In ecclesiastical circles, among clergy and others, the book is often today called, in a kind of jargon or shorthand 1662. The solution to our problem presented itself during an 8. The prayer book of 1662, with minor changes, has continued as the standard liturgy. The full title of this act is, an act for the uniformity of public prayers and administration of sacraments, and other rites and ceremonies, and for establishing the form of making, ordaining and consecrating bishops, priests and deacons in the church of england. The knockon from this is described in j tomlinson, the prayer book, articles and. Celebrating people who have made parliament a positive, inclusive working environment. It itself is the result of more than a century of liturgical. The value of the 1662 book of common prayer the 1662 common worship came just in time to unite the nations prayers during the severe trials of the bubonic plague which, at its height, slaughtered 7,500 in london alone per week. Where at the death of our late sovereign lord king edward the sixth, there remained one uniform order of common service and prayer, and of the administration of sacraments, rites. That prayer book and liturgy, the book of common prayer, was authorized by the act of uniformity 1549. The book of common prayer an act for the uniformity of common prayer, and service in the church, and administration of the sacraments. In may 1662 parliament passed another act of uniformity which authorised the use of a revised version broadly the same as the 1559 edition. This edition of the prayer book has been freshly typeset for the 21st century, using a modern digital typeface to give a.
It was one of the instruments of the english reformation and was later to be adapted and revised in other countries where anglicanism became established. It prescribed the form of public prayers, administration of sacraments, and other rites of the established church of england, according to the rites and ceremonies prescribed in the book of common prayer. The book of common prayer, as printed by john baskerville this document is intended to exactly reproduce the 1662 book of common prayer as printed by john baskerville in 1762. The 1662 book of common prayer of the church of england you can download it by clicking the picture to the left or the link below is still technically the only official prayer book of the church of england, the mother church for the moment at least of the anglican communion. Hearkening back to its early history, the church of england is still linked with the british state in a way in which most anglican provinces are not. The book of common prayer bcp and the king james version kjv of the bible have nurtured anglicans for over three hundred years in the christian faith. The book of common prayer is central to the christian faith as practised by the church of england.
Parliament seized upon the prayer book and attached it as an. Almost a thousand parish clergy were ejected from their livings, unable to accept the demands of the act. Parliament and the 1662 book of common prayer volume 18 issue 1 colin. A manuscript copy of the booke of common prayer and administration of the sacraments and other rites and ceremonies of the church according to the vse of the church of england together with the psalter or psalmes of david pointed as they are to be sung or said in churches and the forme or manner of making, ordeining and consecrating. The book of common prayer, 1662 logos bible software. This has been the last edition of any national prayer book to be written entirely in traditional language. The original book, published in 1549 in the reign of edward vi, was a product of the english reformation following the break with rome. The role of an annexe is not surprising, nor is it demeaning of the liturgy. The book of common prayer is the old and wellloved prayer book of the church of england, in use since the 16th century. Common prayer as an annexe to the act in 1662 is equally applicable to 1549 and 1552.
The first authoritative book of common prayer unique to canada was printed in 1918. I wish they offered a bible in the same brown goatskin. The 1662 book of common prayer still the official prayer book of the church of england has gone through literally hundreds of printings. Act of uniformity 1662 wikimili, the free encyclopedia. The 1662 prayer book mandated by the 1662 act of uniformity was a slightly revised version of the previous book. The 1662 version is still technically the authorized version of the book of common prayer for the church of england. The church of england in canada was renamed the anglican chuch of canada in 1955, and undertook a revision of the prayer book in 1959, printing it in 1962. After the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 moves were made to revise and re introduce the prayer book. The corporation act 1661 forbade municipal office to dissenters defined as. The prayer book of 1662, with minor changes, has continued as the standard liturgy of. It itself is the result of more than a century of liturgical development through a turbulent time in british history.
For use together with the book of common prayer 1662 and an australian prayer book 1978 by anglican church of australia oct 1, 1995 5. The 1662 act, part of the restoration settlement, contained as an annex the bcp still in use, and required all ministers to assent. The book of common prayer is the old and wellloved prayer book of the anglican church, in use since the 16th century. A permanent feature of the church of englands worship and a key source for its doctrine, the book of common prayer is loved for the beauty of its language and its services are widely used. In this revised 1662 form, it has become one of the classic texts of the english language, its prayers and expressions making english what it is today. From 1645 to 1660, under the commonwealth and protectorate, the prayer book was suppressed. Book of common prayer, liturgical book used by churches of the anglican communion. Albans anglican church in copenhagen, denmark, in the summer of the year 2001. First authorized for use in the church of england in 1549, it was radically revised in 1552, with subsequent minor revisions in 1559, 1604, and 1662. It made the use of the book of common prayer compulsory, and led to the protest and expulsion of almost twothousand clergymen from the church of england who refused to recognize it. Compiled in the sixteenth century by thomas cranmer, and modified in 1662, the prayer book remains the official doctrinal standard of the church of england and of most other churches in the worldwide anglican communion. The full name of the 1662 book of common prayer is the book of common prayer and administration of the sacraments and other rites and ceremonies of the church, according to the use of the church of england, together with the psalter or psalms of david, pointed as they are to be sung or said in churches. Explore the parliamentary collections for documents about the history of the book of common prayer.
And the form and manner of making, ordaining, and consecrating of bishops, priests, and deacons. That is, it is an exact copy of the original 1662 bcp, with only those changes prescribed by subsequent legislation, or by royal orders in council. The prayer book society has produced a series of videos which can be used by anyone seeking guidance on how to. Despite conservative opposition, parliament passed the act of uniformity on 21 january 1549, and the newly authorised book of common prayer was required to be in use by whitsunday, 9 june. The rite in use at the service was that of the 1662 edition of the book of common prayer.
Baskerville was one of the giants of english typography, making a number of. The work of 1549 was the first prayer book to include the complete. Book of common prayer is used at the anglican church service, and it is a daily bread for them. Why we use the 1662 prayer book saint stephens anglican. Book, open prayer in and throughout this act is meant that prayer which is for others to come unto or hear, either in common churches or private chapels or oratories, commonly called the service of the church or shall preach, declare, or speak anything in the derogation or depraving of. The 1662 prayer book was introduced only two years after the restoration of the monarchy in an attempt to unite the people through religion. And baldrys description of the book of common prayer as an annexe to the act in 1662 is equally applicable to 1549 and 1552. The book of common prayer is the abbreviated title of the official liturgical service book of the church of england, originally commissioned by king edward vi 15371553 to direct the worship of the anglican church. At st johns we are committed to the living use of the 1662 book of common prayer. The first prayer book, enacted by the first act of uniformity of edward vi in. The prayer book of 1662, with minor changes, has continued as the standard liturgy of most anglican churches of the british commonwealth. The 1662 book of common prayer by church of england.
Many puritans, however, were unwilling to conform to it. In a new revision after the restoration, it was again declared the only legal service book for use in england by an act of uniformity 1662. The book of common prayer 1662 pdf book manual free. This particular printing appears in david griffiths bibliography of the book of common prayer as 17624. Book of common prayer bcp is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the anglican communion, as well as by other christian churches historically related to anglicanism. The earliest work, published in 1549, was the first prayer book to contain the complete forms of service for daily and sunday worship in the english language. The bcp replaced the various uses or rites in latin that had been used in different parts of the. It is ideally designed for united, active, prayerful worship. When it was first produced, the book of common prayer provoked riots. The 1662 book of common prayer was essentially a compromise position, satisfying the needs of neither the laudian or presbyterian parties within the church of england jasper, 1989. Yet this familiarity hides a violent and controversial history.
Prayer book attached to the caroline act of uniformity. This edition of the book of common prayer was instituted with the act of uniformity 1662, only two years after the restoration of the monarchy. Since the book of common prayer has come up before, i thought id share a couple of photos featuring the enlarged edition of cambridges 1662 bcp, bound in brown goatskin with artgilt edges. The texts of 1549, 1559, and 1662 oxford worlds classics. The act of uniformity 1662 14 car 2 c 4 is an act of the parliament of england.
It included the readings for the psalter for the very first time. The event to mark is the 350 th anniversary of the book of common prayer. The act of uniformity 1662 14 car 2 c 4 is an act of the parliament of england it prescribed the form of public prayers, administration of sacraments, and other. Bread, and its meaning is also fixed by the visitation articles of archdeacon pory.
The stated intent of this volume, published in 1901, was to present the 1662 book of common prayer unsullied by unauthorized changes which had slipped into it over the years. Cambridge 1662 book of common prayer enlarged edition. Many ministers refused to accept the new book when it was first produced and as many as 1,760 were denied their livings. Cambridge also publishes the book of common prayer 1662 edition. I n the following pages the book of common prayer which was annexed in manuscript, as the authoritative record, to the act of uniformity of 1662, is exactly reproduced in typeit is believed for the first time by this it is to be understood that the text is here printed verbatim et literatim, without any attempt to modernize the spelling, or to harmonize it in the very numerous instances. The words of the book of common prayer have permeated deep into the life and literature of the englishspeaking world. The act of uniformity 1662 is an act of the parliament of england. People interested in anglican church history and lit. The book of common prayer, this document is intended to. In this revised 1662 form, it has also become one of the classic texts of the english language, its prayers and expressions making english what it is today. Book of common prayer, 1662 christianity knowledge base.
Around 900 ministers refused to subscribe to the new prayer book and were removed from their positions, an event known as the great ejection. Every person presented, to read the prayers according to the said book, and. The act of uniformity 1549 was the first act of its kind and was used to make religious worship across england and its territories consistent i. What kept me amused during longer, more tedious sermons were the additional services, dating from 1662, not included in the modern book of common prayer such as a comminaton or denouncing of gods anger and judgements against sinners to be used on the first day of lent and a form of prayer for the 30th day of january with fasting for king charles the martyr, a form of prayer with. By the time i was 8 i could make all the responses in morning prayer. Book of common prayer 1892 wikisource, the free online. The book of common prayer is still a big deal alan jacobs explains why the nearly 500yearold anglican prayer book retains its influence, and why it. The 1662 book of common prayer the book of common prayer is always associated with the year of our lord 1662, the year in which it was authorized for use by act of parliament. Of these many printings, only a few stand out, chief among which are a series done by john baskerville between 1760 and 1762.
From age six i attended, every sunday morning, willowfield parish church in belfast. Parliament seized upon the prayer book and attached it as an appendix to the act of uniformity, which came into effect on st bartholomews day, 24 august, 1662, with devastating consequences hylsonsmith, p. Aside from the blurred imprinting a common complaint these days its beautiful. The book of common prayer is the foundational prayer book of the church of england and hence anglicanism. Short daily excerpts from the book of common prayer 1662, the great liturgy of the english reformation. Four acts of parliament 1549, 1552, 1559, 1662 which regulated the worship of the church of england and the use of the book of common prayer. Adherence to this was required in order to hold any office in government or the church, although the 1662 edition of the book of common prayer prescribed by the act was so new that most people had never even seen a copy.