Here is the current “standard version” of my (free) Book of Prayers in Common.
Please ignore and throw away all previous versions – previous drafts may also be being used in blog posts and reflections. It will take some significant time to update such things, and some places may never be updated; so, please, check this standard version, in every case, to get the improved text.
This version results from helpful comments by those who are using the prayers as well as my own careful checking of a collection that has been worked on for over 12 years. It makes available collects (opening prayers) that have been used for centuries by different traditions of churches. Along the way, I was encouraged by discovering that traditions are praying the same collect, in slightly different renditions, on the very same day! I have not seen anyone else writing about this, or explaining how this came about. So, this truly is common prayer.
My work has involved going back to the (Latin) originals, keeping a good eye on Cranmer’s work in this space, and rendering them in a way that fits with the current (English-language) context. The collection is clearly widely appreciated and used. I hope that this current standardisation will make them even more widely used and treasured. Any further positive suggestions are always gratefully received.
Do follow:
The Liturgy Facebook Page
The Liturgy Twitter Profile
The Liturgy Instagram
and/or sign up to a not-too-often email
