The Book of Common Prayer: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions #576

by Brian Cummings

The Book of Common Prayer is one of the most influential books in history. First published in the reign of Edward VI, in 1549, it was a product of the English Reformation following the break with Rome. For nearly five centuries, it has formed the order of worship for established Christianity in England. More listeners have heard these prayers, it is said, than the soliloquies of Shakespeare. As British imperial ambitions spread, the Book of Common Prayer became the primary instrument (at least as much as the King James Bible) of English culture, firstly in Ireland in 1551. When the Puritans fled to America in 1620 it was to escape the discipline imposed by of the Book of Common Prayer, yet the book came to embody official religion in America before and after Independence, and is still in use.

Today it is a global it was the first book printed in many languages, from north America to southern Africa, to the Indian sub-continent.

In this Very Short Introduction Brian Cummings tells the fascinating history of the Book of Common Prayer , and explains why it is easily misunderstood. Designed in the 1540s as a radical Protestant answer to Catholic "superstition," within a century (during the English Civil Wars) radical Christians regarded the Book of Common Prayer as itself "superstitious" and even (paradoxically) "Papist." Changing in meaning and context over time, the Book of Common Prayer has acted as a cultural symbol, affecting the everyday conduct of life as much as the spiritual, and dividing conformity from non-conformity, in social terms as well as religious, from birth to marriage to death.

ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Genres: Religion, History, Nonfiction, Christianity, Christian

160 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2018

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

This is Brian^^Cummings, where ^=space.

About the Author:
Brian Cummings FBA is Anniversary Professor at the University of York in the Department of English and Related Literature. He was previously Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and Professor of English at the University of Sussex, and has also held Visiting Fellowships in California, in Munich, and Toronto. In addition to his academic work he was guest curator at Lambeth Palace for the exhibition Royal Devotion: Monarchy & the Book of Common Prayer in 2012, which was opened by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Prince of Wales. His books include The Literary Culture of the Reformation: Grammar and Grace (2007); and an edition of The Book of Common Prayer, which appeared in Oxford World's Classics in 2013. With Alexandra Walsham (Cambridge) he is leading the three-year research project "Remembering the Reformation," funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council from 2016 to 2019.

Reviews

[Tim Sneath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise, readable guide to the history of the Book of Common Prayer and some of the doctrinal disputes that arose during its authorship and revision. It's hard to comprehend how disagreements on the most esoteric of issues by 21st century standards were enough to result in their proponents' martyrdom. For a scholarly work, I was given new insights into rituals of the faith that I had never previously questioned, which was in itself more than worth the read.

The book might be somewhat impenetrable to a reader who was unfamiliar with the Book of Common Prayer or the English royal lineage; I'd certainly have appreciated an appendix with a timeline and summary of the various BCP editions.

[Rex Libris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting history of the Book of Common Prayer. Not necessarily interesting because the book's history is interesting, but because how one book could have such an influence on the history of the world.

The book and the changes to it over the year set the tone of the Anglican Church. As the Anglican Church was a state church, it did much to set the tone and culture of the United Kingdom. As the United Kingdom was a great colonial power, this book ended up having a great cultural and religious influence on the world.

This is definitely worth the read by all who are interested in culture and/or religion.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Book of Common Prayer: A Very Short Introduction" by Brian Cummings covers an awful lot of ground in its brief format. Cummings is not a dry writer, either, nor is he afraid of the peculiarities of church history. I was surprised at the humour shown in some passages: a good thing. More importantly, I learned quite a bit. This is not the first book I have read on the Book of Common Prayer. I would rank this one quite highly.

[Leon · Rating 3 out of 5]

An insightful, if not entirely accessible, short book covering the history, language and underlying theology of The Book of Common Prayer from its inception to today.

I am not a member of the Anglican communion and this book has left me with more knowledge, and many more questions. Just what you want.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative if a bit dry. Also I can not wrap my head around how nitpicky various denominations have been though out history having long drawn out fights over tiny details like what was in the minds of the people performing certain actions. So many nitpicky long drawn out fights.

[Igor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good introduction to the history of English religious colonialism, to the English reformation, to the English language.
Definitely recommend to anyone interested in the liturgy, especially in the liturgy in English.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: A history of The Book of Common Prayer.

Why I Read This: I wanted to learn more about it.

Review: This was very interesting. I was not thinking of the political implications of The Book of Common Prayer, and here they were so obviously weighed out. I was engaged and interested.

[Cal Davie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Does what it says on the tin, nothing mind blowing. This is an adequate introduction to the BCP.

[Steve Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gives you exactly what it says that it would give you on the cover

[Michael Huang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Henry VIII only wanted an heir. When divorce was not granted by the pope, he decided English churches should not be loyal to an Italian. Not until the reign of his infant son Edward VI did the parliament decide to ban Mass in Latin and to introduce a vernacular form of ritual. Thus came “The book of common prayer”. It’s not just for prayers but contain various rituals (e.g., of communion, matrimony, baptism, and burial). Priests are no more. They are now ministers. A few revisions were made and a 1549 version became the stable version. It’s “common” to unite the diverse practices existing then, and would later on serve as a unifying tool in English imperialism. This does not mean it succeeded instantly. Old habits die hard. Nobles are known to have masses in their private home. Parliament needed to intervene. Also different sects have different complaints about the book. In 1660s, a conference was convened to sort them out and a revision was issued. Some 400 years after its creation, a commission was established in 1964 to revise it again. Now, uniformity is no longer the goal. Indeed, alternative prayers are included. In 2000, it’s even changed the name to “Common worship”.

[Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superb read and an excellent cantor through 500 years of history