PRAYER BOOK (VERSIONS OF THE BIBLE) MEASURE 1965 (No. 4)

1965 No. 4

A Measure passed by the National Assembly of the Church of England to permit the use of any version of the Bible authorised by the Convocations with the concurrence of the House of Laity for portions of Scripture appointed to be read, said or sung in the Book of Common Prayer, and for purposes connected therewith.

[22nd December 1965]

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Powers exercisable under this Measure by Convocations of Canterbury and York with the concurrence of the House of Laity now exercisable by General Synod of the Church of England: Synodical Government Measure 1969 (No. 2), s. 3(4)

1 Permissive use of other versions of Bible in Book of Common Prayer. U.K.

(1) Wherever in the Book of Common Prayer a portion of Scripture is set out and appointed to be read, said or sung, the corresponding portion contained in any version of the Bible or part of the Bible for the time being authorised for the purpose by the Convocations of Canterbury and York with the concurrence of the House of Laity may be used at the discretion of the minister in place of that set out in the Book of Common Prayer:

Provided that a version of the Bible or part of the Bible so authorised shall not be used in any cathedral which is a parish church or in any church in a parish without the agreement of the parochial church council of the parish or in any guild church without the agreement of the guild church council or, in the case of services known as Occasional Offices, if any of the persons concerned objects beforehand to its use.

(2) An authorisation under this section may be for a limited period or subject to such other limitations as the Convocations of Canterbury and York may with the concurrence of the House of Laity determine, and may at any time be amended or revoked by the said Convocations with such concurrence.

(3) The Revised Psalter approved with a view to legislation for permissive use by the Convocations of Canterbury and York in October 1963 shall be deemed to have been authorised under subsection (1) of this section, and accordingly may be used under that subsection as from the passing of this Measure.

(4) In this section “the Book of Common Prayer” means the book annexed to the M1 Act of Uniformity 1662 and entitled “The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church according to the use of the Church of England together with the Psalter or Psalms of David pointed as they are to be sung or said in Churches and the Form and Manner of Making, Ordaining and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests and Deacons” as altered by any enactment passed before the passing of this Measure.

Marginal Citations

M1 1662 c. 4.

2 Short title and extent. U.K.

(1) This Measure may be cited as the Prayer Book (Versions of the Bible) Measure 1965.

(2) This Measure shall extend to the whole of the Provinces of Canterbury and York except the Channel Islands:

Provided that this Measure may be applied to the Channel Islands, as defined in the Channel Islands (Church Legislation) Measures 1931 and 1957 or either of them in accordance with those Measures.