Book of Alternative Services
Encyclopedia
The Book of Alternative Services (BAS) is the contemporary, inclusive-language liturgical book
used alongside the Book of Common Prayer
(1962) (BCP) in most parish
es of the Anglican Church of Canada
. When first published, the BAS included the Common Lectionary, unlike the BCP; in printings since the publication of the Revised Common Lectionary
, the latter has superseded the original lectionary.
The BAS was published in 1985, and was based on a number of experimental liturgical texts that had were developed throughout the 1960s and 1970s, as well as the American Book of Common Prayer of 1979 and the Roman Missal as reformed by Paul VI. The book's theological and linguistic soundness has sparked controversy, with some concerned that the book deviates from biblical teachings, and others criticizing its less traditional language and service format. In response to the publishing of the BAS, the Prayer Book Society of Canada
was formed in order to maintain awareness of the older book and increase awareness of the shortcomings of the BAS. The controversy has sometimes been called the "trad-rad" debate (i.e. "traditional" vs. "radical").
The BAS contains an order for the Eucharist
in contemporary language, as well as one more in line with the language of the 1962 Prayer Book. The latter text, developed at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene (Toronto)
, rearranges the prayers of the 1962 BCP Communion service in an order conforming to traditional Western shape adopted by the BAS and in use by both Roman Catholics and Lutherans. A Eucharistic Prayer more palatable to Anglo-Catholics is provided as an alternative to the 1962 form, which lacks an epiclesis
and oblation
. The variable collects, prayers over the gifts, and prayers after communion are in contemporary language only. There are also contemporary rite versions of Morning and Evening Prayer
; these have not been widely used, in part because the service of Morning Prayer has in large part been supplanted by weekly Eucharist as the main Sunday service in most Anglican parishes. Contemporary-language wedding, funeral, and other pastoral rites, however, have been welcomed more widely.
Use of the BAS varies from parish to parish. In some congregations, the principal Sunday service is according to the BCP, while in others, the contemporary liturgy dominates. In most dioceses, however, the trend is increasingly toward the BAS. Many parishes that primarily make use of the BAS offer a plain "early celebration" or Low Mass
from the BCP on Sundays.
Bishop Michael Ingham is the author of an apologia for the BAS, called Rites for a New Age.
Liturgical book
A liturgical book is a book published by the authority of a church, that contains the text and directions for the liturgy of its official religious services.-Roman Catholic:...
used alongside the Book of Common Prayer
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
(1962) (BCP) in most parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es of the Anglican Church of Canada
Anglican Church of Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada is the Province of the Anglican Communion in Canada. The official French name is l'Église Anglicane du Canada. The ACC is the third largest church in Canada after the Roman Catholic Church and the United Church of Canada, consisting of 800,000 registered members...
. When first published, the BAS included the Common Lectionary, unlike the BCP; in printings since the publication of the Revised Common Lectionary
Revised Common Lectionary
The Revised Common Lectionary is a lectionary of readings or pericopes from the Bible for use in Christian worship, making provision for the liturgical year with its pattern of observances of festivals and seasons. Its first version was known as the Common Lectionary, assembled in 1983. It was...
, the latter has superseded the original lectionary.
The BAS was published in 1985, and was based on a number of experimental liturgical texts that had were developed throughout the 1960s and 1970s, as well as the American Book of Common Prayer of 1979 and the Roman Missal as reformed by Paul VI. The book's theological and linguistic soundness has sparked controversy, with some concerned that the book deviates from biblical teachings, and others criticizing its less traditional language and service format. In response to the publishing of the BAS, the Prayer Book Society of Canada
Prayer Book Society of Canada
The Prayer Book Society of Canada or PBS is an organization within the Anglican Church of Canada which "promotes the understanding and use of the Book of Common Prayer as a spiritual system of nurture for life in Christ"...
was formed in order to maintain awareness of the older book and increase awareness of the shortcomings of the BAS. The controversy has sometimes been called the "trad-rad" debate (i.e. "traditional" vs. "radical").
The BAS contains an order for the Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
in contemporary language, as well as one more in line with the language of the 1962 Prayer Book. The latter text, developed at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene (Toronto)
Church of St. Mary Magdalene (Toronto)
The Church of St. Mary Magdalene is an Anglo-Catholic parish of the Anglican Church of Canada located in Toronto. It is famous for its association with composer Healey Willan and was part of the composite Robertson Davies used to form "St. Aidan's" in his novel The Cunning Man...
, rearranges the prayers of the 1962 BCP Communion service in an order conforming to traditional Western shape adopted by the BAS and in use by both Roman Catholics and Lutherans. A Eucharistic Prayer more palatable to Anglo-Catholics is provided as an alternative to the 1962 form, which lacks an epiclesis
Epiclesis
The epiclesis is that part of the Anaphora by which the priest invokes the Holy Spirit upon the Eucharistic bread and wine in some Christian churches.In most Eastern Christian traditions, the Epiclesis comes after the Anamnesis The epiclesis (also spelled epiklesis; from "invocation" or...
and oblation
Oblation
Oblation, an offering , a term, particularly in ecclesiastical usage, for a solemn offering or presentation to God.-Bible usage:...
. The variable collects, prayers over the gifts, and prayers after communion are in contemporary language only. There are also contemporary rite versions of Morning and Evening Prayer
Evening Prayer (Anglican)
Evening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening...
; these have not been widely used, in part because the service of Morning Prayer has in large part been supplanted by weekly Eucharist as the main Sunday service in most Anglican parishes. Contemporary-language wedding, funeral, and other pastoral rites, however, have been welcomed more widely.
Use of the BAS varies from parish to parish. In some congregations, the principal Sunday service is according to the BCP, while in others, the contemporary liturgy dominates. In most dioceses, however, the trend is increasingly toward the BAS. Many parishes that primarily make use of the BAS offer a plain "early celebration" or Low Mass
Low Mass
Low Mass is a Tridentine Mass defined officially in the Code of Rubrics included in the 1962 edition of the Roman Missal as Mass in which the priest does not chant the parts that the rubrics assign to him...
from the BCP on Sundays.
Bishop Michael Ingham is the author of an apologia for the BAS, called Rites for a New Age.
External links
- Book of Alternative Services (PDF)
- Book of Alternative Services (HTML)
- Portions of the Book of Alternative Services in English and French
- The Qu'Appelle Liturgy An early modern-language Canadian predecessor of the BAS