The Oxford Handbook of the Book of Common Prayer

The use of a Book of Common Prayer has been a hallmark of Anglicanism, resulting in a liturgical language that shapes doctrine. What began as a single Book of Common Prayer in sixteenth-century England has developed into a family of prayer books authorized by member churches of the global Anglican Communion. The Oxford Handbook of the Book of Common Prayer offers a holistic view of the prayer-book tradition in Anglicanism and explores new directions emerging in the Communion. Written by forty-six diverse Anglican scholars from throughout the world, it analyzes historic and more recent editions bearing that title in churches throughout the Anglican Communion, as well as modern books that fulfill the same function, to aid understanding and practices of worship in Anglicanism.

The Handbook begins with an exploration of the Book of Common Prayer in context, assessing its colonial legacy and exploring the significance of the book for Anglican identity. It considers inculturation of worship and cultural differences in the texts of the books and in the use and interpretation of the books. Themed sections cover the language of the Book of Common Prayer, including questions of translation and inclusive and expansive language, and worship space, rubrics, and music. Other sections consider theologies and practices of the liturgical year, Christian initiation (baptism, confirmation, admission to communion), services of the word (daily offices and eucharist), ordination and ministry, and pastoral offices.

While many of the chapters introduce historical background, the focus in this volume is the interpretation and use of contemporary Prayer Books, with attention to the impact of the twentieth-century Liturgical Movement. Since the 1980s, Anglicans have met through the International Anglican Liturgical Consultation to consider principles for liturgical revision and to share news of developments in their home Provinces, and this book takes note of the findings of these consultations.

List of contents

• List of Contributors


• Introduction


• Paul F. Bradshaw, Luiz Carlos Teixeira Coelho, Ruth A. Meyers


• Part I The Book in Context


• 1. The Book of Common Prayer and Anglican Identity


• Christopher Irvine


• 2. Colonial Legacy of the Book of Common Prayer


• Jennifer C. Snow


• 3. Inculturation


• Phillip Tovey


• 4. Liturgical Revision and the Book of Common Prayer


• Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook


• 5. How the Book of Common Prayer Shapes--and Is Shaped by--Other Liturgical Traditions


• Melanie C. Ross


• 6. Books of Occasional Services and Other Supplemental Books


• Shawn O. Strout


• Part II. Language


• 7. Prayer Book Language through Time


• Bridget Nichols


• 8. Inclusive Language in the Book of Common Prayer


• Charles Read


• 9. The Challenges of Translating Liturgies


• Pierre W. Whalon


• 10. Language and Doctrine: The Didactic Use of Liturgy


• Bryan D. Spinks


• Part III. The Prayer Book Enacted


• 11. Performance of the Liturgy


• Stephanie A. Budwey


• 12. Service Music and Congregational Song


• Anne Bagnall Yardley


• 13. The Book of Common Prayer and Liturgical Space


• Richard Giles


• 14. Children and the Book of Common Prayer


• Stephen R. Shaver


• Part IV. The Calendar and Liturgical Year


• 15. The Concept of the Liturgical Year


• Sylvia A. Sweeney


• 16. Lectionaries


• Hilary M. Bogert-Winkler


• 17. The Triduum in the Book of Common Prayer


• James W. Farwell


• 18. Calendars of Saints


• Júlio Eduardo dos Santos Ribeiro Reis Simões


• Part V. Initiation


• 19. Initiatory Preparation and Practice in the Anglican Tradition


• Jason Haddox


• 20. Baptismal Theology: Faith and Baptism


• Melissa M. Hartley


• 21. Ethical Implications of Baptism: Togetherness and Transformation as an Ontological Feature of Creation


• Paulo Ueti


• 22. The Relationship of Baptism and Confirmation: What Constitutes Christian Initiation?


• Ruth A. Meyers


• 23. Admission to Communion in the Book of Common Prayer: Evolution and Challenges


• Luiz Carlos Teixeira Coelho and Juan M. C. Oliver


• Part VI. Daily Offices and Services of the Word


• 24. The Form and Function of the Daily Offices


• Paul F. Bradshaw


• 25. Collects


• Matthew S. C. Olver


• 26. Intercessions


• Gillian V. Varcoe


• 27. From Penitence to Praise, and Back Again


• J. Barrington Bates


• Part VII. Eucharist


• 28. Eucharistic Prayers in the Prayer Book Tradition


• J. Neil Alexander


• 29. Eucharistic Offering/ Sacrifice


• Gordon Jeanes


• 30. Modes of Real Presence in Anglican Eucharistic Theology


• Lizette Larson-Miller


• 31. From Traditions to Transformations: Trajectories and Practices in the Church of South India's Communion


• Viji Varghese Eapen


• 32. From Week to Week? The Book of Common Prayer and Frequency of Communion from 1549 to Today


• Catherine Haynes


• Part VIII. Ministry and Ordination


• 33. Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and the Book of Common Prayer: The Three-fold Nature of Ministry in and outside the Prayer Book


• John L. Kater


• 34. The Ordination of Women, an Evolving Story


• Paula D. Nesbitt


• 35. Ordination Rites, Past and Present


• James F. Turrell


• 36. The Ministry/ Mission of the Whole Church in Relation to Ordained and Lay Ministry


• Elise A. Feyerherm


• 37. Lay Designated and Licensed Ministry


• William H. Petersen and Susan Marie Smith


• Part IX. Pastoral Rites


• 38. Inculturation of Marriage


• Chun Wai Lam


• 39. Same-Sex Marriage and the Book of Common Prayer


• Deirdre J. Good and Andrew R. Wright


• 40. Evolution of the Funeral Rites in the Book of Common Prayer


• Rafael Vilaça Epifani Costa


• 41. Inculturation of Funeral Rites in Kenya


• John Ndung'u Ikenye


• 42. Corporate Reconciliation


• Michael Battle


• 43. Anglican Rites of Healing


• Linda Malia


• Appendix: Anglican Prayer Books


• Index

About the author

Ruth A. Meyers is Hodges-Haynes Professor Emerita of Liturgics at Church Divinity School of the Pacific, Berkeley and a member of the Core Doctoral Faculty of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. She is a past president of the North American Academy of Liturgy, and a past member of the Steering Committee of the International Anglican Liturgical Consultation.

Luiz Carlos Teixeira Coelho is a Spanish-Portuguese Brazilian-born Anglican priest and the Custodian of the Book of Common Prayer for the Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil. He serves on the Societas Liturgica Council and the Steering Committee of the International Anglican Liturgical Consultation. As a professor at Rio de Janeiro State University, he teaches in the School of Engineering and the Program of Liturgy and Art.

Paul F. Bradshaw is Emeritus Professor of Liturgy at the University of Notre Dame. He formerly served in a number of academic positions in England. He is a past president of Societas Liturgica and of the North American Academy of Liturgy, and a past chair of the Steering Committee of the International Anglican Liturgical Consultation.

Product details

• Assisted by: Paul F Bradshaw (Editor), Paul F. Bradshaw (Editor), Ruth A Meyers (Editor), Meyers Ruth A. (Editor), Luiz Carlos Teixeira Coelho (Editor)
• Publisher: Oxford Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 06.03.2026
• EAN: 9780197673089
• ISBN: 978-0-19-767308-9
• Illustrations: 8 photos, 1 diagram
• Series: Oxford Handbooks
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Religion/theology > Practical theology; RELIGION / Christianity / Anglican, RELIGION / Christian Rituals & Practice / Worship & Liturgy, RELIGION / Prayer, Theology, Christian theology, History of Religion, Church history, Protestantism & Protestant Churches, Protestantism and Protestant Churches, Sermons, Christian sermons