Why a Book of Common Prayer in 2008?
The simple answer is that a commission for the work and the
capital to pay for the whole project, including the printing
of a First Edition in 2,500 copies, were offered to Lancelot Andrewes
Press and we accepted the job. We hope to produce a
book of Lessons, prayers, and blessings compatible with a good
use of English as a language of Christian devotion and which
pleases our Patron. God save us all.
The more compelling answer is that worship in English is as
important to some of us as worship in Latin, Greek, Hebrew,
Arabic or Old Church Slavonic. The English language has become
widely used for commerce amongst many nations. Most
of these nations make use of English for purposes that have
nothing to do with the Bible, the Prayer Book, King Lear, Paradise
Lost, the Declaration of Independence, or anything writ
on paper of lasting value. When the language of commerce has
been ‘adapted’ for the mystery of God and prayer it has not
succeeded. The Greeks would not be pleased to have the Scriptures
of the Septuagint and New Testament recast by foreigners
who have neither an ear or a care for the Greek language.
Neither would they or any other ancient tribe have their worship
reduced to the vocabulary of the docks and streets. We argue
for the same with English. If you want to use the language,
any language, as an everyday convenience, like a roll of paper
towels, then pay no attention to this book. There are tons of
newsprint missals dumped on Catholic parishes every month
which represent the use of English as a disposable commodity.
There is a market and the market has responded.
However, this book claims to be a Book of Common Prayer
in that within a portable volume are offered :
1) a simple Breviary (the Hours of Daily Prayer, seven in
monastic usage and perhaps two or so in parish usage) containing
the conventional orders of morning prayer, prime,
sext, evensong, and compline with the Psalter and Canticles
and Litany.
2) a simple Missal (the book of the Mass or Divine Liturgy)
offering a Proper of the Season from Advent through the Sunday
Next before Advent and a Proper of the Saints.
3) a partial Ritual (the book of blessings and intercessions
used by the Priest) containing forms of baptism, confirmation,
matrimony, churching of women, visitation and anointing and
absolution of the sick, requiem and burial.
4) an Appendix of Sentences, Lectionary, Calendar, etc.
A monastery or a serious prayer warrior will probably want
more elaborate and complete editions of the Breviary and Missal
with musical notation. A priest will want a complete Ritual
available for the many demands of parish work.
This Book of Common Prayer from Lancelot Andrewes
Press MMVIII will not ‘take away’ anyone’s favorite Prayer
Book. Not the 1662 English or the 1928 American or any
other BCP or Devotional. It may help however, by giving a
more streamlined organization of the materials and a more
complete presentation of the Church Year and offer forms that
reflect the Church as made up of a) a society of the Saints, b)
the faithful departed, and c) the current occupants of the pews.
God helping this book will be of service to those who pray in
English. It may even appear to be intelligible and accessible to
smart youngsters who have never seen a decent Liturgy. Some
folks may actually like it and use it. God knows. §
The Lion Newsletter 2011
Saint Mark’s Parish, Denver, Colorado
