Description
Book SynopsisAn anthology of passages from English literature referring to the "Book of Common Prayer", interspersed with essays discussing the history of the "Prayer Book" itself, the place of music in Anglican worship and the shape of Morning and Evening Prayer.
Trade Review"All good anthologies - and this is a very good one - stimulate the reader ... wide reading in the obscure and at first sight ephemeral ... yields some ... most memorable passages ...The author has made excellent use of fiction as well as memoirs to record the impact of the Prayer Book and the reactions of the congregation ..." Richard Olland, The Tablet "The appeal of this imaginative book ... will be by no means exclusively to Anglicans: it is not 'churchy', but wide in its trawl, literateurs vastly outnumbering divines. Lovers of English and all who try to worship in whatever tradition will appreciate the humour and humanity of the well chosen extracts ... delightful and timely ... beautifully produced." The Expository Times "A supreme masterpiece of English prose." The Tablet "This delightful book has only one demerit, that of being too short." P.D. James, Daily Telegraph "Here is evidence of how those beautiful cadences seduced whole generations into belief." The Independent "An eloquent champion for the Book of Common Prayer." Parish News
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgements Prologue Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, Interlude: Parallel Patterns, The Creed of St Athanasius - Quicunque Vult, The Litany, Prayers and Thanksgiving, The Collects, Epistles and Gospels, Holy Communion, Interlude: 1662 and all that, The Ministration of Public Baptism to Infants, A Catechism, The Order of Confirmation, Interlude: Found in Possession, The Form of Solemnization of Matrimony, The Order for Visitation of the Sick, The Order for the Burial of the Dead, Thanksgiving of Women after Child Birth, A Commination, The Psalter - The Psalms of David, Interlude: 'Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs', Forms of Prayer to be used at Sea, Finale: Excellent References Epilogue Index of Authors Copyright Permissions
