The Book of Common Prayer
For centuries, the spiritual lives of countless men and women all over the world have been strengthened with the help of the Book of Common Prayer. This edition contains the ancient prayers and liturgies of the Anglican tradition as used in North America, conformed to the Biblical phrasing of the ESV Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). Extensive Bible referencing has been included for the prayers and liturgies to assist in Biblical study. This edition is modeled on the original 1549 edition for which Thomas Cranmer compiled material from ancient sources into a single volume. This edition captures the beauty of English prose crafted in a liturgical style consistent with the richness of the Anglican tradition.
First released Easter 2011, this Book of Common Prayer is for trial and review by the Reformed Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church in North America. During the months that followed a much wider circulation has grown to a much wider Anglican interest and use. Those reviewing and making trial use have been encourage to provide corrections and feedback. With the first printing having sold out, the corrections and improvements have been incorporated into the newly released version.
The second release, 2014 (the revisions completed late in 2013, but the printing wasn't available for release until March 2014) has a significantly improved durable cover material, an imitation burgudy leather with a much stronger binding. One of the notable additions (a feedback suggestion) has the Great Commision as an optional dismissal which bookends the Great Commandment at the beginning of the Holy Communion liturgy. At the urging from those in Canada, an appropriate prayer for "the Queen and her Prime Minister" now parallels those praying for "the President". There are many other improvements were incorporated in this second release in keeping with the original intent of thisBook of Common Prayer project. Importantly the pagination between the release has been retained with the exception of five pages in the Additional Prayers section to reposition the Minor Office Prayers in closer proximity to the Morning and Evening Prayers (in the Family Prayers, which are personal devotional prayers). All of the public liturgical services and Psalter have consistent page numbers for reference in both releases.
Officially referred to as the BCP2011, but has been referred to as the BCPesv version. The BCP2011 is an “essentially literal” translation of ancient sources, balancing “word-for-word” accuracy and functional meaning with readability, literary excellence, and the depth of meaning expected in Anglicanism. The BCP2011 combines the ancient prayer tradition with accessibility for today's Christians. The BCP2011 meets an essential need for new, growing congregations who desire ancient worship in language intended for today's Christian. A Liturgical Psalter with Psalms from ESV Bible® text Biblical references for most of the prayers and liturgies.
- Prayer text in black 11 point type
- Rubric text in red 10 point type (notes printed in red)
- Four color printing (titles in blue, text in black, rubrics in red, posture in green)
- Introductions to each of the major liturgical sections of the prayer book
- Daily and Sunday Lectionaries (Bible reading plans) in keeping with the historic Western tradition of the last millennium with options for expanded reading and optional three-year lectionary.
- Hard-bound, thin, light-weight format in an easy-to-read 6 x 9 inch size
- Ribbon marker
- Bound with the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, including the Royal Declaration