Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Monday, February 13, 2012

ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES: The 1928 American Prayer Book Is NOT the 1662 Book of Common Prayer

Robin Jordan is exactly correct.  For "men of discerning spirits," there are some obvious reasons that the new American Anglican entities essentially bury the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. The time has come for a rational, thoughtful, doctrinal, energetic, and--yes--full-throated exploration of the issues. We expect nothing from www.virtueonline.orgwww.standfirminfaith.org, or www.anglicanink.com.   We want answers.  Robin's article, in brief, follows.

ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES: The 1928 American Prayer Book Is NOT the 1662 Book of Common Prayer

By Robin G. JordanThe 1928 American Prayer Book differs from the classic Anglican Prayer Book, The Book of Common Prayer of 1662, in a number of ways. A number of these differences are significant. They show that the doctrine and liturgical usages of the 1928 American Prayer Book and the classic Anglican Prayer Book are not the same. They belie the claim that the 1928 book is the American edition of the 1662 book, an erroneous view that the Prayer Book Society USA has championed for a number of years.

It is noteworthy that none of the Prayer Book commentators in the first half of the twentieth century—E. Clowe Chorley (1929), W. K. Lowther Clarke (1932), Edward Lambe Parsons and Bayard Hale Jones (1937), and Massey Hamilton Shepherd, Jr. (1950) make such a claim. In their works they draw attention to the substantial differences between the two books.

The 1928 American Prayer Book was compiled at a time when Anglo-Catholicism and Broad Church latitudinarianism were the dominant influences in the American Episcopal Church. As a consequence the 1928 book reflects these influences. The 1928 revision was far-reaching and even radical in the changes that it introduced in the American Prayer Book.

The 1662 Book of Common Prayer was compiled two years after the restoration of the Stuart dynasty after an interregnum of almost 20 years. During the Commonwealth Period the Church of England was without bishops and a Prayer Book. Upon ascending the throne Charles II would take steps to restore the episcopate and the Book of Common Prayer.

The Restoration bishops were Laudian High Churchmen. While they made a number of minor alterations and additions to the Book of Common Prayer, they were for a large part content to leave the Prayer Book substantially as it was during the reign of Charles I. The revised book that they submitted to Convocation, Parliament, and the King was remarkably moderate in tone. It is essentially the 1552 Prayer Book.


For more, see:
http://anglicansablaze.blogspot.com/2012/02/accept-no-substitutes-1928-american.html

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

In most respects, I would not object to seeing the restoration of the 1662 book. The Black Rubric, however, ought to be omitted, given the very great many who confess the Real Presence in the Communion. (The Black Rubric is one of two obstacles to true fellowship between Lutherans and Anglicans, the other being the "unchurching" those whose ministers are not in canonical succession (Some Lutheran pastors are, some are not).

Reformation said...

I could live without it and live--as Anglicans did for 103 years-- with the 1559 BCP.