003 - Evening prayer

For nearly 500 years, the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) has served as a cornerstone of Anglican worship, influencing rituals not just in England, but across the globe. Following Englands split from Rome in 1534, the need arose for a unified order of worship in English, replacing the traditional Latin. The first BCP was introduced in 1549 during Edward VIs reign, then abolished under Mary I, only to be reinstated with modifications by Elizabeth I in 1559. The English Civil War (1642–1651) saw it banned again, before a significant revision brought it back under James I in 1662. This 1662 version became the enduring legal foundation for Anglican worship in England until the 1970s, although some of its more anti-Catholic elements were removed in 1859. Many phrases from the BCP, such as to have and to hold and ashes to ashes, have woven themselves into everyday language. While this early modern text is in the public domain in the US, the UK has specific restrictions under the Royal prerogative. Consent is required for reproductions in the UK. The Book of Common Prayer, with rights held by the Crown, is reproduced with permission from Cambridge University Press. I extend my gratitude to CUP for allowing these selections from the 1762 reprinting to be recorded and shared by Librivox. - Summary by Michael Maggs