I have always liked to think that I am reasonably intelligent - college educated, a few patents to my name, etc. Recently I have come to the conclusion that I must be too stupid to read and understand simple English. I am hoping that someone can explain to me, in terms that I, an obvious simpleton, can understand, these various claims that I keep hearing about the RDL.

1. The bishops promulgate a liturgy and include a letter in the front matter of the pew book stating that "...this text and its attendant music will be the sole liturgical text for the celebration of the Divine Liturgies..."

2. There are claims, on the MCI forum (and probably here as well), that other musical settings are still allowed.

3. Well, not really. Only completely different musical settings are allowed. Musical settings that were the obvious genesis of the settings in the new books are suppressed, and only the improved versions are allowed.

4. Completely different settings are OK though. And if the completely different setting uses a different translation of the text than the new liturgy, then maybe we can use the old translation as well. Or maybe not. No one really knows.

5. But using a different translation may not be that big of a deal, because "sole liturgical text" doesn't really mean the ONLY liturgical text. Entire other languages are, of course, OK.

6. And, of course, there is no need to worry if you want to pray parts of the liturgy that used to be there and were left out of the new books. There was no intent to say that you couldn't use other prayers that were not part of the "sole liturgical text", e.g. the antiphons.

7. Although you can apparently add more verses to the antiphons, as was your prior custom, this is not a universal indult. I somehow suspect that you can not add words to the Creed, as had been your prior custom - but then again, I am admittedly stupid and could be wrong about this.

8. There is apparently a balance in the world. Because just as you can add prayers that aren't in the books, you can apparently subtract prayers that are there. I should probably withhold judgment until the end of the month, but the betting money is that come July the pre-cut particle industry will not suddenly be put out of business by full Proskomedia services.

There have been changes made in the RDL that I thought were good. There have been changes made that I thought were the aesthetic equivalent of pig toots. The hierarchs did not ask me for my 49% input, so I don't really care. I am content to try to pray the RDL as perfectly as possible. I just wish that everyone, on both sides, would just get over it. I wish the old school would stop the petulant whining tone. I wish the reformers would stop trying to argue with a straight face that the words don't mean what they say. I wish pastors would stop picking and choosing which parts of the liturgy they are going to use.

But, again, I am a obviously a simpleton, and am eagerly waiting for enlightenment on these issues. While waiting for the explanations to pour in, I am going to go do some manual labor and quiet prayer. Then maybe I will tackle some intellectual pursuit more on my level. I haven't read Feynman's book on quantum electrodynamics in a while. At least it makes sense.

Ed

But, again, I am a obviously a simpleton, and am eagerly waiting for enlightenment on these issues.