Title Page and Contents

The Book of Common Prayer: E-text Edition (American, 1979)

Version 1.0

13 December 1993

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This version of the 1979 American version of the _Book of Common Prayer_ was edited by John E. Goodwin ([email protected]). The text was contributed by members of the Electronic Mailing list ANGLICAN, which is sponsored by American Methodist University, Washington, DC. (The university has no connection with the E-text project).

To subscribe to ANGLICAN, send the command "subscribe anglican" in the *body* of a message to "[email protected]". You may then send messages to "[email protected]". Notice that the addresses for sign-on and posting are different.

The base text was largely hand-typed by

Michael I. Bushnell, of the Church of St. John Evangelist, Boston; and

John E. Goodwin, III, of St. Charles Episcopal Church, St. Charles, Illinois.

Certain parts were contributed by:

Barbara Bachman, St. Charles Episcopal Church

Jim Bachman, St. Charles Episcopal Church

John Covert, Church of the Advent, Boston

The Psalter was prepared by John E. Goodwin and Robin Cover, with the assistance of:

Janelle Allen

Jo Blansett

Michael Bushnell

Janet Cover

Jesse Cover

Sarah Cover

JoAnn Crupi

Mike Herschenroeder

Sherry Hines

Steve McConnel

Lark Rilling

Linda Simons

Jeanne Swanson

John Thomson

The present text of the Psalter is generated from an SGML-tagged version created by Robin and Michael Cover.

The electronic edition of the BCP was prepared because all the E-text sources that we could find were proprietary, even though the text itself is guaranteed to be in the Public Domain by Canon Law. We feel strongly that the basic texts of major religions, especially our own, and especially those used in liturgies, should be freely available in a form that is not restricted by a requirement of registration or payment of a fee. Any fee, no matter how nominal, restricts the distribution of the text, prohibits its improvement by others and its inclusion in free software systems.

Although this text has been checked with a spellchecker and checked for content by eye, we are aware that errors must still exist.** We did not think this fact merited withholding the text, especially since it is accurate enough for devotional use, for reading to the blind, and for use as a base text for parish bulletins and programs. Please send notice of errors more significant than simple typographical errors to "[email protected]".

** In particular there are bugs in the page numbering.

This text is supported in the sense that we are committed to correcting errors and improving the format, e.g. to migrate to SGML. If you need a highly accurate text for scholarly purposes, we recommend you contact us to help in the effort of preparing one.

A monograph for programmers on the markup scheme of the display format used and on the electronic typesetting of liturgical texts in general is in preparation. We are also preparing an HTML version for posting on the World Wide Web (telnet info.cern.ch for more information about WWW).

=John Goodwin= St. Charles, Illinois Winter Embertide 1993

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THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER

and Administration of the Sacraments and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church

Together with The Psalter or Psalms of David

According to the use of

The Episcopal Church

THE SEABURY PRESS : NEW YORK

<page 4>

[The Certificate of the original. Note that this electronic text is NOT approved by the Custodian of the Standard Book of Common Prayer.]

<Certificate>

I certify that this edition of The Book of Common Prayer has been compared with a certified copy of the Standard Book, as the Canon directs, and that it conforms thereto.

Charles Mortimer Guilbert =Custodian of the Standard Book of Common Prayer= September, 1979

<Page 5>

<Table of Contents>

The Ratification of the Book of Common Prayer 8

The Preface 9

Concerning the Service of the Church 13

The Calendar of the Church Year 15

<The Daily Office>

Daily Morning Prayer: Rite One 37

Daily Evening Prayer: Rite One 61

Daily Morning Prayer: Rite Two 75

Noonday Prayer 103

Order of Worship for the Evening 108

Daily Evening Prayer: Rite Two 115

Compline 127

Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families 137

Table of Suggested Canticle 144

<The Great Litany> 148

<The Collects: Traditional>

Seasons of the Year 159

Holy Days 185

Common of Saints 195

Various Occasions 199

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<The Collects: Contemporary>

Seasons of the Year 211

Holy Days 237

Common of Saints 246

Various Occasions 251

<Proper Liturgies for Special Days>

Ash Wednesday 264

Palm Sunday 270

Maundy Thursday 274

Good Friday 276

Holy Saturday 283

The Great Vigil of Easter 285

<Holy Baptism 299>

<The Holy Eucharist>

An Exhortation 316

A Penitential Order: Rite One 319

The Holy Eucharist: Rite One 323

A Penitential Order: Rite Two 351

The Holy Eucharist: Rite Two 355

Prayers of the People 383

Communion under Special Circumstances 396

An Order for Celebrating the Holy Eucharist 400

<Pastoral Offices>

Confirmation 413

A Form of Commitment to Christian Service 420

Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage 423

The Blessing of a Civil Marriage 433

An Order for Marriage 435

Thanksgiving for the Birth or Adoption of a Child 439

Reconciliation of a Penitent 447

Ministration to the Sick 453

Ministration at the Time of Death 462

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Burial of the Dead: Rite One 469

Burial of the Dead: Rite Two 491

An Order for Burial 506

<Episcopal Services>

Ordination of a Bishop 511

Ordination of a Priest 525

Ordination of a Deacon 537

Litany for Ordinations 548

Celebration of a New Ministry 557

Consecration of a Church or Chapel 567

<The Psalter, or Psalms of David> 585

<Prayers and Thanksgivings> 810

<An Outline of the Faith, or Catechism> 845

<Historical Documents of the Church> 864 (including the Articles of Religion)

<Tables for Finding the Date of Easter and other Holy Days> 880

<The Lectionary> 888

Year A 889

Year B 900

Year C 911

Holy Days 921

Common of Saints 925

Various Occasions 927

<Daily Office Lectionary> 934

Seasons of the Year 936

Holy Days 996

Special Occasions 1000

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