Why A Traditional Book of Common Prayer? A Brief Reflection

Over the years, numerous people have asked me why I prefer traditional Prayer Book services. Sometimes, that question seems to contain a hidden suggestion. The suggestion or implication is that the traditional versions of the Book of Common Prayer and all traditional religious language services are outdated. Of course, Prayer Book language differs from contemporary secular language; at times, the average Christian of our time does need to pause in order to understand certain words or phrases. Some expressions or uses could be clarified or updated by trustworthy editors. Over the past centuries, great liturgies have undergone some modifications, and they will doubtless continue to be adapted in the future.

Yet, acknowledging some linguistic issues does not mean that the Book of Common Prayer as a whole is outdated. Most of the language in a traditional BCP service is comprehensible to a moderately literate English speaker who wants to understand the Christian faith. The contemporary issue is more often whether a person really wishes to understand traditional Christianity. In other words, for many contemporaries, the difficulty in understanding traditional Common Prayer liturgies is not primarily linguistic but personal and theological.

Proclaiming the Christian Faith is a central issue, and traditional Book of Common Prayer liturgies provide us with a treasury from almost two millennia of Christian doctrine and devotion. So the main solution to problems of understanding is not to dilute the sound doctrine of traditional Prayer Books; the solution is to preach and teach sound Christian theology. That means that we all need to understand certain Christian theological vocabulary. Some of this vocabulary may sound unfamiliar to secularized people, but this Christian vocabulary is rooted in Scripture and Christian history. Certain words and concepts are essential for a mature understanding of the Scriptural message of salvation. And this Scriptural message of salvation permeates traditional Book of Common Prayer services. So while clergy and other teachers may explain certain words and ideas, it is best to continue the tested Christian traditions of worship.