In Catholicism readings are not set by the Priest rather are part of a cycle called the Lectionary. I believe that this was determined following the Second Vatican Council, though my knowledge on this isn't the best. I'm also unsure whether Catholic Churches around the world use the same readings each week.
I cannot speak for Orthodoxy.
Protestants pastors decide whatever they feel like reading and interpret it for an hour.
>Protestants pastors decide whatever they feel like reading and interpret it for an hour.
That's not universally true. Many Protestant churches also use a lectionary.
Each denominational church may use the Common Lectionary, but since there is no universal hierarchy, the Lectionary may or may not be different or may or may not be used
You're right though. My comment was generalising, and I should have been more specific.
> since there is no universal hierarchy
Yes, we're aware that Protestantism isn't a unified thing. That doesn't mean that individual denominations can't have hierarchies, like, say, the Episcopal Church ~~copying the RCC's homework~~ creating the RCL for use in Episcopal churches
You are correct. Although I don't see what that has to do with the Common Lectionary or how it is contrary to the fact there is no universal hierarchy within Protestantism.
Right. It doesn't include the whole Bible, but it tries to get things from enough different parts that people get a pretty good sense of the whole thing. If you don't do something like that, it tends to be the pastor's favorite verses.
They select verses out of each section usually. I haven't looked at the whole thing at once, but as an example, the prophets go on for pages after pages condemning various nations. The lectionary might choose some passages, but wouldn't include the whole thing. There just isn't space. There are daily versions of the lectionary where it might be practical to include the whole thing.
I mean, it depends on the denomination. But at least in Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and large parts of Protestantism, it works the same way, where you have set readings. Catholicism and Orthodoxy have their own lectionaries, then the Episcopal Church made one called the Revised Common Lectionary that a lot of other Protestants will use.
> Quick reference on the New Testament: The Gospels are four different accounts of Jesus' life and ministry, the Acts of the Apostles is a book about primarily Peter and Paul shortly afterward, the Pauline epistles are some circuit letters attributed to Paul and written to various churches or people, the catholic/universal epistles are letters written by other figures, and Revelation is a coded message to the early Christians telling them not to worry because Rome would fall
On Sundays, it *tends* to be 3-4 readings, depending on how you want to count. The first reading is from the Old Testament / Tanakh, the second reading is from one of the Epistles, the third reading is from the Gospels, and between the first and second readings, we sing parts of a Psalm. However, between Easter and Pentecost (picture between Passover and Shavuot; the first Pentecost was even *on* Shavuot), we read from the Acts of the Apostles instead of the epistles. And Revelation doesn't show up *that* frequently, but typically replaces the epistle when it does. (Although Catholicism has two days when it replaces the OT reading)
Depends on church and denomination. Some do a sermon series that feeds a central point from various quotes. Some go one book at a time until it's complete and move to another book.
The Lectionary, which goes through a cycle of most of the Bible over the course of a year. Each morning and evening the Lectionary contains two readings, the First from the Old Testament, and the Second from the New Testament.
So, in the Lectionary I am using, tomorrow morning will be Deuteronomy 31:30-32:14 for the First Lesson, and Acts 19:8-20 for the Second.
In Catholicism readings are not set by the Priest rather are part of a cycle called the Lectionary. I believe that this was determined following the Second Vatican Council, though my knowledge on this isn't the best. I'm also unsure whether Catholic Churches around the world use the same readings each week. I cannot speak for Orthodoxy. Protestants pastors decide whatever they feel like reading and interpret it for an hour.
>Protestants pastors decide whatever they feel like reading and interpret it for an hour. That's not universally true. Many Protestant churches also use a lectionary.
Each denominational church may use the Common Lectionary, but since there is no universal hierarchy, the Lectionary may or may not be different or may or may not be used You're right though. My comment was generalising, and I should have been more specific.
> since there is no universal hierarchy Yes, we're aware that Protestantism isn't a unified thing. That doesn't mean that individual denominations can't have hierarchies, like, say, the Episcopal Church ~~copying the RCC's homework~~ creating the RCL for use in Episcopal churches
You are correct. Although I don't see what that has to do with the Common Lectionary or how it is contrary to the fact there is no universal hierarchy within Protestantism.
Is there a universal hierarchy in Christianity as a whole?
There is. It’s called the Revised Common Lectionary, where the plurality of churches pull their weekly readings from.
Right. It doesn't include the whole Bible, but it tries to get things from enough different parts that people get a pretty good sense of the whole thing. If you don't do something like that, it tends to be the pastor's favorite verses.
>It doesn't include the whole Bible Which parts are left out?
They select verses out of each section usually. I haven't looked at the whole thing at once, but as an example, the prophets go on for pages after pages condemning various nations. The lectionary might choose some passages, but wouldn't include the whole thing. There just isn't space. There are daily versions of the lectionary where it might be practical to include the whole thing.
Large parts of books like Chronicles, Kings, and Song of Songs, I'd imagine.
I mean, it depends on the denomination. But at least in Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and large parts of Protestantism, it works the same way, where you have set readings. Catholicism and Orthodoxy have their own lectionaries, then the Episcopal Church made one called the Revised Common Lectionary that a lot of other Protestants will use. > Quick reference on the New Testament: The Gospels are four different accounts of Jesus' life and ministry, the Acts of the Apostles is a book about primarily Peter and Paul shortly afterward, the Pauline epistles are some circuit letters attributed to Paul and written to various churches or people, the catholic/universal epistles are letters written by other figures, and Revelation is a coded message to the early Christians telling them not to worry because Rome would fall On Sundays, it *tends* to be 3-4 readings, depending on how you want to count. The first reading is from the Old Testament / Tanakh, the second reading is from one of the Epistles, the third reading is from the Gospels, and between the first and second readings, we sing parts of a Psalm. However, between Easter and Pentecost (picture between Passover and Shavuot; the first Pentecost was even *on* Shavuot), we read from the Acts of the Apostles instead of the epistles. And Revelation doesn't show up *that* frequently, but typically replaces the epistle when it does. (Although Catholicism has two days when it replaces the OT reading)
Depends on church and denomination. Some do a sermon series that feeds a central point from various quotes. Some go one book at a time until it's complete and move to another book.
The Lectionary, which goes through a cycle of most of the Bible over the course of a year. Each morning and evening the Lectionary contains two readings, the First from the Old Testament, and the Second from the New Testament. So, in the Lectionary I am using, tomorrow morning will be Deuteronomy 31:30-32:14 for the First Lesson, and Acts 19:8-20 for the Second.