Book Description
The Economy Edition is perfect for people who value a well constructed, reasonably priced prayer book. It is also suitable for mass distribution in schools and for use as a pew prayer book. Black hardcover binding, gold cross, Presentation Page, square corners.
Customer Reviews:
Great Prayers For Ecumenical Services.......2007-06-02
I have found this book to be of great value in my Ecumenical relations with other faiths.
I have also found for myself a deep spiritual renewal in reading this book.
I recommend this Book of Common Prayer to all that value the wisdom within other faiths.
Very Good!.......2007-05-14
Well, I can't rate the BCP anything but positive. My only concern was I failed to read the size of the book and it was smaller then I would have liked, the pages are thin, but at the same time feel very "strong." It has the Daily Office and the complete Psalter. If only I had read the dimensions, I am sure I would have opted for a larger addition. If you don't have problems with smaller print, then by all means purchase this copy, you can't be the price. Also the binding it very good, the book while small, lays flat, whch is a really nice in a hardcover book of this size.
Review of BCP.......2007-03-25
I was pleased with this book, as well as for the speed of delivery. Thanks.
the other good book.......2007-03-24
This book was so good, I used it in my wedding!
Book of Uncommon prayer.......2007-03-23
A wonderful size to tuck in a backpack or purse, I love the language of the liturgy and the realm of spiritual union they create between the reader and God. Nicely bound, delicate paper.
Average customer rating:
- Embrace the ambiguity!
- A Pleasure to Read.
- The Revolution
- an obscure and unclear character
- Didion's masterpiece
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A Book of Common Prayer
Joan Didion
Manufacturer: Vintage
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0679754865
Release Date: 1995-04-11 |
Book Description
Writing with the telegraphic swiftness and microscopic sensitivity that have made her one of our most distinguished journalists, Joan Didion creates a shimmering novel of innocence and evil.
A Book of Common Prayer is the story of two American women in the derelict Central American nation of Boca Grande. Grace Strasser-Mendana controls much of the country's wealth and knows virtually all of its secrets; Charlotte Douglas knows far too little. "Immaculate of history, innocent of politics," she has come to Boca Grande vaguely and vainly hoping to be reunited with her fugitive daughter. As imagined by Didion, her fate is at once utterly particular and fearfully emblematic of an age of conscienceless authority and unfathomable violence.
Customer Reviews:
Embrace the ambiguity!.......2007-09-02
This is a book that is hard to wrap your mind around. Didion does not tell you a clear story with well-defined characters and a plot-without-holes. Instead, the reader must do a little work here. It is what is not told in the story that is so fascinating. Didion appears to be making a comment on the impossibility of truly knowing other people's motivations, inner thoughts, and who they are at the core. All we can do as humans, and therefore in a sense informal anthropologists, is make assumptions from what we see, hear, and perceive. Sometimes we are correct; sometimes we are very wrong. But, that's okay. If you are the type of person who likes things neat and tidy, you will probably be disappointed. If you like books that make you draw your own conclusions, and perhaps feel ambivalent about most of the characters even to the end, then you will like this one. I tend to be the latter, so I did enjoy it.
A Pleasure to Read........2006-10-24
This book has become one of my personal favorites. I found myself going back to the first chapter repeatedly to measure facts. A wonderful book to get lost in.
The Revolution.......2006-01-07
In this uncommonly excellent prose, Ms. Didion describes an incredible scenario of a revolution in a Caribbean country. The country is dirt poor. There is no good water, there are no proper sewers and there are few good roads, except the one highway that leads to the house of El Presidente.
The people live in squalor and there are only a few people in this island of the damned who are in fact solvent. The story tells of the tale of an American lady, norteamericana, who comes to the island, for reasons even she herself does not know. Her life has been tragic and strange. Her child becomes an American revolutionary and is involved in the hijacking of a plan from California to Utah. She lives an underground life and has no connection to her parents, whom she rejects socially and economically.
Didion's reporting style writing is almost a perfect match for telling the story of this obscure countries political corruption and the insurgency that exists within. She uses her incredible ability to turn a phrase and then to use it multiple times for an emphasis that is extraordinary in painting the picture of the world about her. Charlotte Douglas has come here to figure out something, but what it is hard to tell. She seems to be adrift in the impoverished lands of Boca Grande which translates to "Big Bay" or also as Didion points out to "Big Mouth."
Those in charge do have big mouths and talk out of both sides of it. There is constantly a strange dance performed by the few landowning ruling class that is constantly trying to shift the balance of power on the island to accommodate their own personal purposes. In the ensuing revolutionary action, Charlotte is actually killed. She could have easily avoided this fate by leaving the country, but instead, she insists on staying and ends up shot and left for dead on the lawn of the abandoned American Embassy.
The beauty of the story is in the writing more than the events. With pure journalist style mixed with incredible fictional reality, Didion creates what could be typical of the Central American/Caribbean countries and their constant revolutions. Many get caught up in them and never emerge. Charlotte is one who does not emerge.
As modern fiction, the book has a style that is unique to Didion. The smoothness of the writing and the deadpan descriptiveness is purely hers. It is the one book that she has written that is truly appropriate for all Americans to read. The book is highly recommended for those looking to see great fiction encompass the horror of revolution.
an obscure and unclear character.......2004-05-07
This book really didn't do anything for me. It is the story of a woman on a search for her child in an alien environment, where she amazes people by killing a running chicken by grabbing its neck, allowing herself to be seduced by an ex-husband, and finally putting herself in danger. While what is happening is under-stated, it adds up to a bunch of scenes that I just found confusing and not too interesting. Didion's writing style also didn't click for me, which is perhaps personal taste.
Not recommended.
Didion's masterpiece.......2003-03-16
Arguably, this is one of a handful of great modern american novels from the last quarter of the 20th century. from its remarkable opening chapter, it weaves a hypnotic spell, with didion's characteristic romanticizing of despair and existential angst. this is a novel of sentences. sentences to be savored, and read aloud. sentences without one extraneous word; as balanced as poetry, and utterly perfect from the first syllable to the last. didion remains one of the few writers who can comment on a scene by way of description. the details she focusses upon serve to illustrate her vision in a manner only a small handful of authors can manage. it is the mark of a master, and this is, without question, her masterpiece. it is didion's reportage and essays that have made her reputation, but this very challenging and utterly flawless novel is the equal to her non fiction prose. it is not a novel for the casual reader. however, for any student of delusion, and any admirer of serious literature of the highest order, a book of common prayer is an essential text.
Book Description
A special occasion merits a memorable gift, and this prayer book is just right for marking such an event. The Deluxe Gift Edition's bindings combine two types of soft-to-the-touch Vivella: one pattern wraps around the book's spine and back cover, while a contrasting pattern is on the front. The result is a stylish package that is sure to be treasured by its recipient. Includes a ribbon marker, Family Record section and attractive gift box.
Customer Reviews:
The 1979 Book of Common Prayer.......2007-06-16
I bought the book of common prayer because I wanted to have something more formal for my devotional life in the morning and the evening. I needed something that would help me be more organized and more disciplined. The book of common prayer is very difficult by itself. I was able to obtain a user guide that helped me to understand how to use the book of common prayer and since then I've been able to use the and is in the wonderful contribution to my prayer life. I am in awe and appreciate that the work that went into the creation of this little book. This is a tremendous amount of information structured to help the individual read the Bible in a whole year plus also develop a deeper spiritual life both morning and evening and develop a discipline that can carry you through tough times and good times. It is my goal to use this on a regular basis. I highly recommend it to those that are serious about a devotional life and who will take some time to master how to use it. The user guide, which you can also obtain from Amazon.com, is a wonderful addition that will help you tap into the riches that are within the pages of this little book.
"A ver nice version of the Book of Common Prayer".......2007-01-10
I bought this book for my husband as a Christmas present. We were familiar with the book and knew exactly what the contents were. He is very happy with it. It came with a nice leather cover and the print is easy to read. It has a place in the front for "presented by; wedding, baptisms, and confirmations" which is nice. It is the 1979 version of the Book of Common Prayer he had received in 1954.
Carry your own personal prayer book on Sundays.......2006-08-11
This attractive leather bound prayer book is beautiful and makes it easy to get to the many pages that are used in your Sunday service. At home you can feel good about marking your favorite passages.
With all my heart, and mind, and strength..........2005-10-28
This is an edition of the Book of Common Prayer (1979) for the Episcopal Church USA, which is the primary worship book for that church, derived from the one used by the Church of England proper, the original branch of the Anglicans. There have been many books that have had the title 'Book of Common Prayer' since the first one appeared in 1549; it has been used continuously in one edition or another in the Anglican tradition since 1559; the 'main' edition remains the 1662 edition. Churches in other nations (Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the United States, Canada) have done their own revised Books of Common Prayer
A bishop in the Episcopal church once said to me, 'We don't have a theology that we have to believe -- what we have is the prayerbook.' Please forgive the absence of context for this phrase -- while he would say that this statement in isolation is an exaggeration, and I would agree, nonetheless his statement serves to highlight both the importance of and the strength of the Book of Common Prayer.
To be an Anglican, one does not have to subscribe to any particular systematic theological framework. One does not have to practice a particular brand of liturgical style. One does not have to have an approved politico-theological viewpoint. One can be a conservative, liberal or moderate; one can be high church, low church, or broad; one can be charismatic, evangelical, or mainline traditional -- one can be any number of things in a rich diversity of choices, and the Book of Common Prayer can still be the book upon which spirituality and worship is centred.
The Book of Common Prayer is not, in fact, a book that changed my life. It is a book that changes my life. Even though it is not the primary book of my own church, it continues to provide for spiritual insight and development; it continues to guide my worship and my theology. It continues to help me grow. The words are part of a liturgy now shared by Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and other liturgical churches, in different combination and priority.
Gerry Janzen, an Anglican professor at my seminary, said to me recently as we were lunching and having a fascinating and wide-ranging conversation (in a unique way that only Gerry Janzen is capable of doing) that he strives for that kind of memory and understanding that is so complete that one forgets what one has learned. He recounted to me his experience of working with his book on Job -- he had done a lot of research, development of ideas, writing, and organisation, and then set it aside for a time. When he picked up the topic later, he decided to begin by writing, and then go back to the research, other notes and writings he had done earlier. He was surprised to see, in comparing the work, that he had in fact duplicated much of the material -- he had internalised the information, incorporated it so well into his thinking and being, that it came forward without effort. It is this kind of relationship I feel I have developed with the Book of Common Prayer.
To be sure, there are pages of information that I don't know. I haven't memorised the historical documents; I still consult the calendars; I haven't learned all of the collects by heart. But it has become a part of me. When was asked to put together a liturgy for a houseblessing for Episcopalian friends, there were rooms that called for collects that had not been written -- I wrote new collects and inserted them into the liturgy.
'Can you do that?' the householder asked, worried about the flow and the approval of the priest doing the blessing.
'I trust Kurt to write collects -- his probably belong in the BCP,' the priest said in response, and I appreciated her vote of confidence. That was perhaps the first confirmation to me of this sense of incorporation of the book into my life.
From his first edition, Cranmer distinguished in his terminology the words minister and priest, and the two should not be viewed as interchangeable. A priest is a minister, but a minister need not be a priest. This become part of the early development of the idea of all people being ministers to each other, which is also a concept that has varying acceptance and fulfillment in actual practice over the history of Anglicanism.
One of my favourite prayers derives from this book, part of the English prayer book from the very first one in 1549:
Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication unto thee, and hast promised through thy well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his name, thou wilt be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be best for us, granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come, life everlasting. Amen.
This prayer, like many things in the BCP, has moved to a new location from the first edition, but nonetheless the spirit of the BCP shows a circuitous but continuous development from the first English Prayer Book to the current varieties. Likewise, other denominations have gleaned insights, prayers and structures from this and other versions of the BCP.
The Book of Common Prayer, as a single unit and as a greater tradition of which this book is a part, is an Anglican gift to the world.
Book Description
The Economy Edition is perfect for people who value a well constructed, reasonably priced prayer book. It is also suitable for mass distribution in schools and for use as a pew prayer book. Wine red hardcover binding, gold cross, Presentation Page, square corners.
Customer Reviews:
Good for what it is, but not what I expected.......2007-09-17
My only complaint is that this book was not what I thought it was, for which I take most of the responsiblity. I thought it was actually a prayer book, containing prayers. While it does certainly have several of them, it actually appears to be the liturgical book for the Episcopal Church, tying prayers into dates and various rites, rather than by subject matter, for example. My mistake, but as long as you know what you're getting, it's superb.
False Advertising.......2007-08-09
The description says leatherbound; the edition, of which I purchased two for newly baptized in our church, is bound in imitation leather. Please review the rite for the reconciliation of a penitent (p. 447) and contact me to arrange an appointment! Fr. John
Quiet Little Chapel in a book.......2007-03-28
This classic, the 1979 Book of Common Prayer is copyright free, and was made available to all Christians. It is a handy little book to carry around, a little chapel to retreat to at a moments notice. It is a Sacred Space, available to all. Even for sects who do not use rites and ceremonies, I find the idea of lighting a candle a beautiful mental pause. You can open to almost any page, to read an uplifting thought, a quiet prayer. As Mary Baker Eddy had intended for her Science and Health with key to the Scriptures, when she did not renew her copyright (it was much later renewed by the board of directors)--both books were intended for all denominations to use, enjoy, and be blessed. The lettering is very readable, the pages are easy on the eyes, the cover is soft and bendable. It is a treasure. I wrote down my sects special thoughts in the front area of the book, it takes ballpoint pen beautifully with no "bleeding". So, even if you are of another Christian sect, or none, enjoy this book, treasure it. Know the Good-Will and Friendship intended by the Episcopalians. Jot down any special prayers you use to "Sanctify" this and make it your own Little Chapel, your special place to visit, linger, and enjoy. My prayer of gratitude to the Episcopalians for sharing, and to those who worked so hard over the centuries to make this the timeless treasure that it is.
good price for a quality product.......2007-03-09
As a new Episcopalian, I decided to buy the Book of Common Prayer. The feel of the book is very soft and has the thin paper pages that many bibles are printed on. It has a book mark/ribbon to keep up with the journey of the Episcopal service each week. The book was smaller than I expected, but still a great size to carry around. Top knotch in quality and a great buy for the new recruit or the hardened, weathered Episcopal.
The 1979 Book of Common Prayer.......2007-01-09
This book is so helpful. There are times when you just can't find the words, particularly in times of stress or sorrow. There are prayers and scripture for all occasions, regardless of your demonination. I would recommend to anyone searching to improve their prayer life.
Book Description
The Book of Common Prayer runs like a golden thread through the history of the Church of England and the worldwide Anglican Communion. The Oxford Guide to the Book of Common Prayer is the first comprehensive guide to the history and usage of the original Book of Common Prayer and its numerous descendants throughout the world. It shows how a seminal text for Christian worship and devotion has inspired a varied family of religious resources that have had an influence far beyond their use in the churches of a single tradition. The Guide is unique. In it experts from every part of the globe and every branch of Anglicanism, as well as from the Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Methodist, and Unitarian traditions, provide an unparalleled examination of The Book of Common Prayer and its lineage. From 1549 to the Twenty-first Century, The Oxford Guide to the Book of Common Prayer offers a fascinating journey through the history and development of a classic of world literature. Much more than simply a history, this volume describes how Anglican churches at all points of the compass have developed their own Prayer Books and adapted the time-honored Anglican liturgies to their diverse local cultures. In the dozens of editions now in use throughout the world, the same texts - Daily Prayers, the Eucharist, Marriage and Funerals, and many others - resemble each other, and yet differ from each other in interesting ways. A brief look at "electronic Prayer Books" offers a glimpse at how this story of development and adaptation may continue in the Information Age. Oxford is pleased to publish a varied selection of The Book of Common Prayer in formats, features, and prices to suit every need and budget. We invite you to explore our Web site for further information regarding these fine resources.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful insight into the Book of Common Prayer.......2007-07-29
This is a must read for anyone who enjoys using the Book of Common Prayer for worship. I gained incredible insight into the history and use of the Book of Common Prayer. I love the way it is organized, nice short essays that are topically arranged. This book will stay with me for years and I am sure I will refer to it many times.
An Excellent Historical and Functional Review of our many Books of Common Prayer.......2007-01-30
From one Book of Common Prayer to many over five centuries, this text provides an outstanding and excellent analysis of the historical and functional evolution of the current Books of Common Prayer currently in use. This Oxford Guide stands out as a primary reference for all.
Richard W. Wheeler
Fascinating.......2006-06-21
It's difficult to describe the contents of this book in few words, but here's my best shot.
The Oxford Guide to the Book of Common Prayer looks not only at the development of the BCP as a document, but common prayer as a concept and uniting characteristic of the Anglican Communion. It then looks at all the prayer books used across the communion and how they've taken the structure of common prayer and adapted it to incorporate culturally specific practices: the mourning rituals of Africa, the close intertwining of Burmese culture with Buddhism, the architecture of the Far East. The language used in the South African prayer book takes on much more poignance when read in the context of the struggle against Apartheid.
For anyone interested in how a worldwide church adapts to culture, the source of the BCP, or where common prayer might go in the future, this book will hold an endless fascination.
Plus, it has pictures!
Intelligent and enjoyable.......2006-06-21
This book combines an enjoyable read with heavyweight scholarship. About a third of it is historical, starting with Cranmer's first Book of Common Prayer and the background to it. But the focus is mainly on the Prayer Books now being used in the many Anglican churches all over the world. There's a section that has articles on each of these books, full of fascinating information about how Anglicanism developed in particular countries. There is also a section of articles that compare the contents of the same Prayer Books, service by service, showing how "inculturation" is happening and how different churches "do" each of the liturgies. The historical articles tell not only how the text of the Book of Common Prayer developed, but also how it was used in real life. Sprinkled through the volume are panels with excerpts from the versions being discussed, and there are illustrations, charts, and a very full glossary. The subtitle is "A Worldwide Survey," and the list of authors bears this out. They come from all over the world.
Jon Meacham of Newsweek Mag. says:.......2006-06-21
"This a brilliant, accessible, and Virgilian guide to that most influential of texts: The Book of Common Prayer. Anyone who cares about language, about sacramental life, and about Anglicanism will find Hefling and Shattuck's volume indispensable, for it takes readers to the roots of the faith, shedding new light on old words, bringing our past into vivid focus, and reminding us that what unites us is far greater than what divides us."
---Jon Meacham, Managing Editor of Newsweek and author of "American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation"
Book Description
Morehouse Publishing is pleased to offer this exclusive edition of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. Ideal as a pew book or gift, this Prayer Book features luxurious imitation leather binding (Vivella) with a soft, matte finish. A textured cross is embossed on the cover, with gold lettering on the spine. The cover is available in red or forest green, colors available only with this Morehouse edition. The Prayer Book is sturdily assembled, with smyth-sewn pages and a spine that won't crack under heavy use. The text is easily readable in 9-point type. A presentation page and certificates for the rites of Baptism, Confirmation, and marriage are included. Red Vivella.
Customer Reviews:
What I expected.......2005-08-03
I needed this for a class. I would not have purchased the book otherwise.
A Priest's Handbook: The Ceremonies of the Church.......2005-07-19
Great information to have as a pastor, layperson or just member of a liturgical church family.
Great Resource for Neglected Subject.......2005-01-16
Many of us in ministry have never had so much as a single seminary lecture devoted to proper liturgical practice. If you have ever questioned the proper way to administer communion to the the sick or homebound, if you have ever questioned the appropriate way to impose ashes on Ash Wednesday or do a Palm Sunday processional, you need this book. Although it is deliberately Anglican, and thus gives guidance for the liturgies particular to that tradition (Cf. References to BCP 1979 throughout), it is grounded in the Scriptures and informed by ancient and broadly catholic practice.
You can easily dispense with items that are incompatible with your own tradition and keep what remains.
Very handy.......2003-12-30
I once had a book (loaned to a priest who never returned it to me!) entitled 'What They Didn't Teach You in Seminary'. That might in some ways be the subtitle of this text, for often people learn in seminary the theological and historical underpinnings of liturgy, but somehow the actual mechanics falls short (this is true in many denominations). It is particularly difficult for denominations who require their ministers to wait until after ordination to begin many of the actual liturgical actions; they get no real experience prior to being on-stage for the first time. Also, given the wide range of liturgical practice within a denomination, each parish adapts to its own use, and it is hard for seminaries to teach specifically to all practical situations. This is where Michno's text comes in very handy.
Dennis Michno served as a priest and music director, learning first-hand the ins and outs of church liturgical functions. In addition to this text, he wrote 'A Manual for Acolytes', which I used as a base text when I was an acolyte master and senior sacristan. His work in 'A Priest's Handbook', supplemented for the third edition by Christopher Webber, a priest also know for helpful books on liturgical practice, as well as vestry functioning, serves as a guide for priests in almost every possible setting.
The book follows in broad strokes the format of the Book of Common Prayer, the base text for Anglican worship, as it is in its 1979 American variety. The book begins with an introduction discussing the intentions of the book, other liturgical books, and those pre-service things that need to be seen to prior to the formal liturgy. Some of the things addressed here are the basic movements of the service, both ceremonial acts (bowing and the like) and manual acts (crossing, etc.). These are illustrated by line-art drawings, done by Richard Mayberry, which continue throughout the text in the form of personal drawings, line art maps and diagrams. The introductory material concludes by looking at vestments, candles, and the general atmosphere of reverence and respect in the silence of liturgical preparation.
The section the Holy Eucharist follows the basic patterns set forth in the 1979 BCP, dealing with both forms of the traditional (Rite I) prayer and all four forms of the contemporary (Rite II) prayer. Nothing is left to chance here, and all movements and motions, acts and considerations are brought into play. This includes how to use incense (or not), processions, manual acts, and other liturgical practices.
There are additional sections on the calendar, the lectionary, the Daily Office, and liturgical explanations for additional services both in the BCP and also found in the Book of Occasional Services (BOS). Michno gives particular attention to Holy Week, Baptism (including Emergency Baptism), other sacramenal rites and services such as marriages and funerals. Michno talks about what is appropriate and what is not in such services, often a hard thing for ministers to enforce given the high emotions of the situations.
There is an appendix that goes into a lot of detail about special events in the career of a priest, from an order prior to the priest's first eucharistic celebration to the burial of a priest. Many of these elaborate on the services found in the Book of Occasional Services.
The Book of Common Prayer, the Book of Occasional Services, and other liturgical resources often have rubrics, but these are rather spare and non-specific about a lot of detail. On the other hand, the rubrics allow for local variation and adaptation that a rigid set of rules would not permit. Michno's handbook is a good via media (as befits a good Anglican) at addressing the need to know without being dogmatic or inflexible about the need to do. It fills in many of the gaps of practice, and this book is a necessary reference for any priest and deacon in the Anglican church, and can be of great benefit to ministers in other traditions who look for liturgical guidance.
This book is also a good guide for laypersons who observe services, so that they can become more accustomed and knowledgable about the services of which they are an integral part. The priests are supposed to be acting on their behalf and as their represenatives -- it is meet and right that laypersons would understand what is going on.
This is not a book with lengthy theological discourse -- this is more of a book on what is done, rather than why it is done. There are other texts available for that. This is a good book on mechanics, on choreography if you will, and we are all invited to take our part in the liturgical dance.
Want to know the ins and outs of your priests functions?.......2002-09-17
If you want to know the ins and outs of what a priest does this is the book for you. I myself am not a priest, but am new to the Episcopalian faith. This book was extremely helpful in what a priest does, but doesn't explain why. A basic step-by-stepper.
Customer Reviews:
Prayer.......2003-02-02
Anyone wanting to have a structured prayer life I highly recommend Book of Common Prayer. It is a beautiful book and praying the psalms helps deepen one^s spiritual life. The Lectionary gives you the daily readings of the church. It is an ecumenical book with many beautiful and inspiring prayers. This is a book that will give you much thought for meditation. I highly recommend it. The book is for morning and evening prayer.
Prayer.......2003-02-02
Anyone wanting to have a structured prayer life I highly recommend Book of Common Prayer. It is a beautiful book and praying the psalms helps deepen one^s spiritual life. The Lectionary gives you the daily readings of the church. It is an ecumenical book with many beautiful and inspiring prayers. This is a book that will give you much thought for meditation. I highly recommend it. The book is for morning and evening prayer.
Prayer.......2003-02-02
Anyone wanting to have a structured prayer life I highly recommend Book of Common Prayer. It is a beautiful book and praying the psalms helps deepen one^s spiritual life. The Lectionary gives you the daily readings of the church. It is an ecumenical book with many beautiful and inspiring prayers. This is a book that will give you much thought for meditation. I highly recommend it. The book is for morning and evening prayer.
It's About Time........1999-07-29
We Presbyterians needed a book which conveys our tradition and guides us in prayer. This book is wonderful! I can see the hand of providence (how Presbyterian of me!). Its major sources are The Book of Common Prayer, The Book of Common Order, Ecumenical Prayer Books, and "New" material. The book has given order to my prayer life and infused my devotions with meaning.
The Pastor's book review for monthly church newsletter.......1998-12-01
I have committed myself to the spiritual discipline of writing meaningful letters to friends; yet, I just could not give up the daily practice of intentional, guided, prayer. In the past five or six months I read a devotional reflection, scripture, and prayers, both written and private. I then used these prayers and scripture as a type of mantra to reflect on a theme for the day. After this has concluded I would clear my mind and wait for God to speak. There is a specific small leather covered book I have used to recite guided prayers and Scriptures. The Book of Common Worship: Daily Prayer has been an invaluable tool in my discipline of daily prayer. The Book of Common Worship: Daily Prayer has a number of beneficial tools for a daily prayer practice. The book has provided an outline for Morning and Evening Prayer time, with alternative texts for special seasons and festivals within the church year. The book even provides a section for prayers at mealtime. The book breaks down the Psalms into those shared at Corporate Worship and then ones that can be used in private reflection. Prayer Litanies are provided on a number of subjects of need. The Book of Common Worship: Daily Prayer concludes with a helpful listing of the daily lectionary for the church year. I have enjoyed the process of learning the Psalms in an ongoing spiritual process. I have explained on numerous occasions the difference between reading Scripture, and using Scripture as a communal discipline of prayer. Reading a psalm and then saying the same verse over and over until I know it by heart allows me to internalize the message. Then I allow the passage float between my conscious and unconscious mind in silence. Once in a while a spark of divine recognition takes place in the directed silent communion with God through prayer. This book is a stepping off place in your daily prayer life. I recommend this book for the holidays because of it's a gift of prayer. The leather cover, with gold trim, is elegant while remaining affordable. How many Christmas gifts have the potential to change lives. If you decide you want the Book of Common Worship: Daily Prayer for yourself or someone else, give the church office a call and Jane can give you the number for Cokesbury publishing, so you can order in time for Christmas or find it on the web at www.amazon.com. Let me know how this resource influences your daily prayer life. Rev. Scott Paczkowski, First Presbyterian Church, Merrillville, IN
Customer Reviews:
With all my heart, and soul, and strength.......2005-10-04
The Book of Common Prayer (1979) is the latest, complete BCP used by the American branch of the Anglicans, the Episcopal church. There have been many books that have had the title 'Book of Common Prayer' since the first one appeared in 1549; it has been used continuously in one edition or another in the Anglican tradition since 1559; the 'main' edition remains the 1662 edition. The American church modified the Book of Common Prayer for its own use beginning shortly after the Revolutionary War -- this book is the successor of a long and worthy tradition.
A bishop in the Episcopal church once said to me, 'We don't have a theology that we have to believe -- what we have is the prayerbook.' Please forgive the absence of context for this phrase -- while he would say that this statement in isolation is an exaggeration, and I would agree, nonetheless his statement serves to highlight both the importance of and the strength of the Book of Common Prayer.
To be an Anglican (in the United States, read Episcopalian for the same in the context of this article), one does not have to subscribe to any particular systematic theological framework. One does not have to practice a particular brand of liturgical style. One does not have to have an approved politico-theological viewpoint. One can be a conservative, liberal or moderate; one can be high church, low church, or broad; one can be charismatic, evangelical, or mainline traditional -- one can be any number of things in a rich diversity of choices, and the Book of Common Prayer can still be the book upon which spirituality and worship is centred.
The Book of Common Prayer is not, in fact, a book that changed my life. It is a book that changes my life. Even though it is not the primary book of my own church, it continues to provide for spiritual insight and development; it continues to guide my worship and my theology. It continues to help me grow. The words are part of a liturgy now shared by Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and other liturgical churches, in different combination and priority.
Gerry Janzen, an Anglican professor at my seminary, said to me recently as we were lunching and having a fascinating and wide-ranging conversation (in a unique way that only Gerry Janzen is capable of doing) that he strives for that kind of memory and understanding that is so complete that one forgets what one has learned. He recounted to me his experience of working with his book on Job -- he had done a lot of research, development of ideas, writing, and organisation, and then set it aside for a time. When he picked up the topic later, he decided to begin by writing, and then go back to the research, other notes and writings he had done earlier. He was surprised to see, in comparing the work, that he had in fact duplicated much of the material -- he had internalised the information, incorporated it so well into his thinking and being, that it came forward without effort. It is this kind of relationship I feel I have developed with the Book of Common Prayer.
To be sure, there are pages of information that I don't know. I haven't memorised the historical documents; I still consult the calendars; I haven't learned all of the collects by heart. But it has become a part of me. When was asked to put together a liturgy for a houseblessing for Episcopalian friends, there were rooms that called for collects that had not been written -- I wrote new collects and inserted them into the liturgy.
'Can you do that?' the householder asked, worried about the flow and the approval of the priest doing the blessing.
'I trust Kurt to write collects -- his probably belong in the BCP,' the priest said in response, and I appreciated her vote of confidence. That was perhaps the first confirmation to me of this sense of incorporation of the book into my life.
From his first edition, Cranmer distinguished in his terminology the words minister and priest, and the two should not be viewed as interchangeable. A priest is a minister, but a minister need not be a priest. This become part of the early development of the idea of all people being ministers to each other, which is also a concept that has varying acceptance and fulfillment in actual practice over the history of Anglicanism.
One of my favourite prayers derives from this book, part of the English prayer book from the very first one in 1549:
Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication unto thee, and hast promised through thy well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his name, thou wilt be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be best for us, granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come, life everlasting. Amen.
This prayer, like many things in the BCP, has moved to a new location from the first edition, but nonetheless the spirit of the BCP shows a circuitous but continuous development from this first English Prayer Book to the current varieties. Likewise, other denominations have gleaned insights, prayers and structures from this and other versions of the BCP.
The current Book of Common Prayer is not copyrighted material. The purpose for leaving the BCP out of copyright is to permit free and easy duplication and incorporation into worship materials; however, it also serves the purpose (deliberately intended) of permitting people, Anglicans or not, to use portions of the BCP as inspiration and material for their own worship. The Book of Common Prayer is an Anglican gift to the world.
OK, Here Goes!.......2003-06-01
Who would be so pretentious as to write a review of the Book of Common Prayer? Certainly not me.
Concise and beautiful.......2002-05-12
This is the prayer book used by the American Episcopal Church and the language is rich, powerful, inspiring, forgiving and just plain beautiful. It is gorgeous in its simplicity. As Red Barber said in praising the BCP(and I am quoting from Bob Edwards' great book Fridays with Red) "the beauty and conciseness of the English language, the fact that everything the Episcopal Church stood for was right there between the two covers, and the inclusion of the entire book of Psalms"
Other Episcopalians will criticize me for "commonizing" their book but his review was right on the money.
Both Barber and former president Bush include the BCP in their list of "must read" books.
Its beauty is in its simplicity and grace.
disapointed.......2002-04-27
This little book with the make believe leather and the multible misprints is not worth the price. I wish I sent it back.
Most Valuable Resource!.......2000-07-23
This is the most comprehensive, Bible-based prayer book I know of. I recommend it for daily, personal devotional and for weekly, corporate worship.
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