BCPOnline
(a complete, online version of the BCP) |
The Book of Common Prayer"It is a most invaluable part of that blessed "liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free,"
that in his worship different forms and usages may without offense be allowed, provided the substance of the Faith be kept entire." (Book of Common Prayer, p. 9) The Book of Common Prayer (BCP) is the official book of worship of the Episcopal Church, providing liturgical forms, prayers, and instructions so that all members and orders of the Episcopal Church may share in common worship. Liturgical and sacramental worship in the Anglican Churches is rooted in common prayer, a tradition that dates to the publication of the first English Prayer Book in 1549. The first American Book of Common Prayer was produced by General Convention of the Episcopal Church in 1789, based on the English Prayer Book (1662 edition) and the Scottish Eucharistic Rite (1764). It has since gone through three revisions - the BCP currently in use produced in 1979.
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The BCP notes that “The Holy Eucharist, the principal act of Christian worship on the Lord’s Day and other major Feasts" (BCP, 13). Further, as set forth in the BCP, Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer are meant to be regular services of public worship. Aside from the Holy Eucharist and Morning Prayer, the BCP also includes the "Calendar of the Church Year", proper liturgical rites for the sacraments and other pastoral offices (i.e. Burial of the Dead), and the Psalter, as well various forms of prayers. Though not strictly forms for worship, an Outline of the Faith (Catechism) and the Historical Documents of the Church can be found at the end of the BCP.
As it is described on the Episcopal Church's website, "The Book of Common Prayer is a treasure chest full of devotional and teaching resources for individuals and congregations, but it is also the primary symbol of our unity."
As it is described on the Episcopal Church's website, "The Book of Common Prayer is a treasure chest full of devotional and teaching resources for individuals and congregations, but it is also the primary symbol of our unity."