The 1662 Book of Common Prayer

"I think this is a beautiful project, and one that will be useful to churches and families that want to take advantage of the great beauty and theological power of the old prayer book, without being distracted by irrelevant or obscure language." -- Alan Jacobs, Baylor University
"In an age when each new wave of liturgical reform seems doomed to obsolescence almost before it is completed, Bray and Keane's call to 'Look to the rock from whence you were hewn' is a breath of fresh air. Amid the wreckage of discarded innovations that litter the liturgical landscape, the 1662 Book of Common Prayer still stands as the classic expression of Anglican spirituality, the finest edition of a prayer book that has nurtured the faith of countless millions. Bray and Keane are to be praised and saluted for retrieving this forgotten gem, polishing it up, and demonstrating its enduring value as a guide for public and private devotion. In the process, they have also proven the folly of overhasty modernizations of older devotional texts, showing that archaic language can be not merely beautiful but still thoroughly intelligible. Judiciously edited and beautifully presented, this edition is a great gift to the church today; I pray that it will be gratefully received and widely adopted." -- Brad Littlejohn, president of the Davenant Institute
"The Prayer Book-in the classic edition of 1662-has been attacked, denigrated, dismissed, damned with faint praise, patronized, patted on the head, and torn in shreds. It's too Protestant, it's too Catholic, it's a typical Anglican muddle, it does not express the new insight of the modern age, it's not open to the Spirit, it's not relevant. Yet all these cantankerous and often sophistical cavillations fall away when you pray according to the rule of prayer it sets forth with an open heart and an open mind. What then meets you in these pages is a pure scriptural teaching, deeply embedded in the catholic tradition, turned into the language of prayer, and in the corporate action of liturgy, with a craftmanship that is quietly breathtaking. Its prose is not Tudor but timeless, not purple but plain in its elegance (simplex munditiis); and in its clarity, dignity, and quiet beauty it carries the weight of conviction as almost nothing else does. That is why it survived the Marian reaction, the Puritan interregnum, and the diktats of modern liturgists; that's why it will encourage and embolden the faithful in the new dark ages of skepticism and hostility to religion. Though this prayer book came out of the Church of England, it belongs not to the English, nor even to Anglicans, much less to Anglophiles (fruity accents and whatnot)-as this edition makes clear, it is a prayer book for English-speaking Christians throughout the world." -- Gavin Dunbar, rector of St. John's Church, Savannah, Georgia (the Episcopal Church), and president of the Prayer Book Society of the USA
"By sensitively updating the language and adapting the content for use by the worldwide Anglican Communion, this 1662 Book of Common Prayer, International Edition, makes a most welcome contribution toward making the classical liturgy of Anglicanism accessible to younger people and to a wider audience. Those who use it will rediscover a liturgical tradition that has shaped the spiritual life of generations of faithful Anglicans and be strengthened in their faith as they make their pilgrim way to the celestial city." -- Gerald Bray, Beeson Divinity School
"The editors of The 1662 Book of Common Prayer, International Edition, are to be congratulated on making every effort to preserve the substance and form of traditional common prayer in a manner accessible to the widest possible community of Anglican worshippers. The rhythm, meter, and musicality of the language, so critically important for liturgical expression, have been preserved intact. The editors' discerning decision 'to update the language of rubrics most; prayers less; and Psalms, canticles, and biblical texts least of all' is admirable indeed, and strikes just the right balance of minimal but acceptable modification. 'O worship the Lord in beauty of holiness. Let the whole earth stand in awe of Him.'" -- Torrance Kirby, McGill University
"Many love the Prayer Book for its linguistic beauty, but greater than that is its ability to communicate the gospel. This new edition of the Book of Common Prayer makes gospel proclamation, as Cranmer wanted it, front and center without sacrificing its aesthetic value. Updated to speak the gospel into the context of today, this edition will not only be a valuable resource for those interested in liturgy, but a devotional companion for those seeking to hear the message of our redemption in the Lord Jesus Christ. I hope it finds a welcome place in our studies, homes, and churches." -- Andrew Pearson, dean and rector of Cathedral Church of the Advent, Birmingham, Alabama
"These biblically infused prayers, full of the gospel of grace, are a wonderful resource for the global church." -- Andrew Atherstone, Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford
"The 1662 Book of Common Prayer has long been considered the high-water mark of the Anglican liturgy. It's called 'common prayer' not because the vernacular attempted the lowest common denominator of the speech of the day. To the contrary, the language of the Prayer Book reaches a majestic level. It reflects with theological purpose the linguistic patterns and liturgical protocols of the biblical, heavenly court, since worship is entrance into the throne room of the King of kings. The use of 'common' to describe this book instead means in one common place, overcoming the problem of multiple service books of the Middle Ages prior to the English Reformation. In achieving this purpose, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer brought together in one book, via ancient and streamlined templates of worship, the theology of Holy Scripture and the ancient church fathers in the beauty of holiness. Yet it took a hundred years of reform after Cranmer to reach, with the edition of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, the balanced objectives of the church. Since then it has survived the test of time, being to this day the most commonly used version of the Book of Common Prayer around the world. Bray and Keane are therefore to be commended for making this paragon of praise and thanksgiving available to the international community while maintaining its historic language, patterns, prayers, and most importantly, its theology." -- Bishop Ray Sutton, presiding bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Church and ecumenical dean of the Anglican Church in North America
"The Book of Common Prayer has kept its place at the center of Anglican identity in a remarkable way, considering the long and kaleidoscopic history of the churches that use it. This latest presentation of its riches is, like the original, marked by judicious common sense, but also by a sure instinct for how its many virtues can elegantly be augmented by the practice of later centuries. It is to be welcomed as a gift to Anglicans worldwide: not a trophy of antique display but a practical framework for everyday worship." -- Diarmaid MacCulloch, professor emeritus of the history of the church, University of Oxford, and author of Thomas Cranmer: A Life
"The Book of Common Prayer, now nearly five hundred years old, is one of the historic witnesses of religious practice and feeling. This new International Edition, with additions and revisions to bring it up to date for a new global English-speaking audience, is the latest example of how it continues to be reimagined and reexperienced in every era." -- Brian Cummings, Anniversary Professor at the University of York and author of The Book of Common Prayer: A Very Short Introduction
"I often hear from harried Christians, anxious about what they can 'do' in this time of extraordinary turbulence and disorder. There must be something-besides prayer, of course-some action to take. So far I have explained that praying is actually the best thing to do, no matter what, but now I will also hand them this book. It is such a gift to have a fresh, updated version of a resource that has anchored generations of Christians to the deep hope of the gospel. The person who uses this book in a disciplined way to orient himself or herself in Scripture, prayer, and worship will find the way not just to action but to a life transformed from one of wind-tossed anxiety to the settled rest of a tree, planted by a stream of water." -- Anne Kennedy, author of Nailed It: 365 Readings for Angry or Worn-Out People