The Book of Common Prayer: A Very Short Introduction

Abstract

The Book of Common Prayer is one of the most influential books in history. For nearly six centuries, it has formed the order of worship for established Christianity in England, and is now printed in many languages around the world. The Book of Common Prayer: A Very Short Introduction tells the fascinating history of the book, from medieval to modern times, and explains why it is easily misunderstood. Changing in meaning and context over time, the Book of Common Prayer has acted as a cultural symbol, affecting the everyday conduct of life as much as the spiritual, and dividing conformity from non-conformity, in social terms as well as religious, from birth to marriage to death.