The 1662 Book of Common Prayer--Pew Format: International Edition

The 1662 Book of Common Prayer: International Edition in pew format

The Book of Common Prayer (1662) is one of the most beloved liturgical texts in the Christian church, and remains a definitive expression of Anglican identity today. It is still widely used around the world, in public worship and private devotion, and is revered for both its linguistic and theological virtues.

But the classic text of the 1662 prayer book presents several difficulties for contemporary users, especially those outside the Church of England. The 1662 Book of Common Prayer: International Edition gently updates the text for contemporary use. Prayers specific to England are replaced. Obscure words and phrases have been modestly revised while still preserving the prayer book’s own cadence. Finally, a selection of treasured prayers from the later Anglican tradition is appended.

Here InterVarsity Press’s 1662 Book of Common Prayer: International Edition is presented in a pew format, with a larger format and larger typeface and with a durable cover and sturdy binding for regular use in corporate worship.

Samuel L. Bray is the John N. Matthews Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame as well as a McDonald Distinguished Fellow at the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University. He is coauthor (with John F. Hobbins) of Genesis 1-11: A New Old Translation for Readers, Scholars, and Translators.
Drew Nathaniel Keane teaches in the Department of English at Georgia Southern University. He formerly served on the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music for the Episcopal Church. He is coauthor (with Samuel D. Fornecker) of a forthcoming commentary on the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.