The Lectionaries in the Episcopal Church

By John Marshall, 2/24/2010

The Episcopal Church utilizes two different Lectionaries (selections of Scripture to be read on a regular basis that results in reading a major portion of the Bible).

The Sunday Eucharistic Lectionary is on a three-year cycle, designated as Years A, B, and C. Currently the Episcopal Church authorizes only the use of the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL). This is a specific listing of passages of Scripture. The RCL includes passages from the Old Testament, Psalms, the Apocrypha, the New Testament letters of Paul, and the four Gospels. The three synoptic Gospels are used for specific years with Matthew read in Year A, Mark read in Year B, and Luke read in Year C. The Gospel of John is used for specific occasions within each year. Although the RCL can be read in several different translation of the Bible, the Episcopal Church predominately reads from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

The Daily Office Lectionary is on a two-year cycle, designated as Year One and Year Two. This selection of passages of Scripture are used when the Daily Office is read. The Daily Office includes remnants of the monastic Offices and it includes the services of Daily Morning Prayer, Daily Evening Prayer, Noonday Prayer, Evensong, Daily Evening Prayer, and Compline. The Daily Office Lectionary has not been updated in the past fifty years. It is very different from the Revised Common Lectionary. Since the Daily Office is used every day, the user reads through more Scripture in a period of time, therefore this reading cycle requires only two years to complete while the Sunday Eucharistic Lectionary in the Revised Common Lectionary, only being read on Sundays is on a three year cycle.

We offer books that contain the Scripture texts written out for the two lectionaries. You can view the books by clicking on these links Sunday Eucharistic Lectionary (RCL) and Daily Office Lectionary.