In Service Bible Readings
Dear Friends,I’m writing this month about the system for Bible Readings in Church: the Revised Common Lectionary Because St. Paul’s is changing the way it is used. It is also used some of the time at St. Thomas’. Firstly, “What is the Revised Common Lectionary?” It is the system of bible readings used in many Christian denominations in the world. It has three-year cycle: years A, B, and C. Year B begins in Advent 2011, 2014, 2017, and beyond if you can think that far ahead. So at the moment, we are drawing to the end of Year A, and starting Year B on Advent Sunday, 27 November 2011. It was adopted by the Church of England along with Common Worship in 2000. Before then, the readings of the Alternative Service Book were used, in a two-year cycle (Year 1, and Year 2). The readings were chosen according to a theme, from “The Creation” on 9th Sunday before Christmas, through to “Citizens of Heaven” on the Last Sunday of Pentecost. There are a number of distinctive features of the Revised Common Lectionary : The readings usually consist of one from the Old Testament (or the bActs of the Apostles, in Easter season): “The First Reading”. A Psalm. And one from the Epistles or the Book of Revelation: “The Second Reading”. This system replaced the old scheme of an ”Old Testament Reading” and a ”New Testament Reading”. On a Sunday, church members should be able to hear the voice of each biblical writer in a systematic way week by week, rather than listen to readings that are plucked from different parts of the bible according to a particular theme. Different Gospels are used in different years. In Year A, the Gospel readings are drawn from the Gospel according to Matthew; in Year B, they are from Mark; and in Year C they are from Luke. The gospel of John appears throughout Eastertide, and in other liturgical seasons, including Advent, Christmas, and Lent—and also during Year B, because Mark’s Gospel is so much shorter than the others! John’s Gospel is used in a different way because it has a very different character and structure compared to the others. Some books in the bible are very long, and have been edited so that some verses in nearly every book are left out. Some of these decisions have been controversial. Often the more controversial (and interesting) verses and stories are left out, even though they might have entered popular consciousness (the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, for example). However, on balance, people feel that the voice of each writer is heard more clearly week by week than before. So, “How will St. Paul’s change the way the Lectionary is used?” The Revised Common Lectionary has two tracks for its Old Testament Readings, between Trinity Sunday and Advent Sunday: “Track 1” and “Track 2”. St. Paul’s has been using “Track 2”, where the Old Testament Reading relates in some way to the Gospel Reading of that day. As of Advent Sunday, and the change to “Year B”, St. Paul’s is going to switch to “Track 1”, where the Old Testament Readings will stand on their own two feet, following through specific books in turn, often continuously: Year A: Genesis, Exodus, and some of the history books (Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges). Year B: more of the history books (I and II Samuel, I Kings), and excerpts from the Wisdom books (Song of Solomon, Proverbs, Job), and Esther, Ruth, and Jonah. Year C:
prophets great and small: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, Hosea, Joel, Habakkuk, Daniel, and Haggai. Despite all the detail it is important to bear in mind the key aim behind the Revised Common Lectionary. It allows us: to hear more consistently the distinctive voices of many of the writers of the books of the Bible, week by week, and on their own terms; to understand them better because we can be more aware of the context in which they spoke or wrote; and to continue the process to which we are called as Christians—interpreting them for today’s world; letting them speak to us and challenge us today; and then living them out in our lives. Yours in Christ,Nick |
