The Anglican Lectionary Trivia Quiz

Answer: 2

The lectionary of Sunday readings in the Book of Common Prayer is on a three-year cycle that begins on the first Sunday of Advent and continues into the following year. The cycle is divided into Year A, Year B, and Year C. While the Sunday readings follow a three-year cycle, the Daily Office uses a two-year cycle. Year One begins on the first Sunday in Advent preceding odd-numbered years, and Year Two on the first Sunday in Advent preceding even-numbered years.

Answer: During morning and evening prayer

In addition to the Psalms, three readings are provided for each day of the week. Traditionally, two are used in the morning and one in the evening, although there is an option to use all three readings in either the morning or evening if the Daily Office is only read once during the day.

The Book of Common Prayer contains liturgies for Daily Morning Prayer and Daily Evening Prayer. If the Daily Office is read twice, it is recommended that the Gospel reading be used in the evening in Year One and in the morning in Year Two.

Answer: True

The Apocrypha is a term given to the books contained in the Catholic Old Testament canon that are not contained in the Protestant Old Testament canon. While Catholics consider these books canonical, Protestants reject them. The Anglicans take something of a middle-ground. Article VI of the Thirty-Nine Articles states that these books are to be read "for example of life and instruction of manners," but not to establish doctrine. Portions of the Apocrypha therefore appear in the Daily Office lectionary.

The lectionary contains passages from Ecclesiasticus (also known as Sirach or the Wisdom of Jesus ben Sira), I and II Macabees, and the Wisdom of Solomon.

Answer: The Psalm

The Psalm is often read responsively by half or whole verse or in unison by the entire congregation. The Anglican Book of Common Prayer contains its own unique translation of the Psalms, known as the Coverdale Psalter. From 1958 to 1963, T.S. Eliot and C.S. Lewis helped to revise the Coverdale Psalter as part of a committee, but that revision never went into widespread use.

Answer: The Gospel Reading

In Anglican tradition, the congregation stands when the Gospel is announced and faces the Gospel book or priest during the reading. In some congregations, the Gospel is processed into the middle of the congregation as the acolytes bear candles. The reading begins with the words, "The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to [the Gospel Author]." The congregation responds, "Glory to you, Lord Christ." After the reading, the priest typically says, "The Gospel of the Lord," to which the congregation responds, "Praise to you, Lord Christ."

Standing during the Gospel reading signifies that the Gospel is the core message of Christianity. The sermon is typically preached on the Gospel reading as well.

Answer: December 30, 2022

2021 is not evenly divisible by 3. 2022 is evenly divisible by 3, but November 25, 2022 occured before Advent, which began on November 27 in 2022. Therefore, December 30, 2022 is the only date in Year A.

Answer: Acts

The New Testament reading often comes from Revelation, but the first reading often comes from Acts. During the Easter season, which begins on Easter Day, the church becomes more focused on what happened to the disciples after the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus. Forty days after Easter comes Pentecost, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, a story that is recounted in Acts.

Answer: I and II Chronicles

Much of I and II Chronicles is omitted because it repeats a lot of I and II Kings. These books were entirely omitted from the lectionary in the 17th century, but more modern lectionaries intersperse some verses from Chronicles with Kings.

Answer: False

There are two tracks to choose from, but once a track has been selected, tradition dictates that it should be followed through to the end of the Pentecost season. The first track follows major themes and stories, while the second follows the Roman Catholic tradition of thematically pairing the Old Testament reading with the Gospel reading.

Answer: On Epiphany

This is the reading for Epiphany in Year C. In the Anglican tradition, Epiphany, which falls on January 6, commemorates the magi's visit to the young child Jesus and the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.