AN ANGLICAN PRAYER BOOK

[Various people have asked me if they or their church may have a copy of the pdf of AN ANGLICAN PRAYER BOOK. The answer is regrettably NO for the time being and for two basic reasons: first of all, the purpose of a Prayer Book is to provide an approach to the LORD our God in worship and prayer daily, weekly and on special occasions--thus we want to invite people to get a copy and get a living sense of the whole relation to God daily and weekly in common prayer (this is extremely important); secondly, to produce a hardback book on quality paper etc costs a lot of money and we need to recoup some of this before we release it free as pdf. Bishop Murphy will decide when I can release it as pdf but it will not be for a while yet. --P.T.]

To order a copy see below:

AN ANGLICAN PRAYER BOOK
Contemporary English Services based on those in The Book of Common Prayer and The Ordinal, in their English 1662, American 1928 and Canadian 1962 editions

The aim of this prayer book is to make available in contemporary language the doctrine, devotion and structure of classic Anglican Common Prayer, as these are provided in the historic editions of The Book of Common Prayer. It is designed for use primarily with the English Standard Version of the Bible, but other conservative translations will work also. It is intended in the first place for the congregations in the networks of The Anglican Mission of the Americas; but; it is fully expected that it will also be used within other parts of contemporary Anglicanism.

The aim is not to replace the standard, traditional editions of The Book of Common Prayer authorized in England, U.S.A. and Canada, but to build a bridge towards them by presenting their basic theology, spirituality and reformed catholic ethos in a form of language that a majority feel is now the only real option—a form of contemporary English.

It is a regrettable fact that most of the forms of service designed for use since the late 1960s in western Anglicanism have sought to set aside the pattern and doctrine within the historic Book of Common Prayer, and replace them with a shape and theology that is a mixture of ancient structure and modern doctrine. Even where some of the historic content has been preserved, as in Rite One services of the 1979 Prayer Book of The Episcopal Church, it is made to fit into the “shape” of the modern Rite Two.

Therefore, there is a real need in contemporary Anglicanism for the availability of classic Common Prayer in a way that is acceptable and usable by those who currently use Rite Two, or the Canadian 1985 Book, or the like. There is an open space developing for use of traditional services in contemporary English, where the doctrine and devotion of the historic Anglican Way are present, known and received.

Contents : Preface; The Christian Year; Morning and Evening Prayer; The Litany;
The Athanasian Creed; Compline; Holy Communion; The Collects and Eucharistic Lectionary; Baptism; The Catechism; Confirmation; Marriage; Visitation of the Sick; Burial of the Dead; Interment or Scattering of Ashes; Family Prayer; Daily Lectionary; The Ordinal -- The Making of Deacons; The Ordination of Priests; The Consecration of a Bishop; & The Articles of Religion


AN ANGLICAN PRAYER BOOK is published for The Anglican Mission in the Americas by The Preservation Press of the Prayer Book Society on February 1, 2008. ISBN: 978-1-879793-13-2 and 1-879793-13-X. It has 240 pages and is in quality hardback.

Individual copies are $15.00 including S & H; multiple copies for congregations are $10.00 each, including S & H. Available from: The Prayer Book Society of the U.S.A., P.O. Box 35220, Philadelphia, PA. 19128-0220. 1-800-PBS-1928. Checks to “The Prayer Book Society.”

Very soon after February 1, 2008, individual copies only will be available at www.anglicanmarketplace.com for purchase with a credit card in a secure system.