Book of Common Prayer (1552)
The 1552 Book of Common Prayer, also called the Second Prayer Book of Edward VI,
During the reign of
Prayer book revision
Part of a series on the |
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The first Book of Common Prayer was published in 1549 during the reign of
Cranmer believed it was better to implement reforms slowly and cautiously. As a result, the first prayer book included a number of concessions to traditionalists within the Church of England.
Protestants disliked the term priest and the continued use of altars since both implied the Eucharist was a sacrifice. This was the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church but was considered heresy by the reformers.[7] By 1550, Protestant bishops were replacing stone altars with wooden communion tables, and the Privy Council eventually ordered altars to be removed throughout the nation. Nicholas Ridley explained that "The use of an altar is to make sacrifice upon it; the use of a table is to serve for men to eat upon." In a sermon given at court, John Hooper preached "as long as the altars remain, both the ignorant people, and the ignorant and evil-persuaded priest, will dream always of sacrifice".[8]
Cranmer began revising the prayer book as early as the winter of 1549–1550. In late 1549, the
Content
The first Book of Common Prayer was written at a time when it was necessary to compromise with conservative bishops. At the time, Cranmer felt that gradual change was the best approach "lest the people, not having yet learned Christ, should be deterred by too extensive innovations from embracing his religion".[10] By 1551, conservative opposition had been removed, and the 1552 Prayer Book "broke decisively with the past" in the words of historian Christopher Haigh. The services for baptism, confirmation, communion and burial were rewritten, and ceremonies hated by Protestants were removed.[10]
Unlike the 1549 version, the 1552 prayer book removed many traditional sacramentals and observances that reflected belief in the blessing and exorcism of people and objects. In the baptism service, infants no longer received minor exorcism.[13] Anointing was no longer included in the services for baptism, ordination and visitation of the sick.[13] These ceremonies were altered to emphasise the importance of faith, rather than trusting in rituals or objects.[14]
Liturgical calendar
The liturgical calendar was relatively unchanged from the 1549 BCP.
- conversion of St. Paulin January
- St. Matthiasin February
- Annunciation in March
- St. Mark the Evangelistin April
- St. Philip and St. James in May
- St. Peterin June
- St. James the Apostle in July
- St. Bartholomew the Apostlein August
- Michael and All Angelsin September
- St. Judein October
- St. Andrew the Apostlein November
- St. Holy Innocents Dayin December
The calendar included what is now called the lectionary, which specified the parts of the Bible to be read at each service. For Cranmer, the main purpose of the liturgy was to familiarise people with the Bible. He wanted a congregation to read through the whole Bible in a year.[19] The scripture readings for the daily office followed lectio continua. For Morning and Evening Prayer, the lessons did not change if it was a saints' day. The readings for Holy Communion did change if it was a feast day. This became a problem when a moveable feast fell on the same day as a fixed feast, but the prayer book provided no instructions for determining which feast to celebrate. Directions for solving this issue were not added to the BCP until the 1662 prayer book.[20]
Morning and evening prayer
The Orders of Morning and Evening Prayer were extended by the inclusion of a penitential section at the beginning including a corporate confession of sin and a general absolution, although the text was printed only in Morning Prayer with rubrical directions to use it in the evening as well. The general pattern of Bible reading in 1549 was retained (as it was in the 1559 prayer book) except that distinct Old and New Testament readings were now specified for Morning and Evening Prayer on certain feast days. Following the publication of the 1552 Prayer Book, a revised English Primer was published in 1553; adapting the Offices and Morning and Evening Prayer, and other prayers, for lay domestic piety.[21]
Holy Communion
The 1552 prayer book removed many of the traditional elements in the 1549 prayer book, moving the communion service in a more
The priest began the service by praying the
Then those receiving communion knelt for the general confession of sin and received absolution from the priest. Following the absolution, the priest quoted the "comfortable words" from Matthew 11:28, John 3:16, 1 Timothy 1:15 and 1 John 2:1–2. Then followed the Sursum corda, preface and Sanctus (without the Benedictus).[27] The theme of lifting up hearts to God appealed to the Reformed belief in meeting Christ spiritually in heaven. After the Sanctus, the priest knelt at the communion table and prayed in the name of all the communicants the Prayer of Humble Access.[23]
Unlike the 1549 service, there was no consecration or blessing of the bread and wine. Rather, the priest prayed that the communicants might receive the body and blood of Christ:[23]
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, which of thy tender mercy didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the Cross for our redemption; who made there (by his one oblation of himself once offered) a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world; and did institute, and in his holy Gospel command us to continue a perpetual memory of that his precious death, until his coming again; Hear us, O merciful Father, we beseech thee; and grant that we receiving these thy creatures of bread and wine, according to thy Son our Saviour Jesu Christ's holy institution, in remembrance of his death and passion, may be partakers of his most blessed body and blood . . .[25]
After this prayer, the
1549 | 1552 |
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Sacramental Bread
Sacramental Wine
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Sacramental Bread
Sacramental Wine
|
Instead of unleavened wafers, the prayer book instructed that ordinary bread was to be used "to take away the superstition which any person hath, or might have".[14] To further emphasise there was no holiness in the bread and wine, any leftovers were to be taken home by the curate for ordinary consumption. This prevented eucharistic adoration of the reserved sacrament above the high altar.[30][23][14] After communion, the priest prayed the Lord's Prayer. For the prayer that followed, the BCP provided two options: "either a thanksgiving prayer, as in the first Prayer Book, or a prayer offering praise, thanksgiving, and self-oblation in words which in that book had belonged to the eucharistic prayer."[23] The service concluded with the Gloria (which in the 1549 service was sung at the beginning) and a blessing.[23]
Baptism
In the Middle Ages, the church taught that children were born with
To Cranmer, baptism and the Eucharist were the only dominical sacraments (sacraments instituted by Christ himself) and of equal importance.[32] Cranmer did not believe that baptism was absolutely necessary for salvation, but he did believe it was ordinarily necessary and to refuse baptism would be a rejection of God's grace. In agreement with Reformed theology, however, Cranmer believed that salvation was determined by God's unconditional election, which was predestined. If an infant was one of the elect, dying unbaptised would not affect the child's salvation.[32] The prayer book made public baptism the norm, so a congregation could observe and be reminded of their own baptism. In cases of emergency, a private baptism could be performed at home.[32]
The 1552 rite furthered the process of simplifying the baptism service begun in the 1549 book.[32] While the 1549 service began at the church door and then moved inside to the baptismal font, the 1552 service took place entirely at the font. The priest began with this exhortation:
Dearly beloved, for as much as all men be conceived and born in sin, and that our Saviour Christ saith, none can enter into the kingdom of God (except he be regenerate and born anew of water and the holy Ghost); I beseech you to call upon God the father through our Lord Jesus Christ, that of his bounteous mercy, he will grant to these children, that thing which by nature they cannot have, that they may be Baptized with water and the holy ghost, and received into Christ's holy church, and be made lively members of the same.[34]
The priest then said a prayer, based on one originally composed by Luther, on the theme of Noah's deliverance from the flood:[35]
Almighty and everlasting God, which of thy great mercy diddest save Noah and his family in the Ark from perishing by water: and also diddest safely lead the children of Israel, thy people through the red Sea: figuring thereby thy holy Baptism and by the Baptism of thy well beloved son Jesus Christ, diddest sanctify the flood Jordan, and all other waters, to the mystical washing away of sin: We beseech thee for thy infinite mercies, that thou wilt mercifully look upon these children, sanctify them and wash them with thy holy ghost, that they, being delivered from thy wrath, may be received into the Ark of Christ's Church, and being steadfast in faith, joyful through hope, and rooted in charity, may so pass the waves of this troublesome world, that finally they may come to the land of everlasting life, there to reign with thee, world without end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.[34]
The congregation then prayed "Receive [these infants] (O Lord) as thou hast promised by thy well beloved son, ... that these infants may enjoy the everlasting benediction of thy heavenly washing, and may come to the eternal Kingdom which thou hast promised by Christ our Lord."
Almighty and everlasting God, heavenly father, we give thee humble thanks, that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace, and faith in thee: increase this knowledge, and confirm this faith in us evermore: Give thy holy spirit to these infants, that they may be born again, and be made heirs of everlasting salvation, through our Lord Jesus Christ: who liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy spirit, now and for ever. Amen.[34]
Baptismal vows were made by the godparents on behalf of the child, renouncing the devil, the world and the flesh. The godparents also affirmed belief in the Apostles' Creed.[36] This was followed by a series of prayers taken from the blessing of the font in the 1549 book (which was omitted in the new book),[35] ending as follows:
Almighty ever living God, whose most dearly beloved son Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of our sins, did shed out of his most precious side both water and blood, and gave commandment to his disciples that they should go teach all nations, and baptize them in the name of the father, the son, and of the holy ghost: Regard, we beseech thee, the supplications of thy congregation, and grant that all thy servants which shall be baptized in this water, may receive the fullness of thy grace, and ever remain in the number of thy faithful and elect children, through Jesus Christ our Lorde. Amen.[34]
At this point, the child was baptised and received into the congregation. The child was dipped once, not three times as in the 1549 service.[37] The priest made the sign of the cross on the infant's forehead, representing faith and obedience to Christ.[32] Unlike in the 1549 book, the child was not anointed with chrism oil nor dressed in the white chrisom robe.[13] The rite concluded with the Lord's Prayer, a prayer of thanksgiving, and an exhortation to the godparents on their duties toward the child.[38]
Ordinal
After 1553
Edward VI died in 1553 and was succeeded by
Hundreds of English Protestants fled into exile, establishing an English church in
Mary I was succeeded as queen by her Protestant half-sister, Elizabeth I. Elizabeth reversed Mary's religious policies and re-established the Church of England as a Protestant church. As part of the Elizabethan Religious Settlement, the 1552 Book of Common Prayer was revised and reauthorised as the 1559 prayer book.
See also
References
Citations
- ^ "United Kingdom: Edward VI (1547-53)". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 1 September 2022 – via britannica.com.
- ^ Hefling 2021, p. 89.
- ^ Pollard 1905, p. 220.
- ^ MacCulloch 1996, pp. 410–411.
- ^ Duffy 2005, Chapter 13.
- ^ Haigh 1993, pp. 176, 179.
- ^ Jacobs 2013, pp. 48–49.
- ^ Marshall 2017, pp. 339–340.
- ^ MacCulloch 1996, pp. 504–505.
- ^ a b c Haigh 1993, p. 179.
- ^ MacCulloch 1996, pp. 505–506.
- ^ Duffy 2005, p. 472.
- ^ a b c Duffy 2005, p. 473.
- ^ a b c d Marshall 2017, p. 348.
- ^ a b Strout 2018, p. 320.
- ^ a b Leonel 2006, p. 477.
- ^ Strout 2018, p. 319.
- ^ "The Table and Kalendar for Psalmes and Lessons, with Necessarie Rules Apperteynyng to the Same". Book of Common Prayer. 1552. Archived from the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
- ^ Jacobs 2013, pp. 26–27.
- ^ Strout 2018, pp. 319–320.
- ^ MacCulloch 1996, p. 510.
- ^ Marshall 2017, p. 347.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Jeanes 2006, p. 33.
- ^ a b Haigh 1993, p. 180.
- ^ a b "The Order for the Administration of the Lord's Supper, or Holy Communion". Book of Common Prayer. 1552. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
- ^ Jeanes 2006, p. 31.
- ^ The Benedictus is that part of the Sanctus saying "Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord".
- ^ a b Jeanes 2006, p. 25.
- ^ Hefling 2021, p. 131.
- ^ Duffy 2005, p. 474.
- ^ Jacobs 2013, p. 34.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Jeanes 2006, p. 34.
- ^ Jacobs 2013, p. 34 and footnote 17.
- ^ a b c d e "The Ministration of Baptism to Be Used in the Church". Book of Common Prayer. 1552. Archived from the original on August 28, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
- ^ a b MacCulloch 1996, p. 415.
- ^ a b Jeanes 2006, pp. 34–35.
- ^ Spinks 1999, p. 187.
- ^ Jeanes 2006, p. 35.
- ^ Marshall 2017, p. 364.
- ^ Spinks 2017, p. 1.
- ^ Maxwell 1965, p. 5.
Bibliography
- ISBN 978-0-300-10828-6.
- ISBN 978-0-19-822162-3.
- Hefling, Charles (2021). The Book of Common Prayer: A Guide. Guides to Sacred Texts. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190689681.
- ISBN 9780691191782.
- Jeanes, Gordon (2006). "Cranmer and Common Prayer". In Hefling, Charles; Shattuck, Cynthia (eds.). The Oxford Guide to The Book of Common Prayer: A Worldwide Survey. Oxford University Press. pp. 21–38. ISBN 978-0-19-529756-0.
- Leonel, Mitchell (2006). "Sanctifying Time: The Calendar". In Hefling, Charles; Shattuck, Cynthia (eds.). The Oxford Guide to The Book of Common Prayer: A Worldwide Survey. Oxford University Press. pp. 476–483. ISBN 978-0-19-529756-0.
- ISBN 9780300226577.
- ISBN 978-0300170627.
- Maxwell, William (1965), The Liturgical Portions of the Genevan Service Book, The Faith Press
- Pollard, Albert Frederick (1905). Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation, 1489-1556. G. P. Putnam's Sons.
- Spinks, Bryan D. (1999). "Cranmer's Methods of Liturgical Compilation". In Ayris, Paul; Selwyn, David (eds.). Thomas Cranmer:Churchman and Scholar. Woodbridge(UK): The Beydell Press.
- ISBN 978-0-281-07605-5.
- Strout, Shawn (September 2018). "Thomas Cranmer's Reform of the Sanctorale Calendar". Anglican and Episcopal History. 87 (3). Historical Society of the Episcopal Church: 307–324. JSTOR 26532536.
External links
- "The Book of Common Prayer - 1552". justus.anglican.org. Society of Archbishop Justus.