Receive and commend to dioceses the Statement of the Consultation on Common Texts, Addressing Anti-Judaism in Holy Week and Easter (dated April 8, 2025).

The Anglican Church of Canada is a founding member of the Consultation on Common Texts (CCT), an ecumenical liturgical roundtable that gathers representatives of nearly 30 denominations in North America. Along with their work to steward and to augment the Revised Common Lectionary, such as the creation of Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, the CCT has been looking carefully at the critiques of the selections of readings offered in Holy Week and Easter Season. As the CCT, and its international partner, the English Language Liturgical Consultation, look to possible revision of the Revised Common Lectionary over the coming years, and the conversations leading in to those revision questions always start with questions about Holy Week and Easter.

This short essay was drafted by a Task Force within the Consultation on Common Texts and adopted at their April 2025 meeting. It offers a few suggestions for careful approaches to counter anti-Judaism that may creep in during Holy Week. It is not comprehensive, but is a good place to start.

Regarding the table of Easter readings cited in this document: In 2023 the General Synod adopted the Alternative Hebrew Scripture/Old Testament Readings for Eastertide as a way of countering a bias in the original RCL. The General Synod has already taken this action. The readings provided as alternatives for Pentecost are to be considered as suggestions, and feedback on the recommendations is welcomed.

In the normal course, an ordinary motion must be passed by a majority of the members of General Synod present and voting together.

Six members of General Synod may, prior to the question being put, require a vote by Orders, with a majority of each Order being necessary to pass.

If a question passes on a Vote by Orders, any six members (two from each of three different dioceses) may immediately before the next item of business require a vote to be taken by dioceses. A motion passes if a majority (or a tie) of dioceses vote in favour.

Source: Sections 4 and 5 of the Declaration of Principles and sections 18, 19 and 20 of the Rules of Order and Procedure.