We have folowed too much the devises and desyres of oure owne hearts. Book of common prayer, liturgical book used by churches of the anglican communion. There had been some reduction in the number of saints days celebrated, and the dissolution of the religious houses, but doctrine, as summarised in the act of six articles of 1539 was catholic. Under the stress of foreign influences, it was subjected to certain alterations in 1552, but these were again considerably modified. Ashley null on thomas cranmer anglican church league. First published in 1549 and substantially revised in 1552, the book of common prayer was compiled, edited, and to some extent composed by thomas cranmer. From cranmers 1552 prayer book almighty and most mercyfull father, we have erred and strayed from thy wayes, lyke lost shepe. While few scholars would argue against cranmers centrality to the english reformation, far fewer would argue that he had a pivotal role in the develop. It included a new liturgy in english, as opposed to the old liturgy in latin. Thomas cranmers prayer book was published on january 15th, 1549.
Most of the exiles returned to england and resumed their careers in the. Thomas cranmer and the book of common prayer authorstream. In the convocation of 1563, the fortytwo articles which were never adopted by the church were altered in the area of eucharistic doctrine to form the thirtynine articles. The most common interpretation is that he was responsible for the first book, which is read by many scholars as. The 1549 edition of the book of common prayer is the original version of the book of common prayer bcp, variations of which are still in use as the official liturgical book of the church of england and other anglican churches. Cranmer produced a new and more radical protestant prayer book in 1552, whose subsequent vicissitudes echoed the conflicting tides of opinion within the church of england. It was open to interpretation as inferring a substantive presence of christ in the consecrated elements, a belief that was contrary to. It was revised in a more catholic spirit in 1559, to be succeeded eventually by the 1662 anglican prayer book, more catholic still and the familiar one which has lasted down.
A brief biography thomas cranmer is an ambiguous and contestable figure. Dix damned it with the most horrible imprecation he could summon. The book of common prayer contains forms of service for daily. Cranmers reforms from the kings book to the eve of the house of lords debate on the eucharist, december 1548 4. Accessible2 the first thing to note about the book of common prayer is that it was in english. Andrewes and english catholics response to cranmers. The congregation, and often also the priests, did not know what the words. When we think that 1549 prayer book was the high point of cranmers work, we clearly misunderstand both his theology and his way of bringing things about. The original book, published in 1549 church of england 1957, in the reign of edward vi, was a product of the english reformation following the break with rome.
The center of gravity in cranmers communion liturgy the. The prayer book represents reformed worship, and the articles contain reformed doctrine. The prayer book of 1662, with minor changes, has continued as the standard liturgy of most anglican churches of the british commonwealth. Yet cranmers reformed discipline failed to gain parliamentary approval, and that failure was a factor that led to the rise of puritanism. Book of common prayer and elizabeth i comfortable words. Written during the english reformation, the prayer book was largely the work of thomas cranmer, who borrowed from a large number of other sources. Where is the center of gravity in cranmers order for the lords supper of 1552, cranmers final version of the communion liturgy and to what extent does the 1928 american prayer book affect or move this center. Thomas cranmers eucharistie doctrine and the prayer books.
The book of common prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the anglican communion, as well as by the continuing anglican, anglican realignment and other anglican churches. Here cranmers prayer of humble access gives acknowledgement of that sentiment, while at the same time focusing on gods grace, not on our unworthiness. Thomas cranmers eucharistie doctrine and the prayer books of. We must honour thomas cranmer and be grateful to him, for in the english bible, the book of common prayer, the book of homilies, he helped translate and reform the faith and worship of the english speaking world, recalling it to a simpler more. In the 1549 prayer book it was translated as blessed and given thanks and in the 1552 prayer book the words blessed and are left out altogether and have not been restored. It is unfortunate that the 1552 text is not included for comparison and completeness. Cranmer made sure, in an appendix to the 1552 edition, that the anglican prayer book denied any real and essential presence. Most of the contents of the 1662 book of common prayer are there in cranmers book of 1549, and in the amendments made in 1552. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs. Even the words of the anthem which wouldve been intoned in the sarum rite while worshipers received ashes is moved, in cranmers text, to a final prayer and was, in 1552, changed from antheme to this that followeth, again, with no suggestion of ashes or what many reformers feared to be a latemedieval innovation being. Go search your store deals store gift cards sell help. Whereas worship in the middle ages was primarily, though not exclusively in latin, cranmers book was in english, reflecting the growing importance and spread of education and literacy and the invention of printing. Determined to avoid further bloodshed and to tread a middle path between old catholics and new protestants, the young queen restored the 1552 prayer book in the first year of her reign although scholars suggest she herself would have preferred cranmers catholicleaning liturgy of 1549. Thomas cranmer 2 july 1489 21 march 1556 was a leader of the english reformation and archbishop of canterbury during the reigns of henry viii, edward vi and, for a short time, mary i.
The book of common prayer was first published in 1549 in the reign of edward vi 1537 to 1553, the son of henry viii. This book contained complete forms for daily and sunday worship plus rites for baptism, confirmation, marriage and prayers for the sick. Book of common prayer project gutenberg selfpublishing. First authorized for use in the church of england in 1549, it was radically revised in 1552, with subsequent minor revisions in 1559, 1604, and 1662. The 1552 book of common prayer society of archbishop justus. Archbishop cranmers omission of the benedictus from the 1552 communion service was not an oversight. We all know, of course, that to be high church means always choosing 1549 over 1552. The latter prevailed, and in 1552 the second prayer book of edward vi was.
Frere famously declared that with it english religion reached its low water mark. From his notes on the prayer book, and those of cosins who incorporated both andrewes and bishop overalls notes into his own, it is possible to describe how the liturgy was celebrated by andrewes and english catholics in. The texts of 1549, 1559, and 1662 oxford worlds classics. The anglican way by gerald bray ligonier ministries. The first prayer book had been so carefully vague that it was possible alike for those to make use of it who held the romish doctrine of transubstantiation or the zwinglian doctrine that the communion, service. We can sum up cranmers legacy of the prayer book under five headings.
The following observations represent the thinking of someone steeped in the. It was also much simpler than the old roman catholic missal, giving prominence to the reading of scriptures, and restoring the lords supper to a distribution of both bread and wine. Robert wright the essay offered here is an emendation of an earlier version that was published in but one use, the general seminary librarys catalogue of an exhibition to commemorate the 450th anniversary of the book of common prayer. Revision, undertaken by cranmer, resulted in the prayer book of 1552, which showed the influence of foreign reformers then resident in england, for it made. The book of common prayer 1552 the second prayer book of edward vi to many in the english religious establishment under edward vi, the 1549 prayer book was only a first step in a movement towards a more reformed and protestant religion. Derived ultimately as it is from cranmers eucharistic prayer from the 1549 book of common prayer the 1662 eucharistic prayer is based upon that which is to be found in the roman canon, though of course it represents the heavily calvinistic changes cranmer made in the prayer book of 1552 and the resemblance is relatively loose. First and foremost was the sarum rite, or the latin liturgy developed in salisbury in the thirteenth century, and widely used in england. The 1549 book was, from the outset, intended only as a temporary expedient, as bucer was. Cranmer produced a new and more radical protestant prayer book in 1552, whose. The prayer book 1559 the elizabethan prayer book of 1559 was based on cranmers 1552 with alterations, which though minor, were however to cast a long shadow.
The work of 1549 was the first prayer book to include the complete. Thus the elizabethan prayer book was basically cranmers 1552 edition but without the black rubric. The first prayer book of 1549 by the reverend canon professor j. He helped build the case for the annulment of henrys marriage to catherine of aragon, which was one of the causes of the separation of the english church from union with the holy see. Archbishop cranmer was himself one of these reformers, and the result was the revision of 1552, which intended to move the church in a more protestant. The lectionary and kalendar in the opening pages of the 1552 1662 book of common prayer remained the norm for three centuries, only slightly modified in the victorian era, before being eviscerated in the 20th century during which time, even among the faithful, daily scripture reading dropped out of fashion. Book of common prayer bcp is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the anglican communion, as well as by other christian churches historically related to anglicanism.
The final difficulty of cranmers life was that mary, the prince whom he obeyed, was obedient to the pope. When henry viii died in 1547, worship in english was not significantly different from in any catholic country in europe, other than in eschewing all reference to the pope. A living testament to the english reformation, cranmers work is a milestone in church history, capturing the essence of the english language and culture, chronicling its enduring achievements. T his is the second in three posts about primitivism and how best to rediscover and resource from the past, especially the reformations of the 16th century, in a healthy way. Cranmers greatest achievement, the book of common prayer, was issued in march 1549. The deep thoughts revealed truly bring prayer to life. Book of common prayer, liturgical book used by the churches of the anglican. The challenge was to hold the familiar and the strange in tension, resisting the impulse 1 to classicize cranmer as an idol, 2 to flatten him in ways to make. The 1552 order for the administration of the lords supper, or holy communion 1 for example, r. The original book, published in 1549 in the reign of edward vi, was a product of the english reformation following the break with rome.
Thomas cranmer and the book of common prayer place for truth. We do not presume to come to this your table, merciful lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in your manifold and great mercies. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of the church of england. This book of common prayer was not created in a vacuum, but derives from several sources. The book of common prayer is the most important prayer book of the church of england, used by all the churches of the anglican communion and many churches with historical ties to anglicanism. Before the reformation, worship had always been in latin.
The first post was largely about the nature of tradition. Instead of the banning of all vestments save the rochet for bishops and the surplice for parish clergy, it permitted such ornaments. Beckwith, thomas cranmer and the prayer book, in the study of liturgy, ed. The lectionary and kalendar in the opening pages of the 15521662 book of common prayer remained the norm for three centuries, only slightly modified in the victorian era, before being eviscerated in the 20th century during which time, even among the faithful, daily scripture reading dropped out of fashion. For conformists, cranmers legacy was his prayer book, so that he was the symbol of their defence of the liturgy against puritans, just as he had been in the disputes among the marian exiles about how far they could depart from the 1552 book. Probably the greatest controversy surrounding cranmer s beliefs concerns the eucharistie doctrines expressed in the 1549 and 1552 prayer books, and the degree to which cranmer was responsible for each. The book of common prayer the strength of the swiss school made itself felt in a revision of the prayer book which took effect in 1552. Therefore, historically speaking, the 1552 prayer book really is the standard for original anglican worship.