Ecumenical Prospects

Some people thought Eucharistic Prayer D or Prayer IV, as contemporary renditions of the anaphora of St. Basil, might serve as a meeting point, of Protestants and Catholics, of East and West. But these versions just don't ring right, to the ear (my ear, at least). Furthermore, the divisive issues, illustrated immediately below, in the prior entry, are really more side-stepped, than addressed. If one wanted to be contemporary, the Liturgy of Lima is superior to both of these.

Here is a post-Sanctus introduction that truly might be ecumenical because it is composed almost entirely of Scriptural passages. It seeks to provide an alternative soteriology (for contemplation). It also mimics, although not to great effect, the three-fold division of the two aforementioned prayers.

Holy art thou, Father, for thou art the LORD our God: we shall know no other god but thee. Thou hast brought us forth from the house of bondage, and saved us from the wilderness and great drought. Thou filled us and our hearts were exalted. Even when we had forgotten thee, thou promised to ransom us from the power of the grave and to redeem us from death.

O Father of all, thou sent to us thy only Son, the true Light of the world. He was in the world and the world knew him not. He came into his own, and his own received him not. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. He forgave us our trespasses fully, blotting out the ordinances of men that were against us and taking them out of the way, by nailing all to his holy tree. And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. He is the head of the church, having made peace through the blood of his cross, reconciling all things to him. Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ.

For by the law of the Holy Spirit, the giver of life, we have been made free of the law of sin and death.

Naturally, it could be made much better. I just knocked it out in about an hour.