1662 Book of Common Prayer

Tomorrow we are celebrating the Eucharist from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, the 5th Prayer Book and considered by many to be the 'classical' Prayer Book. As the Anglican tradition spread outside of England with colonialism and missionaries, this was the Prayer Book that crossed England's borders.

We are using the 1662 Prayer Book on the Sunday closes to July 4 to not only celebrate our rich Prayer Book history but to join our prayers in a similar fashion as our founding fathers and mothers. 30 of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were Anglican. When they prayed, their prayers would have come from the 1662 Prayer Book.

I like the 1662 version, although I greatly prefer the 1979 BCP. I know that the 79 revision was controversial in many circles and some consider it to be so different from other Prayer Book structures that it shouldn't even be called the Book of Common Prayer. But the recovery of the centrality of baptism and liturgies for the Eucharist as well as the inclusion of other pastoral offices and prayers, makes it not only (in my opinion) solidly Anglican, but catholic. Plus, I always stumble when saying "didst" and "inestimable."

PS: Here's an advanced preview of this week's bulletin insert on "Why do we do that?"