Step back into the making of Anglican worship and church law with a window into early modern religious practice.
The First Prayer-Book presents the authoritative forms, prayers, and statutes issued by Parliament in the mid‑16th century. This edition collects the governance of church rites, baptism, and the translation of worship into a defined authority, offering readers a concrete view of how public and private devotion were shaped in this pivotal era. It blends liturgical directions with legal provisions, showing how religion and state power intertwined at the moment when England redefined its church.
Readers will encounter the practical textures of worship, from orders for bishops and priests to prayers used in daily life, sea service, and public ceremonies. The text also reveals how dissent, discipline, and tradition were managed through statutes, reformation-era sermons, and the careful cataloging of rites and ceremonies as part of state policy.
- Official prayers, rites, and forms used in church services, including the Lord’s Prayer and exhortations tied to Scripture.
- Rules governing ordination, consecration, and the authority of church leaders.
- Statutes that connect religious practice with civil law and accountability for clergy.
- Illustrative passages on baptism, Holy Communion, and the structure of worship in the realm.
Ideal for readers of church history, early modern law, and the development of English religious practice.