A Prayer Book for the Twenty-first Century?

2014 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 639-660
Author(s):  
Stephen Burns ◽  
Bryan Cones
Keyword(s):  
First Century ◽  
Episcopal Church ◽  
Book Of Common Prayer ◽  
Prayer Book ◽  
Liturgical Renewal ◽  
Twenty First Century ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Common Prayer ◽  
The Church ◽  
Comprehensive Discussion

In the more than thirty years that have passed since the authorization of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, scholars and practitioners of its liturgical vision have mined the riches of its “baptismal ecclesiology,” its variety of texts, and its permissive rubrics; they have also raised new questions about its inconsistencies and shortcomings. Anglican and ecumenical partner churches have adapted and improved upon material found in the BCP in their own new liturgical resources, suggesting directions for further liturgical renewal, and the Episcopal Church itself has authorized supplemental texts in its Enriching Our Worship series, which began publication in 1998. Questions concerning expansive language, the relationship between baptismal ministry and its expression in holy orders, and the contextualization of liturgy in a multicultural church have come to the fore as primary concerns of the church in the twenty-first century, with important implications for the celebration of liturgy. The authors contend that attention to these questions, particularly regarding the language of prayer and the relationships among the ministers within the assembly, requires a more comprehensive discussion of liturgical renewal in the church, including the revision of the Book of Common Prayer itself. “… may be altered, abridged, enlarged, amended, or otherwise disposed of …”1

Jesus Christ – The Centre of Theology in Richard Hooker's Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Polity, Book V

2007 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Egil Grislis
Keyword(s):  
Jesus Christ ◽  
First Century ◽  
Book Of Common Prayer ◽  
Conservative Christianity ◽  
Central Attention ◽  
Secular Age ◽  
Twenty First Century ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Common Prayer ◽  
The Church

ABSTRACTRichard Hooker (1554–1600), while respected in his own time, has become famous in the twenty-first century. For a generally secular age of postmodernism, Hooker offers a remarkably coherent foundational methodology and presents a vigorous case for conservative Christianity. With central attention to Jesus Christ, he celebrates faith, appreciates tradition, and honours reason. Of course, Hooker wrote for his own times. But he has remained relevant, since he cherished truth that does not age. Of the eight books of his Lawes, in Book V Hooker recorded what may be called the most powerful witness for Evangelical and Catholic Christianity in a profound Anglican formulation. While the central orientation to Christ was characteristic of all of Hooker's works, Book V combined his methodological concerns with such central doctrines as the Church, the definition of prayer, Christology, and the holy sacraments. At the same time Hooker also reflected on the theological dimensions of a great variety of liturgical issues. This brief statement, however, precludes a detailed concern with all that is valuable, and focuses on the major doctrines. Moreover, Book V can also be viewed as a creative celebration and defence of the Book of Common Prayer.

The Book of Common Prayer: A Guide

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Hefling
Keyword(s):  
Sixteenth Century ◽  
Church Of England ◽  
The United States ◽  
History Of The Book ◽  
Book Of Common Prayer ◽  
Prayer Book ◽  
Corporate Worship ◽  
History Of ◽  
Common Prayer ◽  
The Church

This book surveys the contents and the history of the Book of Common Prayer, a sacred text which has been a foundational document of the Church of England and the other churches in the worldwide community of Anglican Christianity. The Prayer Book is primarily a liturgical text—a set of scripts for enacting events of corporate worship. As such it is at once a standard of theological doctrine and an expression of spirituality. The first part of this survey begins with an examination of one Prayer Book liturgy, known as Divine Service, in some detail. Also discussed are the rites for weddings, ordinations, and funerals and for the sacraments of Baptism and Communion. The second part considers the original version of the Book of Common Prayer in the context of the sixteenth-century Reformation, then as revised and built into the Elizabethan settlement of religion in England. Later chapters discuss the reception, revision, rejection, and restoration of the Prayer Book during its first hundred years. The establishment of the text in its classical form in 1662 was followed by a “golden age” in the eighteenth century, which included the emergence of a modified version in the United States. The narrative concludes with a chapter on the displacement of the Book of Common Prayer as a norm of Anglican identity. Two specialized chapters concentrate on the Prayer Book as a visible artifact and as a text set to music.

The Historical Background of the English Lectionary of 1955

1958 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-86
Author(s):  
Geoffrey G. Willis
Keyword(s):  
Church Of England ◽  
Historical Background ◽  
Book Of Common Prayer ◽  
Prayer Book ◽  
The People ◽  
Common Prayer ◽  
The Church

The preface to the Book of Common Prayer, entitled Concerning the Service of the Church since 1662, but before that simply The Preface, was derived substantially from the preface to the revised Breviary of Quiñones, which was one of the sources for the revised daily offices of the Church of England. It appeals from what it considers the corruptions of the medieval office to the ‘godly and decent order of the ancient Fathers’. This order, it says, was devised for the systematic reading of holy scripture in the offices of the Church, and it was the intention of the compilers of the English Prayer Book to restore such a regular order of reading for the instruction of the people. It represented a revolt against three features of the lessons in the medieval breviary: first, against the frequent interruptions of the reading of scripture in course by the occurrence of feasts with proper lessons; secondly, the lack of completeness and continuity in the lessons themselves; and thirdly, the use of non-biblical material in the lessons. Even if the daily office of the breviary, which is based on the ecclesiastical year, were not interrupted by any immoveable feasts having proper lessons, it would still not provide for the reading of the whole of scripture, as its lessons are too short, and also the variable lessons are confined to the night office.

The 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church and the Liturgy: New Wine in Old Wineskins?

2016 ◽  
Vol 98 (4) ◽  
pp. 681-701
Author(s):  
Bryan Cones
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Center Of Gravity ◽  
Theological Reflection ◽  
Episcopal Church ◽  
Book Of Common Prayer ◽  
Liturgical Reform ◽  
Common Prayer ◽  
The Church

The 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church generated a significant number of resolutions related to the church's liturgy, most of which passed both Houses, including resolutions authorizing preparation of the revision of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and The Hymnal 1982. A review of the resolutions related to liturgy and music, however, raises fundamental questions about the kind of liturgical reform the church may undertake and how it may integrate growing appreciation for linguistic and cultural diversity in the church, including the insights of feminist, postcolonial, and LGBTQ theological reflection and those produced by theologians of color. This essay argues that serious engagement with these questions suggests a completely reimagined liturgical “center of gravity” that integrates the insights of liturgical scholarship and practice since the authorization of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and The Hymnal 1982, while providing the flexibility to respond to the church's current diverse contexts.

Preambles: “But One Use”

2020 ◽  
pp. 76-86
Author(s):  
Charles Hefling
Keyword(s):  
Church Of England ◽  
Primary Sources ◽  
The Political ◽  
Book Of Common Prayer ◽  
Self Presentation ◽  
Prayer Book ◽  
Common Prayer ◽  
The Church

This chapter examines the Prayer Book’s self-presentation in its preliminary, nonliturgical prose: the two Acts of Uniformity (1559 and 1662) that define the constitution of the text and regulate its use in the Church of England; and the three prefatory essays, two of which were written by Thomas Cranmer for the original, 1549 Book of Common Prayer, and have been retained ever since. These texts are themselves primary sources that provide a preliminary context in which to understand the origins and purpose of the liturgies they precede. They outline the successive revisions of the Prayer Book, and indicate both the political and the theological dimensions of its contents.

The Prayer-Book Roots of Griffith Jones's Evangelism*

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
John Harding
Keyword(s):  
Church Of England ◽  
National Library ◽  
Book Of Common Prayer ◽  
Prayer Book ◽  
Predominant Component ◽  
Or Practice ◽  
Common Prayer ◽  
The Church

This article discusses Griffith Jones (1683–1761) an influential Church of England rector in West Wales from 1711, who is usually described as a precursor of Welsh Methodism and Evangelicalism. It refers to an undated, damaged notebook, in the National Library of Wales, containing sermon notes in Jones's own hand. The article seeks to trace the source of his evangelistic outlook, noting his conformist loyalty to the Church of England's doctrine, order and worship. Contrary to the opinion which attributes his pursuit of evangelism, with its seeking of conversions, to supposed Puritan influences, the article shows that the Book of Common Prayer was its inspiration. Preaching is discussed as the predominant component of worship. Jones's thought as a popular evangelist is examined, with reference to the brief sermon outlines in Welsh. The article discusses Jones's view of the defiance of Christian standards and ignorance of the faith, in Wales. Jones's practice was to summon people to faith. He preached this to those within the 'visible' national Church, which included infants, adding a strong demand for moral conformity. His concept of 'membership' was not postEnlightenment voluntarism, but of a statutory and biblical duty. For Griffith Jones the liturgy was not a disincentive to piety, contrary to some Dissenters' misgivings. His wish was for spiritual and moral renewal, not further reformation of Anglican doctrine or practice. He saw catechizing as a means against schismatical vagaries. His famous Circulating Schools reinforced this policy.

scholarly journals Prayer Book Catechism: Past its sell-by date?

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond Potgieter
Keyword(s):  
Church Of England ◽  
Christian Faith ◽  
Anglican Church ◽  
Book Of Common Prayer ◽  
Prayer Book ◽  
The World ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Common Prayer ◽  
The Church

The Book of Common Prayer (BCP) is the first introduction to Anglican belief and liturgy for many. More specifically, the Book of Common Prayer of 1662 contains the traditional catechism of the Church of England, enjoining catechumens to receive training and instruction in basic doctrines and Christian living. This takes place in the contexts of the liturgy and the more comprehensive doctrinal statements of the 39 Articles of Religion. Anglican religion traditionally allowed its members to verbalise their faith in both ritual and confession, thus serving the church and not so much life in the world. A revisit of the intentions of the catechism within its historical and prayer book contexts will show that it essentially expresses lasting truths of the Christian faith. In a world increasingly divorced from particular Christian expressions, the Anglican Church needs to rethink its particular use of the catechism for its continued relevance in meeting the questions and challenges Anglicans face daily.

When the Present Became Future: The Ambiguity behind the Consent in the Marriage Rite of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-32
Author(s):  
Bryan Spinks
Keyword(s):  
Middle English ◽  
Old English ◽  
Church Of England ◽  
Latin Text ◽  
Future Tense ◽  
Book Of Common Prayer ◽  
Prayer Book ◽  
Future Intention ◽  
Common Prayer ◽  
The Church

AbstractIn a preparatory essay for the International Anglican Liturgical Consultation 2011, on the topic of marriage, Thomas Cooper questioned the long-held view that the question of consent in the Prayer Book tradition was derived from the older betrothal vow. Arguing from the Latin of the Sarum Use, ‘Volo’, he argued that ‘Will you ..?’ and ‘I will’ reflects the Old English present tense and is part of the marriage vow. This article questions Cooper’s argument, and instead argues that the use of ‘will’ as a future tense already in Middle English and used in betrothals pre-dates the Latin text. As a result, the separation of the consent (understood as an immediate future intention) from the qvow as in the 1979 American Book of Common Prayer and the Church of England Common Worship 2000 is entirely justified.

scholarly journals The Form of Solemnization of Matrimony in the Book of Common Prayer: A Russian Translation with Some Notes on Its History and Language

2020 ◽  
pp. 146-164
Author(s):  
Василий Владимирович Чернов
Keyword(s):  
Russian Translation ◽  
Church Of England ◽  
Northern Europe ◽  
Book Of Common Prayer ◽  
Crucial Element ◽  
Prayer Book ◽  
Key Features ◽  
Common Prayer ◽  
The Church

Институт брака играл важную роль в ходе Английской «долгой Реформации» XVI-XVII веков. Изменение отношения к браку, как к состоянию низшему по сравнению с безбрачием, было одной из причин и движущих сил реформационных преобразований как на континенте, так и в Английской Церкви. При этом литургический чин бракосочетания в томвиде, в котором он был зафиксирован в Книге общественного богослужения 1662 года, является наиболее консервативной частью классического англиканского служебника. В данной статье автор демонстрирует, что данный чин не только практически не претерпел изменений как в ходе богослужебной реформы 1662 года, так и при подготовке предшествующих (1549 и 1552 гг.) редакций Служебника, но и в основном сохранил черты чинов бракосочетания из дореформационных английских литургических книг. Книга общественного богослужения 1662 года до сих пор не только сохраняет официальный статус в Церкви Англии (новые богослужебные книги допускаются лишь в качестве альтернативы классическому Служебнику), но и лежит в основе богословской и литургической традиций всех Церквей Англиканского Содружества, чем объясняется актуальность затронутой тематики. Marriage was a crucial element of England’s long Reformation in the 16th and 17th centuries. The end of view of marriage as inferior in relation to celibacy was among key reasons and forces of the reform both in England and the rest of the Northern Europe. The liturgy of marriage as it appears in the Book of Common Prayer 1662 was, however, the most conservative part of the Anglican worship of its time. The main goal of this article is to familiarize the Russian reader with one of England’s most important historic liturgies. The author also seeks to reaffirm that the Prayer Book marriage form not only passed largely unchanged through the making of 1549, 1552 and 1662 books, bud also preserved most key features of pre-Reformation English marriage rites. It resulted in a quite uniform Anglican liturgical tradition of wedding as the Prayer Book 1662 remains official in the Church of England and still frames worship and theology of the Anglican churches worldwide.

Disruption

2020 ◽  
pp. 155-178
Author(s):  
Charles Hefling
Keyword(s):  
Unintended Consequence ◽  
Sacred Text ◽  
Book Of Common Prayer ◽  
The Third ◽  
Prayer Book ◽  
Common Prayer ◽  
The Church

Three main topics are discussed in this chapter. One is the Hampton Court conference, the first of three largely unsuccessful attempts to take account of objections to the Book of Common Prayer on the part of “godly” protestant nonconformists. Another is the counter-puritan movement known as Laudianism and the abortive Prayer Book for Scotland, known as “Laud’s Liturgy.” The third topic is the parliamentary abolishment of the Prayer Book in England, which had the unintended consequence of elevating its status as a sacred text for those who continued to use it until its return as the Church of England’s statutory liturgy at the restoration of monarchy in 1660.

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