THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER CONTENT PARALLELS

Transcription

1 THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER CONTENT PARALLELS The Book of Common Prayer (1662/1928) The Church of England/ Introductory and Explanatory Materials The Preface. Concerning the Service of the Church. Of Ceremonies. Rules to Order the Service. Lectionary for the Daily Office & Explanation of the Kalendar The Order how the Psalter is appointed to be read. The Order how the rest of the holy Scripture is appointed to be read. A Table of Proper Lessons and Psalms. The Calendar, with the Table of Lessons. Tables and Rules for the Feasts and Fasts through the whole Year. The early Prayer Books had a stricter schedule of fasts. In addition the fasts directed in the 1979 BCP, the older Prayer Books lists the following additional days for fasting: all the Evens (i.e. the day before) of these feasts: Christmas, Purification of the Blessed Virgin (Feb 2), Annunciation (Mach 25), Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, St Matthias, St John the Baptist, St Peter, St James, St Bartholomew, St Matthew, St Simon and St Jude, St Andrew, St Thomas, All Saints Day The Ember days at the Four Seasons: the Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays following a) the first Sunday of Lent, b) the Feast of Pentecost, c) Holy Cross Day (Sept 14), and d) Feast of St. Lucy (Dec 13). The Rogation Days (the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before Ascension Day). [Introductory and Explanatory Materials] [pp 8-33] The Ratification of the Book of Common Prayer The Preface Concerning the Service of the Church The Calendar of the Church Year Instead of being printed just before Morning and Evening Prayer, the Daily Office lectionary was moved to the very back of the 1979 BCP. The following changes were made to the lectionary s structure/content in 1979: Changed from a one-year cycle to a two-year cycle (result: the lessons are shorter in 1979) Only three lessons are presented per day, compared with two for Morning and two for Evening in all of the older BCPs The choosing of lessons in the older BCPs was basically lectio continua: the reading of Biblical books straight-through; the 1979 lectionary is keyed first to the seasons of the year, and then after that is makes the attempt to move through books of the Bible. Related to the previous point, the lectionary was keyed to the monthly calendar (January 1, 2, 3 ), rather than to the Church Kalendar (First Sunday of Advent, Monday following, Tuesday following ). The 1979 BCP also cuts more portions of Scripture from the lectionary that some would deem offensive; at other times, the lectionary will instead make some readings optional by placing them [in brackets] The 1979 BCP (p 17) directs the following days to be observed by special acts of discipline and self-denial (i.e. fasting): Ash Wednesday and all other weekdays of Lent and Holy Week [note that Sunday is excluded]; Good Friday and all other Fridays of the year is commemoration of the Lord s crucifixion, except for Fridays in the Christmas and Easter Seasons, and any Feasts of our Lord which occur on a Friday. 1

2 The Church of England/ Daily Office and related prayers The Order for Morning Prayer. The Order for Evening Prayer. Creed of St. Athanasius [moved to Historical Documents section in 1979 BCP, p ] 1979 BCP restored two monastic office heretofore absent in previous BCPs: o Noonday Prayer (most closely connected with the short monastic services of Terce, Sext and None, which correspond to 9 am, noon and 3 pm). o Compline: the final monastic service of the day, usually said after supper in the monastery and which usually begins what is known as the Great Silence that extends through the night and concludes after the first services of the day and the Eucharist. The 1979 BCP also includes an Order of Worship for the Evening, loosely based both on the Jewish ritual blessing connected with the evening meal and an early 2 nd century source known as the Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus. Additionally, the 1979 BCP introduces Daily Devotions, for the times corresponding to Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer, Evening Prayer and Compline. Each are 1 page long and are very condensed version of the four Offices just listed (pp ). This replaces a feature that was unique to all the American BCPs, a section at the end of the BCP entitled Family Prayers (see 1928 BCP, pp ). The Litany Prayers and Thanksgivings The parallel to this section in the 1979 BCP pp The major differences is that the prayers appointed here are provided to address more specific needs and are to be added to Morning or Evening Prayer. The 1979 American BCP moves them to the back of the BCP and makes their use more broad. The Daily Office Daily Morning Prayer: Rite One [p 37] Daily Evening Prayer: Rite One [p 61] Daily Morning Prayer: Rite Two [p 75] Noonday Prayer [p 103] Order of Worship for the Evening [p 108] Daily Evening Prayer: Rite Two [p 115] Compline [p 127] Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families [p 137] Table of Suggested Canticles The 1979 BCP includes more options for Canticles to be used at Morning and Evening Prayer; this table lays out how they might be utilized over the course of a week. The traditional canticles dating back to at least the 6 th century and the Rule of St. Benedict are the Benedictus (Song of Zechariah) at Morning Prayer; and the Magnificat (Song of Mary) at Evening Prayer; and the Nunc Dimittis (Song of Simeon) at Compline. In the BCP tradition, the Nunc Dimittis is also said at Evening Prayer. The Great Litany [p 148] 2

3 The Church of England/ One-Year Lectionary [full-text] for Sundays and Holy Days collect + Epistle & Gospel Until 1979, all BCP s printed the full text of the collect, Epistle and Gospel lesson for each Sunday and Holy Day in a one-year cycle. In the 1979 BCP, the collects are printed here, and the three-year Sunday and Holy Day lectionary is found in the back, beginning on page 888. These 3 items are known as the Propers. Before the BCP reforms (and still in the Roman Catholic liturgy), the propers included more than just a proper collect and readings. There were two additional parts of the Proper that disappeared with Cranmer: the secret (an additional prayer said silently by the priest during the preparation of the Altar) and the Postcommunion (which in all BCPs are not variable). There was also a limited number of Proper Prefaces used just before the Sanctus. These other texts are known as the Minor Propers and were usually short excerpts from the Psalms that related to the theme of the Sunday or Feast and were sung or said. They were the following o Introit at the opening, before any prayers o Gradual psalm or hymn after the Epistle o Alleluia or Tract [used during pre-lent, Lent and Requiems in place of the Alleluia] o Sequence before the Gospel also; not a psalm text, but a form of liturgical poetry; quite rare. o Offertory after the Creed and Sermon [or in the current liturgy, just before the preparation of the Altar, and after the Prayers and Confession] o Communion during the reception of Communion The Collects: Traditional/Contemporary [pp 159] Seasons of the Year; Holy Days; Common of Saints; Various Occasions In the 1979 BCP, only the collects are printed here. The Three-Year Lectionary that corresponds to the collects begins on page 888. The number of collects here is increased in a number of ways: There are new Holy Days (major feasts): the Feast of the Holy Name (replacing the Circumcision of Jesus); Baptism of our Lord (on Sunday after Epiphany); propers for the entire octave of Easter; Confession of St. Peter; Conversion of St. Paul; St. Joseph; Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary; adds St. Paul to St. Peter s day on June 29 (this is the more ancient practice); St. Mary Magdalene; St. Mary the Virgin (her earliest feast and celebrated in Rome and the Easter as her Assumption/Dormition); Holy Cross Day; St. James of Jerusalem. There are proper collects for different kinds of saints (martyr; missionary; pastoral; theologian/teacher; monastic; saint). This makes easier the daily celebration of the Holy Eucharist and within a fuller calendar of saints. Also collects appointed for what is often called a votive Mass/Eucharist, i.e. for a particular intention or to celebrate a particular thing. Some already existed (Anniv. of Dedication of a church; Ember Days; Rogation Days; o Intentions: for all Baptized Christians; for the Departed; Church Convention; Unity of the Church; Mission of the Church; for the Nation; for peace; for the sick; for social justice; for social service; for education; for vocation in daily work; for Labor Day. o Celebration/commemoration: Holy Trinity; Holy Spirit; Holy Angels; Incarnation; Holy Eucharist (collect of St. Thomas Aquinas for Corpus Christi); Holy Cross; Reign of Christ; Baptism; Confirmation. Proper Liturgies for Special Days The only provision made in the older BCPs of special liturgies for particular days is for Ash Wednesday and the service goes by the name A Commination Against Sinners or in 1662 A Commination, or Denouncement of God s Anger and Judgments against Sinners. It was cut in the first American BCP but replaced with A Penitential Office for Ash Wednesday beginning in 1892 and was updated in 1979 to also include express provision for the blessing and distribution of ashes. The liturgies for the other days are quite ancient and rely in large part on the Roman Rite, drawn largely from the writings of Egeria, a Gallic nun who made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem between 381 and 384 and who wrote down detailed descriptions of their Holy Week practices. 3 Proper Liturgies for Special Days Ash Wednesday [p 264] Palm Sunday [p 270] Maundy Thursday [p 274] Good Friday [p 276] Holy Saturday [p 283] The Great Vigil of Easter [p 285]

4 The Church of England/ Holy Communion. Publick Baptism of Infants. Private Baptism of Children. Baptism of those of Riper Years [first included in 1662] Holy Baptism [p 299] The Holy Eucharist An Exhortation [p 316] A Penitential Order: Rite One [p 319] The Holy Eucharist: Rite One [p 323] A Penitential Order: Rite Two [p 351] The Holy Eucharist: Rite Two [p 355] Prayers of the People [p 383] Communion under Special Circumstances [p 396] this most closely corresponds to Communion of the Sick in the older BCPs. An Order for Celebrating the Holy Eucharist [p 400] A Catechism. The Order of Confirmation. Pastoral Offices Confirmation [p 413] A Form of Commitment to Christian Service [p 420] this service is new to the 1979 BCP. The Solemnization of Matrimony Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage [p 423] The Blessing of a Civil Marriage [p 433] this is new to the 1979 BCP. An Order for Marriage [p 435] this was included in the 1979 BCP to allow for the use of the rite from another edition of the BCP (American or English). Thanksgiving for the Birth or Adoption of a Child [p 439] see Purification/Churching of Women in older BCPs following the Burial of the Dead. 4

5 The Church of England/ Reconciliation of a Penitent [p 447] from the first BCP, an explicit form of priestly absolution was provided in the Visitation of the Sick to be given after a private confession [1549 includes and the same forme of absolucion shalbe used in all private confessions ] The 1979 BCP is the first to provide an actual form for private confession; the first form adheres closely to the form typically used in the Western Church ( Bless me [Father], for I have sinned ). The Visitation of the Sick. The Communion of the Sick. Ministration to the Sick [p 453] Ministration at the Time of Death [p 462] The Burial of the Dead. Burial of the Dead: Rite One [p 469] Burial of the Dead: Rite Two [p 491] An Order for Burial [p 506] like An Order for Marriage, this was included in the 1979 BCP to allow for the use of the rite from another edition of the BCP (American or English). The Purification/Churching of Women moved in the 1928 American BCP to just following the Marriage service, and retitled Thanksgiving of Women after Childbirth, and again re-edited in the 1979 BCP. A Commination see Ash Wednesday in the Proper Liturgies for Special Days in the 1979 BCP (p 264); 1979 BCP also includes services for Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and the Great Vigil of Easter (the first time any have appeared in an Anglican BCP). {The Psalter} not included in the BCP until 1662; in the 1979 American BCP, it was printed after the Ordinal and related service. {Forms of Prayer to be used at Sea} first printed in the BCP in 1662; in all American BCPs, along with A Form of Prayer for the Visitation of Prisoners, until 1928] 5

6 The Church of England/ {A Catechism only in 1928 American BCP; updated in 1979} {Forms of Prayer to be Used in Families} first printed in the 1789 American BCP and remained through Quite devotional in nature; their form does not try and mimic Morning or Evening Prayer. The Ordinal: The Form and Manner of Making, Ordaining, and Consecrating of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. {Litany and Suffrages for Ordinations} {Form of Consecration of a Church or Chapel} {Office of Institution of Ministers into Parishes or Churches} The previous three items were first added in the 1892 American BCP Forms of Prayer for the Anniversary of the day of the Accession of the Reigning Sovereign. Episcopal Services Ordination of a Bishop [p 511] Ordination of a Priest [p 525] Ordination of a Deacon [p 537] Litany for Ordinations [p 548] Celebration of a New Ministry [p 557] Consecration of a Church or Chapel [p 567] a version of each of the previous three service can be found American BCPs starting in The Psalter, or Psalms of David [p 585] printed after the Commination in the English BCPs, and after the Burial services in the American BCPs. 6 Prayers and Thanksgivings [p 810] See earlier comments under Prayers and Thanksgivings in the other column (after the Litany). An Outline of the Faith, or Catechism [p 845] Until the 1979 BCP, forms of a Catechism were connected to the rite of Confirmation from the first BCP. The earlier versions addressed the nature of Baptism, the Apostles Creed, basic doctrine of the Trinity, the Ten Commandments, and duty of one toward God and one s neighbor. In 1604, a section was added on the Sacraments at the request of the Puritans. In 1662 it was separated from Confirmation. It was retained in the American BCPs; in 1928, it was transformed into two Offices of Instruction whose content is nearly identical, with additional material about the ministry, the Church, and the duties and privileges of membership. Much of that material is repeated in a Catechism printed just before Family Prayer in the 1928 American BCP. The Catechism in the 1979 American BCP is based on the one composed for the proposed 1928 BCP in England (that was not approved by Parliament) but later authorized by the Church of England in 1962.

7 The Church of England/ Articles of Religion. A Table of Kindred and Affinity Historical Documents of the Church Definition of the Union of the Divine and Human Natures in the Person of Christ (Council of Chalcedon, 451 A.D., Act V) [p 864] Creed of St. Athanasius (Quicunque Vult) [p 864] Preface: The First Book of Common Prayer (1549) [p 866] Articles of Religion [p 867] The Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral 1886, 1888 [p 876] Tables for Finding the Date of Easter and other Holy Days [p 880] in all earlier Prayer Books, this material was printed in the first section with other introductory and explanatory materials. Eucharistic Lectionary for Sundays and Holy Days [p 888] Years A, B & C; Holy Days; Common of Saints; Various Occasions. See above comments under the section on Collects and Propers. The only additional note is that the move from a one-year Sunday Lectionary to a three-year one (the readings for Holy Days remain the same each year in the three-year Sunday cycle) was a result of the Roman Church s change after Vatican II. The one-year lectionary (that was similar in both the Roman liturgy and the Anglican BCPs) dates back to approximately the 5 th century and focused on a) the life and doctrine of Christ (Advent through Easter), and then on the other doctrines of the Creed for the other half of the year. The three-year lectionary a) now included an OT lesson tied theologically/typologically to the Gospel; b) added proper psalms; b) allowed for a wider exposure to the Scriptures. Daily Office Lectionary (2 year cycle) [p 934] Seasons of the Year; Holy Days [major feasts]; Special Occasions. See above comments under the section of the Daily Office. 7