Using The Book of Common Prayer – underlying principles

A discussion Starter

What are the principles to which a faithful congregation, which uses only The Book of Common Prayer (1662) together with the King James Version of the Bible in 2004, is actually committed by its regular worship in the Common Prayer Tradition – with special reference to England? [Most of what is said below also applies to Anglican Churches where the classic BCP is used and there is a separation from the State.]

Principles underlying the use of the BCP and KJV (=AV)

1. That the whole national Church/province is to display unity with uniformity in public worship and common prayer, and that all things are to be done decently and in order, including prayer for the Sovereign.


2. That the Ministry of the Church is threefold & male, that of Bishop, Priest and Deacon.


3. That there is a specific English Style and Language of Public Prayer and that this requires the distinction between the second person singular and plural and also, and most especially, the addressing of God in the second person singular.


4. That where original documents (Hebrew, Greek & Latin) contain a distinction between the second person singular and plural, this distinction is maintained in translation – e.g., “Hallowed be thy name” and in worship.


5. That the type of translation used for Scripture, ancient Canticles and Creeds is that of the essentially literal (rather than the modern dynamic equivalency) and the word for word (rather than thought for thought) method.


6. That the Apocrypha is to be read as part of the Daily Lectionary along with the canonical books of the Bible. And the Old Testament is to be read as being fulfilled in the life, ministry, teaching, death, resurrection, exaltation and second Coming of Jesus the Christ. Likewise the Psalter is to be prayed in with and through the same Christ Jesus. By reading the whole Bible each year the soul is formed in the knowledge of God in his revelation.


7. That preaching and announcements are to be in the vernacular and in a contemporary, dignified form thereof.


8. That the essential dogma/doctrines of the Early Church, especially those of the Trinity and of the Incarnation/Person of Christ, are the foundation of the confession of Faith in worship.


9. That the Reformation emphasis/doctrine of justification by grace/faith underlies the approach to God in worship and for salvation.


10. That only the baptized and confirmed are to be the normal recipients of Holy Communion.


11. That the habit of using the same structure & content of daily and weekly services, along with a changing Collect and Scriptural Lessons, provides a solid foundation for disciplined godliness.


12. That the confession of sin is part of worship for it is a celebration of the holiness, judgement and mercy of God in relation to sinners. Thus the fear and the love of God belong together.


13. That the doctrinal heart of the Common Prayer is the Eucharistic Lectionary for Sundays and major Feasts; for here the soul is formed through the Scriptures in both Trinitarianism as a godly mindset and as the basis of a consecrated life.


14. That the Christian Year is to be kept liturgically and devotionally as a means of grace and of education in the knowledge of the Lord.


15. That the Church of the first five centuries and of the first four ecumenical councils provides an unique model and special examples to follow.


16. That in this world Christians are pilgrims and sojourners for their true home is in the heavenly Jerusalem; nevertheless while on earth they are to seek to work for the common good and obey those set above them in God’s providential rule.


17. That the whole parish as a geographical unit is to be treated as potentially Christian and to be appropriately evangelised.

Now it may be asked: Are these principles different from those of a congregation which uses Common Worship (2000) or other modern service books?

The answer is that in a few cases they are the same but in general they are different, as is indicated below.


Differences in the modern liturgical approach briefly stated:

1. Variety rather than uniformity is the aim.


2. Threefold Ministry, but including women.


3. Rejection of the traditional English Language of Prayer.


4. No distinction between second person singular and plural, even for addressing God Almighty.


5. Use of the modern dynamic equivalency method of translation.


6. Psalter is rendered into inclusive language and thus it is difficult to use it Christologically.


7. Preaching is to be in the same type of language as the Liturgy.


8. Classical dogma assumed but not clearly confessed & articulated.


9. Justification by grace/faith not obviously & clearly central.


10. Baptism without Confirmation is seen as complete “initiation”.


11. Cultivation of disciplined habit of prayer is optional.


12. Confession of sin is seen as preparatory to worship.


13. Use of modern Ecumenical Common Lectionary.


14. Christian Year in amended form – e.g. Easter is a season not a festival and lasts 50 days.


15. The model for liturgy and doctrine is specifically the Church of the first three centuries rather than that of the first five or six.


16. More emphasis upon God’s kingdom in this world and less on the hope of the World to come.

The only way in which the modern forms of varied liturgy are “common” public prayer is that they tend to have the same general “shape” or “structure” or “list of contents” even though their actual content is in principle greatly variable.

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The Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon M.A., D.Phil. (Oxon.),