liturgical The Sundays following Epiphany and The gift of the RCL is manifold: It pres- Press, 1998), p. 68 and passim. Pentecost are characterized by a pat- ents a more generous offering of Scripture tern of semi-continuous organization. over its three years than its Prayer Book 8 Unfortunately, too, what we do have from Ruth tends to get supplanted on one or the Here, too, the determinative principle is predecessor, it orients us to the Paschal other of two Sundays in Year B by the obser- that Sunday is the day of Resurrection. Mystery and it brings Anglicans, along vance of All Saints. Rather than focusing on a specific aspect with countless other Christians, to be of Christ, however, they lay out as fully nourished at the table of the Word. It is as possible the mystery of Christ in all my hope that by sharing in that Word we aspects. While we still hear only a portion be led eventually to share at the Eucharis- of the Bible, it is astonishing to hear that tic table, as well. three readings plus a psalm do not yet constitute sufficient doctrinal content. Kevin Flynn is the Director of the Anglican That said, the RCL is not void of exegeti- Studies Program at Saint Paul University in Ottawa. cal or catechetical concerns. Indeed, as Walter points out, there are occasions Footnotes when particular source-critical theories 1 The Palestinian lectionary tradition reads intrude in ways which I, as a preacher, the Torah in 154 sequential segments over a rue having to contend with. I question, three-year cycle. The Babylonian lectionary tradition, which came to be normative, fea- for example, the interruption of the tures a one-year cycle of 54 Torah segments. readings from Mark when his account of the feeding of the 5000 is followed by 2 See, e.g., George Guiver, Company of Voices. several weeks from John’s Bread of Life Daily Prayer and the People of God. (New discourse. I, too, would like to be able to York: Pueblo Publishing Co., 1988), 162 – 173 hear in its entirety the Book of Ruth.8 The
Liturgy Canada What is the real problem? a response from John Hill
generous reading of Walter the Bible tame, harmless and predictable, readings of the BAS are a red herring; Deller’s essay would suggest and forces the Bible into a great meta-nar- they are not part of the RCL anyway.) that the real target of his rative. If the Revised Common Lection- Deller also exhibits an astonishing critique is not so much ary (RCL) is, as he complains, a Big Mac bias against the Fourth Gospel and its the lectionary as those version of the Bible, is that worse than prominence in the RCL, which directly churches which persist a sectarian version of the Bible which contradicts his insistence that the Gospels Ain forms of gathering that clearly fail precludes consciousness of the inner in their entirety ought to be heard in to make disciples. “The reading of the ambivalence of the scriptures? It would each cycle of the lectionary. (Why is 69 scriptures in public and in private is an be fairer, I believe, to describe the RCL percent of the Fourth Gospel a “whop- essential element in how the Spirit forms not as a Big Mac version but as a version ping” amount when we hear 64 percent Christian individuals and communities whose doctrinal of the entire four to be faithful disciples and to join with lens is essentially gospels? And God in the unfolding divine intention for just the Christian What form of Christian writing off the creation, redemption and sanctification,” calendar, a nar- community could free us from final discourses of he writes. Although it would be easy rative approach the sterile aspiration of John as “incom- to brush off his lectionary proposals as whose focus prehensible” only impossible and self-contradictory, that is the Paschal sustaining a non-existent tells us more about would be to ignore the central concerns Mystery. After Christendom, and root us in Deller’s bias.) he identifies: the abysmal decline in that, anything a the biblical Christ? Deller also biblical literacy amongst Christians, our lectionary can do repeatedly implies failure to cultivate an historical/biblical to enable us to hear the writings in their that the selectivity of the RCL constitutes awareness of our originating communi- own voice, without squeezing them into a a canon-within-the-canon (e.g., “The Sec- ties of faith and the absence of hermeneu- doctrinal mould, is to be welcomed; and ond and Third epistles of John and Jude tical competence. this is certainly the aim of the version of do not appear in the canon as far as the It does seem naive, however, to imagine the RCL adopted by the Anglican Church RCL is concerned.”). But unless the whole that reading vast quantities of scripture of Canada. Bible is read at every gathering, selectivity aloud could rectify these failures. It is Deller’s real concern, if I have correctly is unavoidable; and unless the lectionary surely time to ask a bigger question: identified it above, is also not well served stretches over many more years, some What form of Christian community by the comparisons he draws between the texts will be excluded. It is a fundamen- could free us from the sterile aspiration RCL and the lectionaries of the 1662 Book tal misrepresentation of lectionaries to of sustaining a non-existent Christendom of Common Prayer. He is clear that his demand that they leave nothing out. It is and root us in the biblical Christ? concern is the relation between a lection- fairer to see a lectionary as a church’s first Inasmuch as Deller’s essay does seem to ary and its specific social and religious draft of a biblical hermeneutic. hang its hopes on such a naïve proposal, context. And the social and religious con- Finally, we must ask whether the lec- however, I want to point out what seem to text of the Tudor prayer book is not our tionary itself is the only place to address me its inner contradictions. Deller pro- context! If the daily office was ever part of the legitimate and urgent concerns that poses that one traditional and essential the formation of ordinary Christians, it is Deller identifies. Clearly the RCL design function of an Anglican lectionary is to certainly not now; and so Deller is forced assumes (rightly or wrongly) that hearers lay out a doctrinal exposition of the faith, to demand of the Sunday readings an have a basic familiarity, at the least, with one that will sustain the unique identity effect that he attributes to the biblical narrative. The Old Testament and tradition of Anglicanism. But then the daily readings of selections for the season of Lent offer he acknowledges that such a “doctri- the 1662 book. (His refer- a good example of the problem: Brief nal lens” tends to render the God of ences to the daily office episodes that carry us across the whole sweep of Israel’s experience from the pa- triarchs to the exile are meaningless if the hearer cannot locate each of them within a larger narrative. The question, therefore, is “How will hearers be provided with this larger narrative?” One of the tasks of a preacher is clearly to sketch in this larger picture, and to make the literary and thematic connections with the rest of scripture. But the quaint old notion that
Volume 11 | Issue 1 | Michaelmass 2005 …anything a lectionary can The ‘already but not yet’ do to enable us to hear the Revised Common Lectionary writings in their own voice, without squeezing them into a response from Richard Leggett a doctrinal mould, is to be welcomed rofessor Deller’s critique of tionary continued to build on the reading the Revised Common from the canonical gospel as the founda- ‘an hour at church’ can form and sustain Lectionary (RCL) voices tion and a reading from the Hebrew Bible disciples is the real problem; the lection- concerns that have been was chosen that illustrated or comple- ary itself is not. raised at various times and mented the gospel reading. The psalm in various locales regard- was chosen in reference to the Hebrew John Hill is Incumbent of the Parish of St. Ping the three-year lectionary. I welcome Bible reading and the epistle, in ordinary Augustine of Canterbury in Toronto and a his observations even though I do not time, was a semi-continuous reading member of the Liturgy Canada Executive. share his point of view that the RCL is “a from the canonical epistles and Revela- disaster.” I suggest that a mathematical tion. During Easter the first reading from analysis comparing the number of verses the Hebrew Bible was replaced by a read- in the Holy Scriptures with those in the ing from the Acts of the Apostles. With lectionary is too blunt an instrument that slight revision, this lectionary came to does not take into consideration issues be used in the 1970s among non-Roman of genre, relevance and the integrity Catholic communions in North America. of scriptural pericopes. The arbitrary This approach was criticized by many omission of the psalms from Professor scholars of the Hebrew Bible and the Deller’s calcula- Common Lection- tions is unfortu- ary, an ecumenical nate given that one Poor workmanship is not usually revision of Ordo of the significant the fault of the tool but of the Lectionae Missae, advantages of tried to balance the RCL and its one who uses the tool. these concerns predecessors is the by constructing a recovery of the psalms in the eucharistic lectionary that was both typological and worship of the church. semi-continuous. From Ash Wednesday Let me continue my response by making to Trinity Sunday and from the Reign of a few points. Christ to the Sunday before Ash Wednes- day, the Common Lectionary is, to a lesser 1) No lectionary is perfect because or greater degree, typological or thematic, it represents a faithful compromise the gospel reading setting the stage for between what should be done and what the propers. From the Second Sunday can be done. after Pentecost until the Sunday before The eucharistic lectionary inherited by the Reign of Christ, all three readings are the Anglican reformers and tinkered with semi-continuous, the psalm continuing for 400 years contained a basic flaw that to be related to the first reading from the scholars of the Hebrew Bible have noted Hebrew Scriptures. In this form, the lec- repeatedly: the use of the Hebrew Bible tionary came to be adopted for The Book primarily, if not exclusively, as a ‘type’ of Alternative Services (BAS). pointing to the full revelation of God However, there are always those who contained in the New Testament. This wish a king like other nations. Some Lu- use of the Hebrew Bible contributes to the therans and Episcopalians were critical of ongoing caricature of Judaism and to the the semi-continuous readings in ordinary implicit neo-Marcionism that pervades time. This critique, as well as concerns the attitudes of many contemporary from feminist scholars and from scholars Christians (Hebrew God = bad; Christian of the Psalms, resulted in a further revi- God = good). sion. Hence, the Revised Common Lec- The 1969 Ordo Lectionae Missae, the tionary came into being with two options: Roman Catholic progenitor of the RCL (a) a typological stream of Hebrew Bible Revised Common Lectionary, attempted readings for ordinary time and (b) the to remedy this, but only in part. The lec- option of replacing the reading from Acts
10 Liturgy Canada in Easter with a reading from the Hebrew 3) Bad lectionary preaching is not nec- Bible. When the RCL was authorized for essarily the fault of the lectionary but use by the General Synod of 1998, the may be a sign of poor training in bibli- Synod specifically rejected the typologi- cal interpretation and preaching. cal stream and mandated the use of the Poor workmanship is not usually the fault semi-continuous readings. This decision of the tool but of the one who uses the was based upon a commitment to allow tool. Rather than condemn the lectionary the Hebrew narratives to speak for them- one might be more earnest in ensuring selves, rather than a salutary prelude to two things: First, that theological colleges gospel song. and dioceses would commit themselves to At present, we have a lectionary that providing basic and continuing education combines both approaches, typological in the art of preaching and biblical inter- during the Incarnation and Resurrection pretation. Second, responsible use of the cycles of the liturgical year, semi-continu- lectionary requires that the preacher look ous on the Sundays between these cycles. more than one Sunday ahead and that he This compromise allows us to hold up or she is aware of whether the lectionary the central themes of the Christian faith is in a typological or semi-continuous without sacrificing the integrity of the stream. Responsible liturgical leadership Hebrew Bible. understands the dynamics of the lection- ary and liturgical year rather than a nar- 2) The lectionary readings are not the row focus on ‘priest-craft’ and rubrics. only way that the Scriptures are pro- claimed and the people of God formed 4) Patience is a virtue. for mission. I agree with Professor Deller’s last com- Although it is tempting to assume that ment. Our present situation is the result the only exposure to the Holy Scrip- of more than 400 years of social, cultural tures occurs through the medium of the and theological development. The litur- Our present situation is lectionary, this assumption is invalid. In a gical solutions of the Reformation are the result of more than 400 1992 essay in Studia Liturgica Paul not necessarily appropriate for our own Bradshaw points to four uses context. Perhaps we should put lection- years of social, cultural and of the Scriptures in the ary revision on the back-burner for some theological development. liturgy: didactic, time and let the present generation anamnetic, of lectionaries parenetic, dox- ological. In addition to the readings appointed by the lectionary, the Scriptures are found in our hymns and canticles, our form us for a good while. We might be prayers and responses, surprised at how well we turn out. our exhortations and homilies. While one might hope that Anglicans were more The Revd Dr. Richard Leggett is Professor of conscious of the sea of Scripture in which Liturgical Studies at the Vancouver School of they swim when they worship, we cannot Theology. deny that Scriptural texts have found their way into the hearts and minds of worshippers. One need only begin, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ . . .” or “Glory to God whose power . . .” in a group of Anglicans to realize how embed- ded these texts have become.
Volume 11 | Issue 1 | Michaelmass 2005 11 solution. It would be a helpful exercise to Fewer readings presented in diverse ways study the maturational growth of a parish a response from Debbie Palmer that followed this course. With the same end in mind, I would offer a different approach. Three readings n my mind, Dr. Walter Deller does nately Christian, we can not rightly as- are simply too much content to absorb in not go far enough, though he begins sume any working knowledge of either the context of a Sunday morning worship an important conversation about Our Story or our values. Then what is service. The richness of Holy Scripture in biblical literacy amongst Anglican the purpose of liturgy and what is the its subtlety and life-changing power can Christians based on the practice of purpose of the proclamation of Holy be conveyed by using one passage, pre- using the weekly lectionary for Sun- Scripture within it? Do faith-full festivals sented in different ways. Frequently the Iday morning worship. Dr. Deller needs produce faithful followers? If the think- passage is the Gospel appointed from the to be commended for raising this issue, ing is that participation in liturgy is an lectionary. Repetition and intensity can which is one of Anglicanism’s sacred opportunity for us to grow more fully be fertile ground for the Spirit to work. cows. into the likeness of Christ, can procla- Perhaps this is an amplification of what In many circles, the merits of the use of mation imprint people with the life and we hope to do when we say that this part the lectionary have been debated for quite ministry of Jesus to assist with this trans- of the liturgy is The Proclamation of the some time. It is with episcopal permis- formation? Yes, in part. Word. The scripture can be read. It can sion that we leave the lectionary in order As Dr. Deller rightly points out, the be read from two very different versions. to do intentional teaching during sermon intended use of the lectionary involves It can be danced. It can be dramatized. series. Departure from the lectionary is participation in both the daily office as Multi-media are essential. A video clip based on a larger philosophy of ministry. well as the Sunday morning Eucharist. from a Hollywood film can be used as a Given the multi-faceted nature of An- If our worldview shift was to promote contemporary rendering. The Visual Bible glican liturgy and the pastoral needs of this spiritual discipline for all Anglican or another similar resource adds impact. those who attend the “holy mysteries,” to Christians we would be a biblically liter- Obviously, the music can be based on the posit one goal for Sunday morning may ate people. Most Biblical passage, seem simplistic. Nevertheless, it leads of us acknowledge which the presider to clarity of focus. Sunday morning is that in the average Sunday morning is to glimpse can introduce primarily about inspiration not instruc- parish those who the potential of Holy Scripture intentionally, thus tion. This is what informs what happens attend an annual drawing out the in liturgy. Lenten study are to form us and to kindle a connections. At Dr. Deller quotes from The Windsor “the super holy” curiosity which will lead to St. James’ we have Report: “The reading of Scriptures in and are but a commitment to discipleship. added a piece to public and in private is an essential ele- small handful of our liturgy which ment in how the Spirit forms Christian regular worship- follows the sermon individuals and communities to be faith- pers. The radical change needed in our entitled Music for Reflection. People ful disciples and to join with God in the denominational culture is our attitude to are invited to pause and be intentional unfolding divine intention for creation, adult education. Small group ministry is a with the Word. Many people, sometimes redemption and sanctification.” If we fundamental way for faithful followers to months later, have commented on how a truly believe this then we need a funda- deepen their spirituality—but that is the certain passage has stayed with them and mental worldview change that impacts topic of another article! lived with them because of this method- liturgy and goes much beyond. We need Dr. Deller also asks if we need three ology. (This does add to the length of the to be crystal clear that the foundational readings for each Sunday. Although service but we simplify The Gathering of principle for followers of Jesus is to be chosen for doctrinal connections, he the Community so that Eucharistic wor- involved in on-going, life-long learning. cites the struggle sometimes necessary to ship on a Sunday morning tends to take What we do with Holy Scripture within make those connections intelligible. He one hour and 15 minutes.) Just as people the liturgy can model this. A sermon comments on the length of the readings, participate in the drama of the Sacra- series is not an end in and of itself. Obvi- noting that we may be distracted by the ment through the liturgy, they would also ously, a certain body of content should slivers of scripture that are chosen and participate in the drama of the Word. Just be conveyed in a sermon series but the may miss the point. Part of what Dr. as we receive the bread and wine of the point is to nourish and intrigue so that Deller suggests is that three chapters be Eucharist, we can receive the passage by the listener will want to learn more! read each Sunday acknowledging that it experiencing it. Rather, Sunday morning is to glimpse will add 15 minutes to the liturgy. The Word and Sacrament become both ex- the potential of Holy Scripture to form us goal would be that Holy Scripture would periential and participatory. This narrow- and to kindle a curiosity which will lead be respected and enhanced as each pas- ing in on a large handful of verses will to commitment to discipleship. sage was placed in its broader context, work only when it is understood as part Given that our ministry context is no the emphasis being on the larger themes of the larger whole. That is, Sunday morn- longer part of a culture that is predomi- of our sacred story. This may well be the ing is one essential piece and regular
12 Liturgy Canada participation in small group ministry is from mere passive acceptance of what another. Sunday is a gathering place and a is preached to a situation where people beginning place. A week night spent with have no doubt that there is more to learn fellow journeyers is another crucial part and a commitment to learning as part of of Christian formation. It would mean spiritual maturity. that clergy spend more time teaching or One common concern raised about creating opportunities for learning. That leaving the lectionary is that the sermon may mean changing the culture of the lo- themes will reflect the preacher’s six fa- cal parish concerning their expectations vourite passages. That may highlight one of ordained staff. of the real problems which is only masked Then it becomes the task of the preacher by the use of a lectionary. How many of to present the larger themes of the writer the clergy know Holy Scripture in the and writing and hold it in front of the way in which we should? Another sacred congregation. During Year A, the con- cow? My Old Testament professor told us gregation can be immersed in Matthew. all to buy a children’s bible. We feigned If the preacher is using a sermon series, offense. Then I went out and bought one. preaching, liturgy planning and course I have spent more time since seminary preparation become learning about Our Story the major task for the than any other week. The focus for the aspect of my preacher changes from formation attempting to under- stand the links between passages to imparting
Just as we receive the bread and wine of the Eucharist, the larger context and the we can receive the passage meaning of one passage. We have held a by experiencing it. sermon series on the Apostles’ Creed. For a time we suspended using any Creed during worship to underscore the need for all of us to have some insight into what we say week after week. Music was used to reinforce the meaning by singing various versions since seminary. Not only do I believe that of the Creed. A skilful librarian can offer the quality of my preaching is enhanced books to go deeper on a given topic at but my own spirituality is also fed. We the back of the church or at coffee hour. need to model what we seek to teach. A concurrent adult education course can be offered or weekly reflection exercises Debbie Palmer is Incumbent of the Parish can be prepared. Dialogue sermons can of St. James, Humber Bay in the Diocese of Toronto. be particularly helpful. Sunday morn- ing proclamation and preaching is to whet the appetite of the congregation. The culture of the parish needs to shift
Volume 11 | Issue 1 | Michaelmass 2005 13 Lectionary, Church and Context – the gospels is not relevant to our under- the Disaster of the Revised Common standing of God’s will for us in Christ? Lectionary Or that 21% of Genesis (a book which is for the most part a reasonably coher- ent sequence of narratives) excerpted in Response to the responders fragments from some 20 of its 50 chapters by Walter Deller reflects accurately what Genesis is from the perspectives of genre, relevance and t’s been nearly a year since I wrote being read in a potentially more coherent integrity of scriptural pericopes? Richard my article, and after reading the fashion. is correct in noting that I did not include responses as they have arrived, I’ve an extensive analysis of the use of the gone back to reread the original. In 4. Finally, I returned to the issues of en- psalms because of their ‘recovery’ in the it, I offered several grounds for abling faith in our post-modern context, Eucharistic worship of the Church. The critique: and raised a series of questions about RCL uses parts or all of 102 of 150 psalms I what our ecclesial and hermeneutic task over a three-year cycle. The 1962 BCP 1. I laid out a description of what I under- might be in this context and whether or Eucharistic lectionary uses part or all of stand from the historic Book of Common not the RCL can support us adequately at 98 of 150 psalms in a single year. Prayer (BCP) lectionary patterns to be a all in this task. Both John Hill and Kevin Flynn draw normative Anglican pattern of scrip- attention to the centrality of the Paschal ture reading, and its broad hermeneutic I don’t think I would withdraw any of Mystery as the focus of the RCL. Isn’t that implications, and questioned whether the these arguments based on the responses, a bit like saying shelter is the purpose RCL adequately achieves that norm in the and the growing attack by fundamental- of having a house? I would still want to present context in which many Anglicans ists in the Communion on the Anglican insist that meditation on and grappling worship and hear scripture once a week way of reading scripture doesn’t make the with the entirety of the scriptures is es- on Sunday. questions less urgent. sential to the Church community’s fullest Richard Leggett and Kevin Flynn offer understanding of the living out of the 2. I argued from an analysis of the use of from the perspective of liturgical scholars Paschal Mystery in the here and scripture in the RCL that it is an irrespon- a short summary of the history and now. One could argue cogently sible presentation of the Bible precisely premises of the development and that it is precisely the because it omits so shaping of the RCL. much of the scriptures, and in particular questioned why not even the totality of all four gospels are lectionaries in their historic form that have given Christianity its present sick and warped biblical hermeneutic, and
contributed to the doc- trinal shallowness that has resulted in To know how the egregious viciousness of the funda- we got to where we are is always mentalist hermeneutics now being forced useful, but I don’t think that to keep call- upon our Communion. One window into ing the readings of Ordinary time ‘semi- a dark room is not much different from a read over the course of 150 Sundays in continuous’ is a very honest description mirror. To take only one example: Even the three-year cycle. of the way we find Genesis, Exodus, now the RCL almost always presents Jews Samuel or Kings being presented in most as evil, failed people before God, replaced 3. Thirdly, I argued that the way in which years. Richard indicates that he thinks by Christianity. Just listen carefully to the scriptures are used in a fragmentary statistical analysis of the proportions how prophetic passages and OT narra- and dissociative manner throughout the of scripture used in the lections is “too tives are chosen and framed – even to lectionary contributes to incoherence in blunt an instrument” because it “does not the fragments that are chosen. This is not understanding and proclamation in the take into consideration issues of genre, simply the fault of typology. Typology context of contemporary worship, and I relevance and integrity of scriptural can also help us see ourselves as repeating proposed some options which would re- pericopes.” Does Richard really think and succeeding or failing to be faithful in sult in considerably more of the scriptures that between 30 and 40 percent of each of the same ways.
14 Liturgy Canada In some ways Debbie Palmer most clear- and John tell us, than the caricature being ly grasps the central issues I am pressing foisted upon us by some of the Primates about the present context of Christian of the Anglican World. Nor do I think it Book Re view s formation and the way the readings is naïve to imagine we might read more form us. In other ways we are likely the scripture in our assemblies – many other By John Hodgins farthest apart in our solutions. If I have world faiths read large portions of their understood the canonical texts implications of her aloud, and the response (and I love …the growing attack by funda- best evidence The Spirit of the Liturgy the participatory mentalists in the Communion on I’ve seen sug- Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger and creative quality the Anglican way of reading gests that the (Ignatius Press. San Francisco, 2000) she suggests for the early Christians liturgical ‘presenta- scripture doesn’t make the rooted them- ny new occupant of the Chair of St. tion’ of the gospel), questions less urgent. selves in Christ Peter evokes an analysis of his Debbie suggests by gathering A previously published works. In the reducing the read- and reading case of Benedict XVI, a vast array of pub- ings to one passage only. I don’t share the Old Testament and psalms until they lications present themselves dating from the concern she identifies in her final swam in them, and by telling and collect- his time as a leading theological advisor paragraph, except in a much larger form. ing as much of the story of Jesus as they at Vatican II. Were we to follow such a one-reading pat- could. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger’s recent tern, would we not attenuate even more Finally, John, to John’s Gospel: The work on the liturgy bears close examina- our apprehension of the whole journey of gospel of John is in the canon and Walter tion especially by those who might be faith of God’s people throughout the ages, Deller will never be, so it doesn’t really inclined to see the new pope as defined and become locked on the gospels and matter whether I’m biased or not, and solely by his recent role as Prefect of perhaps one or two choice epistles? the gospel certainly doesn’t need to be the Congregation for the Doctrine of Can it all be blamed on bad preachers? defended. My statement that John’s Gos- the Faith. His years as a professor of Richard Leggett suggests that “[p]oor pel is incomprehensible is first a literary theology at several universities as well as workmanship is not usually the fault of and auditory judgment. I’m not the first his pastoral experience as a bishop and the tool but of the one who uses the tool.” person in history to find John convo- involvement in ecumenical dialogues His metaphor implies that the workman luted, and his use of language complex with Lutherans and Orthodox provide has actually been given the right tool and unusual. But I’m also arguing that his perspective in The Spirit of the Liturgy for the task. I’m actually quite surprised we should read all of John, not just 69 which may both surprise some and give as I travel around and hear different percent of it, and on reconsideration, clues as to the direction of Benedict XVI’s preachers how desperately and faithfully I’d like to take my proposition one step new pontificate. they struggle to make something of the further and suggest that in the Mark The book deals with Christian Liturgy confusing little they are given. and John year we could read John fully under such headings as “Time and Space A couple of responses to specific com- through twice, and confine ourselves to in the Liturgy,” a reflection on the time- ments of John Hill’s: First, I would agree a single reading of Mark (perhaps with a less act within time. The author reflects with the question he poses at the end few chapters doubled up). that of his second paragraph: “What form of Christian community could free us The foundation of the liturgy, its from the sterile aspiration of sustaining a I can’t think of anything source and support, is the historical non-existent Christendom, and root us in more calculated to make Pasch of Jesus—his Cross and Resur- the biblical Christ?” It’s precisely for this rection. The once-for-all event has reason that I make my “naïve proposal” us question the illusions of become the ever-abiding form of the (John’s phrase) that we might read vastly Christendom than a solid liturgy. In the first stage the eternal is more scripture from both testaments in hearing of the narrative of embodied in what is once-for-all. The our Eucharistic assemblies. I can’t think second stage is the entry of the eternal of anything more calculated to make us Genesis through Kings. into our present moment in the litur- question the illusions of Christendom gical action. And the third stage is the than a solid hearing of the narrative of desire of the eternal to take hold of the Genesis through Kings. And I don’t see worshipper’s life and ultimately of all how reading all four of the gospels in historical reality (p. 60). their entirety at least once over a three- year period might not help to root us in The influence of Guardini’s The Spirit of the biblical Christ. I’d rather have Cana- the Liturgy, which was published after dian Anglicans hearing about the Jesus World War I and is widely credited with Christ about whom Matthew, Mark, Luke inaugurating the Liturgical Movement in
Volume 11 | Issue 1 | Michaelmass 2005 15 The redefinition of liturgical norms underway for the Latin Rite of the Roman Communion is seen by the author as a corrective to some of the extreme interpretations of Vatican II.
Germany, is acknowledged at the outset The redefinition of liturgical norms speaks to potential openings for a deeper of the present work. Joseph Ratzinger underway for the Latin Rite of the Ro- ecumenism and hope for closer relations offers his book as a turn-of-the-millen- ‘‘man Communion is seen by the author between churches and ecclesial com- nium update for a general readership, an as a corrective to some of the extreme munities born out of a re-examination introduction to the subject of liturgy in interpretations of Vatican II. These of common roots and the shape of the the post-Vatican II era. updated norms will, no doubt, have a liturgy. In the section entitled “The Body and profound effect upon other Western ’’ the Liturgy,” a Christian anthropology is liturgical churches. The emerging consen- The Rise of Benedict XVI developed in which the author holds that sus will necessarily be influenced by the John L. Allen Jr. (Doubleday. N.Y., 2005) contemporary attempts to put worship continuing dialogue between Rome, the on a purely ‘spiritual’ plane are inappro- Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox oted as a priate in Christian worship because it is and Churches of the East which hold a “progressive,” contrary to human nature. Worship, he particular place in the heart and mind of N American contends, affects the whole person. That Benedict XVI. Catholic John is, for example, why “bending the knee An examination of the various rites Allen’s earlier before the presence of the living God is of the Church, including reference to the biography of something we cannot abandon” (p. 191). Maronite, Chaldean or Assyrian, includes Cardinal Ratzinger An analysis of such matters as the Jew- a positive reflection upon the liturgical was pointedly ish roots of liturgy, architectural trends, placement of the exchange of the Peace critical of some of the place of iconography and the east- before the Presentation of the Gifts, the positions taken ward position in the liturgy is offered in something which Anglicans and Luther- by the then Prefect relation to the need to recover transcen- ans will appreciate (p. 170). of the Congregation for the Doctrine of dence in worship: Those expecting a narrow theo- the Faith. logical view from the author may also be As a Vatican insider and weekly … the architectural canon for the surprised to note that Ratzinger quotes Internet commentator (The Word From liturgy of the Word and sacrament is positively the theology of the French Rome) Allen is very closely associated not a rigid one, though with every new priest-scientist Teilhard de Chardin: with the inner workings of the Holy See. development and reordering the ques- In this latest work, he seeks to look at the tion has to be posed: What is in har- Teilhard de Chardin depicted the cos- influences which led to the election of mony with the essence of the liturgy, mos as a process of ascent, a series of Benedict XVI and the directions in which and what detracts from it? In the very unions. From very simple beginnings he may lead the Church. form of its places of divine worship … the path leads to ever greater and more Of particular interest to Anglicans, Christianity, speaking and thinking in complex unities, in which multiplic- Lutherans and others in the West is a Semitic way, has laid down prin- ity is not abolished but merged into Benedict’s close study of and the degree ciples by which this question can be a growing synthesis, leading to the of sympathy for the works of Luther and answered … one thing has remained ‘Noosphere,’ in which spirit and its the Lutheran Tradition. In contrast to clear for the whole of Christendom: understanding embrace the whole John Paul II, Allen notes that Benedict praying toward the east is a tradi- and are blended into a kind of living is clearly a Western European and, in tion that goes back to the beginning . organism (pp. 28 – 29). addition, one of the sharpest theological Moreover, it is a fundamental expres- minds in Europe, something which is sion of the Christian synthesis of cos- Such references give an indication of the acknowledged by his opponents and sup- mos and history, of being rooted in the liturgical philosophy of the new pope porters alike. once-for-all events of salvation history as well as his respect for the diversity of Much has been made of Joseph while going out to meet the Lord who rites which give expression to the cultural Ratzinger’s close association with the late is to come again (pp. 74 – 75). variations in the Christian world. This pope and their common understand- respect for other Christian traditions ings about Liberation Theology, women’s
16 Liturgy Canada ordination, contraception and abortion. With regard to Anglicans and others For All The Saints?: Certainly Allen affirms that there is un- Allen points out: likely to be change in these areas. Remembering the Christian However, the author highlights some It’s possible to imagine, for example, Departed areas of potential surprise: Pope Benedict expanding the “Angli- N.T. Wright, can Use” provision for members of Morehouse Publishing, 2003. 76 pages. Pope Benedict XVI is perhaps the the Anglican Communion who wish most accomplished intellectual to be to join the Roman Catholic Church Reviewed by David Harrison elected pope since Leo XIII in 1878 …. while preserving their own liturgical Enthusiasts expect the same sort of in- and devotional traditions. (In 1980, “ hat I tellectual flourish under Pope Benedict the Congregation for the Doctrine of want to XVI, a man of potentially even greater the Faith under then-Cardinal Joseph W know is, learning and refinement (p. 32 ). Ratzinger approved a ‘pastoral provi- where is he now?” sion’ for Episcopalian clergy and laity It is with that ques- In terms of ecumenism, the new pope entering the Catholic Church in the tion, asked by a dis- may make greater progress than his United States. He may even entertain - traught young predecessor did with the Orthodox, the idea of creating special Church widow, that Tom in light of his close association with structures, such as prelatures or ap- Wright (now Bishop Bartholomew, the Patriarch of Constan- ostolic administrations, for dissident of Durham) launches tinople, as well as with other Orthodox Anglicans or Evangelicals who desire into this tidy essay leaders. A trip to Russia may not be union with Rome but who require on life after death, and our liturgical that far off, according to Allen, in light special pastoral care.) (p. 236) practices surrounding it. of statements Benedict XVI has made Along the way, Wright’s academic regarding the limitation of the Petrine On the subject of the reform of the Curia, credentials, not to mention his clear- Office: Allen contends that structural change headedness and good wit, show them- is distinctly within the range of the new selves. Drawing on his reading of the New Ratzinger said that “Rome’s single papacy. This is due to the fact that Bene- Testament, Wright confdently makes condition for intercommunion should dict is not beholden to the Curia but is the argument that what many Christians be to accept the teachings of the first rather “a man who came into the system – including Anglicans – seem to believe millennium on the primacy of the as a cardinal, and hence someone who about life after death, and what our Pope.” … This point has long been does not have the same careerist debts as liturgical forms, calendar, and hymnody advanced by the Orthodox themselves prelates who rose up though the Vatican’s often reinforce, does not match up to the as the sine qua non of reunion, and is standard pathways” (p. 204). This is prob- witness of the New Testament. Wright sure to be well received among Eastern ably good news for Christians of other saves his most forceful argument for de- theologians and bishops (p. 233). traditions who look for more transpar- bunking the idea of purgatory -- either in ency from the Holy See. its classic form or in its modern, implicit Allen points out that the new Pope is form. By this he means any notion that mindful, as well, of the Reformation Fr. John Hodgins, Pastor of Holy Trinity the Christian believer must undergo after heritage: Church, Chatham, Ontario, is Review Editor death a period of punishment and cleans- for Liturgy Canada. ing before being able to share in the joys Benedict will not, however, forget the of heaven. Wright shows how the New Churches of the West … Cardinal Jo- Testament witness (including Christ’s seph Ratzinger in 1999 was responsible word to the thief on the Cross – “today for rescuing the JointDeclaration on you will be with me in Paradise”) argue the Doctrine of Justification, an agree- for the assertion that the stage, if you will, ment signed by the Vatican and the between this life and the fnal resurrec- Lutheran World Federation declaring tion is what we call heaven or paradise. the sixteenth-century dispute over Although few Anglicans might formally whether salvation came by faith alone, use the word “purgatory”, Wright argues or also through works, largely resolved that we often imply it.“I therefore arrive . . .[The document states:] By grace at this view” he concludes, “that all the alone, in faith in Christ’s saving work Christian departed are in substantially and not because of any merit on our the same state, that of restful happiness. part, we are accepted by God and re- This is not the fnal destiny for which ceive the Holy Spirit, who renews our they are found, namely the bodily resur- hearts while equipping us and calling rection; it is a temporary resting place.” us to good works (p. 234). But Wright’s thesis is no pat Anglican evangelical argument against the Romish
Volume 11 | Issue 1 | Michaelmass 2005 17 abuses of the Middle Ages. He is equally the kingdom that Jesus inaugurated in persuasive and passionate in describing his public ministry. Wright also makes and making the case for prayers for the the argument that Ascension Day is the dead, and for the communion of saints. rightful celebration of Christ’s kingship, Nor does Wright take of the cause of uni- that season of Advent is rightly the time versalism, reserving the possibility that when our focus turns to the coming of some people have walked so far down the Christ’s kingdom in its fullest, and that road of wickedness that they have ceased anticipating it by celebrating Christ the to be in God’s image (“ex-human” is the King (or the Reign of Christ, as Canadian phrase he uses), and are therefore beyond Anglicans call it) does not make much redemption. A lacuna of this book – and sense. In paying tribute one which the author readily admits – is Bishop Wright covers a great deal of that he does not deal in any detail with ground in this short monograph, and to the great accom- the question of life after death and the covers it well. His essay may help many plishments of Ray- non-believer. (A less serious problem, of us clarify and re-calibrate our own mond Brown, Prendergast but one that gets in the way of the text, liturgical practices and preaching. More- is Wright’s propensity to refer to his own over, his style is accessible and engaging, maintains that Brown was (longer) monographs.) and might well form a productive parish one who knew well that Having established his biblical and study and be a worthwhile addition to “we can never underesti- theological framework, Wright turns parish libraries. to an examination of the liturgical con- mate the important relation sequences. He frst tackles the practice The Reverend David Harrison is Incumbent that exists between of keeping both All Saints’ Day and All of St. Thomas’ Anglican Church in Brooklin, Ontario, and Chair of Liturgy Canada. liturgy and the inter- Souls’ Day, showing how the implicit ‘‘ message is that there are those saints pretation of the Bible.” who have “made it” to heaven, and the … many Chris- rest of the souls who are still “works in tians – including progress”. All Souls’ Day, Wright argues, Anglicans – seem implies the notion of purgatory and seems to suggest that the commendation to believe about life into God’s care that is part of the funeral after death, and what our liturgy has not worked, and thus needs liturgical forms, calendar, to be supplemented. In his words: “[T]he commemoration of All Souls, especially and hymnody often rein- the way it is now done, denies to ordinary force, does not match Christians – and we’re all ordinary up to the witness of ’’ Christians – the solid, magnifcent hope of the gospel: that all baptized believers, the New Testament. all those in Christ in the present, all those indwelt by the Spirit, are already ‘saints’. ‘‘ Wright also takes on the practice now entrenched in Common Worship of the “Kingdom Season”, being the November Sundays leading up to the Feast of Christ the King. Again drawing on his under- standing of the New Testament, Wright is critical of the idea of fnishing the ecclesiastical year on this note because it represents a misreading of the New Testa- ’’ ment meaning of the kingdom. We pray for the kingdom to come to us on earth; the kingdom is not synonymous with heaven, and therefore the “last thing” of the church’s year. Wright goes so far as to suggest that if the lectionary is to carve out a “kingdom season”, it would best be situated between our celebrations of Epiphany and Good Friday, for it was
18 Liturgy Canada Books briefly noted Life in Abundance: Studies of John’s Gospel in Tribute to Raymond E. Brown John R. Donahue, Editor (Liturgical Press. Collegeville, 2005)
eginning with a keynote address by scholar who helped shape many people’s sis of Freud’s thought . . . The reader Terrence Prendergast, S.J., Arch- understanding of the person of Jesus may be surprised by our decision to B bishop of Halifax, this recent of- Christ.” discuss the theme of affection by refer- fering in honour of the late Fr. Raymond ring to the Summa Brown, S.S. offers an overview of the im- The Nuptial Mystery Theologiae of Saint Thomas Aquinas pact of biblical studies in the world since Angelo Cardinal Scola (p. 60). the turn of the last century. translated by Michelle K. Borras In paying tribute to the great accom- (Eerdmans. Grand Rapids, 2005) In treating dualism, spiritualism and an- plishments of Raymond Brown, Prender- drogynism, the author does not shy away gast maintains that Brown was one who he latest offering in the Eerdmans from speaking to the many influences of knew well that “we can never underesti- Ressourcement series introduces modern culture which affect both Chris- mate the important relation that exists T to an English-speaking audience tian and secular views of marriage and between liturgy and the interpretation of the incisive and encyclopaedic mind of the nuptial mystery. He concludes with a the Bible.” Prendergast outlines the move- Angelo Schola, the recently appointed liturgical synthesis and a meditation: ment of renewal from the acceptance of Patriarch of Venice. the principles of biblical criticism to the Addressing the perennial question: …the sacramental reality of marriage development of biblical studies at all lev- What is love? Schola offers a deep analysis and the family is presented as the els of the Church and acknowledges the of the male-female relationship and how anthropological concentration of the role of scholars who led this development. it illustrates the heart of what it means for eucharistic-ecclesial event. In it, in In particular, he notes that Fr. Brown’s humanity to bear the image of God. fact, the sacramental dynamic truly work went well beyond academia and, An emerging leader in Catholic and liberates …. thus, has helped “countless tens of thou- ecumenical thought, the author explores sands of people throughout the world.” the nuptial mystery as he elucidates John Hodgins U.S. Protestant scholars join with the development of Christian think- Jewish and Catholic voices in paying ing from Augustine and the Patristic tribute to Brown with papers ranging period through Aquinas to Maritain, von from “John’s Interaction with First-Cen- Balthasar, de Lubac, Ricoeur and, most tury Judaism” (Rabbi Burton L. Visotsky, recently, Alisdair MacIntyre (an Angli- Jewish Theological Seminary, New York can). and Professor Adele Reinhartz, Wilfrid Post-modernists may be surprised to Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario) to discover in the author a man who is both “Future Directions of Johannine Studies” conversant with modern thought and a ( D. Moody Smith, The Divinity School person of faith. He offers a theological of Duke University). In the course of perspective in light of the thought and ten papers presented by some 17 North views of such influential secular minds as American scholars we see illustrated not Hegel, Freud and Heidegger. For example, only the distance travelled with regard to in treating the topic ‘Affection,’ Schola our understanding of the Johannine compares two influential thinkers of very corpus but the contribution of one of its different eras and worldviews, Freud and greatest interpreters. Brown’s skilful- Aquinas: ness as a teacher is legendary not only in Baltimore and New York but through the In the panorama of contemporary worldwide community of Church schol- culture, we find the most adequate re- ars and laity. sponse to our question in the work of Again, in the words of Archbishop Sigmund Freud. This is not the place Prendergast: “Above and beyond all of to discuss the merits or otherwise of those remarkable qualities, Raymond such a predominant school of thought. Brown was a man of faith and an eminent Rather, we will consider a central the-
Volume 11 | Issue 1 | Michaelmass 2005 19 broader view is needed. Readers respond Indeed, the very repetition of the word “preferences” can be misleading. Some Liturgy Canada certainly betrays its items are indeed a matter of taste and urban roots in the latest issue. The ques- style. But for me, at least one item is much tion of multiple services is, quite simply, more basic. A key Reformation principle a non-starter in huge areas of Canada. was that the liturgy be in the language Multi-point parishes are the rule in of the people. Thus, in my judgement, many areas of the West. The question in a parish which offers a service in the most these rural areas is not how many language of the 16th Century as the only services to have in one building, but how option on a Sunday has abandoned this often the priest can be there for the one vital principle. Conversely, the critique service they do have. which the Prayer Book Society has raised about the Book of Alternative Services is The Very Rev. Robin Walker not merely about taste. In the opinion of St. Matthew’s Cathedral, Brandon MB many, decisions which guided the BAS were theologically wrong. A key Reformation I have come to expect clear, incisive As a result, it is almost impossible to analysis from my friend Paul Bosch. discuss how a single service would be principle was that So I was both disappointed and a little shaped without becoming trapped in a the liturgy be in surprised when his article “One flock, one win/lose argument. And questions of the language of the people. Shepherd” (Liturgy Canada X, 4 [Easter taste and preference become ciphers for 2005], page 1) did not clarify any of the other, more profound disagreements. Thus, in my judgement, a issues for me. Each of his four arguments The real question, I suppose, is wheth- parish which offers a ser- makes a good point. But several impor- er we have already become so segregated vice in the language of the tant items are omitted. that we cannot in truth be one flock. I His liturgical argument is valid: mul- hope that the answer is “no, we can still 16th Century as the only tiple services encourage the perception live together and respect one another.” I option on a Sunday that people are consumers of a religious have no desire to see the liturgical “tra- has abandoned this product. But, as Bosch himself observes, ditionalists” pushed out of the Anglican, ‘‘ this is “a misperception at least as old as Lutheran, or any other communion. But vital principle. the Middle Ages.” It did not arise with I don’t think we can discuss the question the variety of liturgical styles, and it will of multiple services intelligently until we not be avoided by having only one Sun- acknowledge that the question is both day service. John Hill’s response (same broader and deeper than it appears to be. issue, page 2) is much more profound. Until we are willing to openly deal with Paul Sodtke issues such as the assumptions built into Paul, a Lutheran pastor, is Joint Co-or- our very architecture, it is extremely dinator of the Henry Budd College for difficult to get people to understand the Ministry in The Pas, Manitoba. theological point about community. (Bosch himself has eloquently argued this ’’ point elsewhere.) A similar point could be raised about the sociological and theological-ecclesial arguments. Yes, multiple services may promote different sociological groupings which obscure the wonderful fullness and diversity which are one in Christ. But again, this was the prevailing situation long before multiple services became common in many parishes. People have come to regard the different denomina- tions, or even the different parishes of the same denomination within a city, as a smorgasbord of religious choices within Christianity. Certain types of “ecclesial apartheid” are already the norm. A much
20 Liturgy Canada