The Oxford Guide to the Book of Common Prayer A Worldwide Survey

By Cynthia Shattuck

Book Overview

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 variations. Expert contributors from around the world and from every major denomination offer an unparalleled view of The Book of Common Prayer and its influence.

The Oxford Guide to Common Prayer is more than simply a history: it 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. The Guide examines how the same texts - Daily Prayers, the Eucharist, Marriage and Funerals, and many others - in dozens of editions now in use throughout the world, both resemble and differ from one another. A brief look at "electronic Prayer Books" also offers a unique and exciting modern perspective.

The Oxford Guide to the Book of Common Prayer offers a fascinating journey through the history and development of a classic of world literature from its origins in the 16th century to the modern day.

Oxford is pleased to offer The Book of Common Prayer in a variety of formats and prices to match readers' needs and budgets - perfect for study or gift-giving. Visit our website to order your copy today.

* A comprehensive survey of the rich history of the original Book of Common Prayer and all of its varied descendents.
* Explains, characterizes, and illustrates the dozens of Prayer Book versions in current use throughout the world.
* Lays out a path that will enable any reader, Anglican or not, to learn why the BCP is a classic of liturgy and literature.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195297628
• ISBN13: 9780195297621
• Release Date: March 2008
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 640 Pages
• Weight: 2.12 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 6.5" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Excellent and informative resource.

I don't pray the Book of Common Prayer, but I love the concept behind it. This massive tomb is an excellent resource in understanding the history and development of the modern Book of Common Prayer along with the plethora of variants that are currently in use. It may seem odd to say such, but I would call this a "real page turner." All the essays are well researched, thought out, and written. There were some sections that I wasn't as interested in, which was section 5, Family Portraits: Prayer Books today. Not that those are of any lesser quality, it just wasn't of interest to me. To me, the most interesting part is that you can see and understand how the West has gotten to where we are today. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in history, especially of the prayer book and the West.

Want to know about Anglican prayer books -- all over the world?

This hefty tome is a logical follow-up to the 120-page WELCOME TO THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER. Nobody will confuse it with a work of systematic theology, but it does what it does brilliantly: eludicate and critique (by this I mean explicate, not 'criticize') present-day versions of Cranmer's fifteenth-century original all over the world. Some surprises are in store: many Episcopalians in the USA casually call the BCP the "prayer book"; moreover, some English-language countries have named their version "Prayer Book" without any "common"ality of book title. Judge for yourself whether the Anglican BCP in general is getting more diverse within most of the many, many nations in which a nation-specific version serves; or whether it is globalizing. Perhaps there's a bit of truth in both. THE OXFORD GUIDE TO THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER: A WORLD-WIDE SURVEY is an excellent source book to have as a desk or library reference, not only for clergy but for people who are just plain interested. Note that the hardcover version goes for only about ten dollars more than the paperback; I for one recommend the extra investment. If you're not yourself an Episcopalian (Anglican), but merely looking for a more entry-level (and much shorter!) book, try WELCOME TO THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER as mentoned above or WELCOME TO THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH, both widely available.

Splendid Scholarship at Rock-Bottom Prices

Nearly everything a scholar or common reader could possibly want to know, priced as a thought it were a paperback remainder.

Wonderful insight into the Book of Common Prayer

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

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

Intelligent and enjoyable

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.