How to Use the Book of Common Prayer

In recent years there has been a revival of interest in the Book of Common Prayer, especially the classic 1662 version. Beloved for its language and theology, the classic Prayer Book is the fountainhead for almost all later editions of the Book of Common Prayer and remains a widely recognized standard for worship in the Anglican tradition. More than simply a collection of prayers, the Book of Common Prayer offers a transformative engagement with the Bible and a framework for our spiritual lives.

In How to Use the Book of Common Prayer, Samuel Bray and Drew Keane (editors of The 1662 Book of Common Prayer: International Edition) introduce the classic Prayer Book to newcomers. Beginning with a brief history and case for liturgical prayer, they walk through daily morning and evening prayer, baptism and Communion, the church year, and the Prayer Book’s plan for reading the Bible. This is not only an introduction to the Prayer Book—it's a guide to letting it form your faith.

Samuel L. Bray is a Professor of Law at the University of Chicago, as well as a McDonald Distinguished Fellow at the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University. He is coauthor (with John F. Hobbins) of Genesis 1–11: A New OldTranslation for Readers, Scholars, and Translators.

Drew Nathaniel Keane teaches in the Department of English at Georgia Southern University. He formerly served on the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music for the Episcopal Church. He is coauthor (with Samuel D. Fornecker) of a forthcoming commentary on the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.