Different Confirmation Rites

I'm still having issues getting phone and net service. I wish I could be online more during my confirmation week.

But I've been studying confirmation rites from the 1662, 1928, 1979 and current REC prayer books. Yes, I have quite a collection already.

Now I know all us orthodox types revere the 1662 BCP and rightly so. But wow, it is spare in places, and the confirmation rite is one such place. Now this comparison wouldn't be fair, but the 1662 rite reminds me of the scene from Monty Python's Jabberwocky where the Bishop comes to town to give a blessing. There's excitement and hub-bub in the streets as the Bishop's entourage proceeds. Finally comes the anticipated time of the blessing. And as the hushed crowd watches, the bishop wets his fingers in holy water . . . and flicks them . . . and that's the blessing.

I'm glad later prayer books, such as the 1928 and REC BCPs, add a little more meat to the rite, while still keeping to the basic form.

And, yes, I want the bishop to take a little time with my confirmation, more so than the 1662 rite. It's important to me! . . . And I want him to wear a really fancy golden mitre.

At the other extreme, in the 1979 US BCP, the confirmation rite adds and rearranges so much, it's almost unrecognizable. Since I want a prayer book to connect me with past saints, that's not good. And this little addition is classic (from the renewal of the baptismal covenant on p. 417):

Bishop: Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?

People: I will with God's help.

I almost expect the bishop to then ask, "Will you fight against Western patriarchal, Capitalist hegemony?"?

Seriously, the 1979 adds a thinly veiled lefty prayer to the confirmation rite. Yes, justice and peace are Biblical themes. But they are also code words for leftist political agendas as anyone who has watched American mainline denominations well knows. Besides, working for real peace and justice and respecting others is certainly well covered elsewhere in the rite, particularly in the previous question and response.

So the 1979 confirmation rite adds a gratuitous lefty agenda. I don't know if I should find that humorous or offensive. Probably both.