Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper, The (1966)

A book containing a eucharistic rite for trial use, along with study materials concerning the process of liturgical revision, the problem of liturgical norms, new perspectives in liturgical renewal, and a detailed rationale for the proposed revision of the eucharistic rite. Its appendices included a document of an Inter-Anglican Committee on the structure and contents of the eucharistic liturgy, prayers of eucharistic consecration from a variety of traditions, and a bibliography. It was published by the Standing Liturgical Commission in 1966 as Prayer Book Studies XVII. It was a revision of Prayer Book Studies IV, which was issued by the Standing Liturgical Commission in 1953. The Liturgy of the Lord's Supper reflected current liturgical scholarship and communications sent to the Standing Liturgical Commission concerning Prayer Book Studies IV on the eucharist. It placed the Gloria in excelsis at the beginning of the ministry of the word. The Nicene Creed was followed by the penitential order, the peace, and the prayer of intercession. The eucharistic rite of this publication, titled the Liturgy of the Lord's Supper, included both traditional and contemporary language. God was addressed with traditional language, but the priest or minister and congregation were addressed with contemporary language.

The Liturgy of the Lord's Supper was presented to the 1967 General Convention and approved for trial use. It was also in 1967 that the General Convention approved the constitutional change allowing trial use for liturgical revision. Responses to this eucharistic rite influenced Services for Trial Use, a series of rites authorized by the 1970 General Convention. Subsequent publications in the process of trial use for Prayer Book revision included Authorized Services 1973 and the Draft Proposed Book of Common Prayer, which was approved by the 1976 General Convention. The final revised version of the BCP was approved in 1979. The Liturgy of the Lord's Supper was an integral part of the process of trial use and Prayer Book revision. See Prayer Book Studies.