001 - Preface

Book of Common Prayer, 1662- selections · Feb 10, 2026 · 27m · transcript

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…