2. The Rev Dr John Bunyan asked -

I respectfully ask with reference to statements concerning questions of Liturgy in your Grace's Presidential Address -

(a) What are the "constitutional difficulties" involved in providing further orders of services and other liturgical resources in this Diocese, who would give the approval for the use of these, and would the giving of such approval be in accordance with the Constitution of the Anglican Church of Australia?

(b) Could the legitimate and diverse needs of parishes be met, and in a mobile society a greater degree of Anglican common prayer be fostered, and any constitutional problems be avoided by developing a small collection of services of Morning and Evening Prayer and Holy Communion in book and in other suitable form, that -

(i) all represented not new services but lawful variations and deviations from the Book of Common Prayer, An Australian Prayer Book and A Prayer Book for Australia;

(ii) that all were in simple user-friendly form;

(iii) that all allowed for reasonable flexibility;

(iv) that met the needs of a considerable number of church people by including in that same user-friendly form and with the same flexibility the Morning and Evening Prayer and Holy Communion of the Book of the Book of Common Prayer in the original language with only absolutely necessary verbal changes; and

(v) that could become a simple book to stand alongside other authorised books but without their complexity and so able to become a familiar aid to prayer and worship among church people generally and thereby of benefit not only in this Diocese but beyond its boundaries?

(c) Can we be assured that any variations from the Communion services at present lawfully authorised in terms of the Constitution conform to the Communion doctrine of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer and the 39 Articles of Religion and to the doctrinally relevant rubrics of the 1662 Communion Office?

To which the President replied -

(a) Under Section 4 of the Constitution of the Anglican Church of Australia a Bishop can only approve "deviations" from the Book of Common Prayer services or a prayer book that has been authorised by the General Synod. There is great doubt as to how far the power of deviation extends. Bishops have generally taken a broad view but this is by no means clear.

(b) This is a request for an opinion and is strictly out of order under Standing Order 27. However, the proposal might fulfil the need envisaged if it was approved in accordance with the Constitution.

(c) This is a request for a legal opinion and is strictly out of order under Standing Order 27. However, as far as I am aware the answer is yes.