What is the Book of Common Prayer

A Guide to Daily Faith

If you’ve never used a Book of Common Prayer (BCP), it might look a little unfamiliar at first. But at its heart, it’s not just a book—it’s a way to live your faith, a daily guide for shaping your life around Jesus Christ.

A Brief History

2019 Book of common prayer

The Book of Common Prayer was first published in 1549 during the English Reformation under Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. Cranmer wanted ordinary Christians to be able to pray, read Scripture, and worship in a common language, rather than only hearing from clergy. The goal was simple but revolutionary: to help Christians pray, reflect, and follow Christ in every part of life.

Since then, the BCP has been revised several times. At our church, we use the 2019 Book of Common Prayer, designed to honor Anglican tradition while making daily worship accessible and meaningful for contemporary life.

What’s in the Book of Common Prayer?

The BCP is organized to help Christians pray and worship in structured ways that reflect Scripture and the historic Church. Some of its key features include:

  • Daily Office: Short prayers, Scripture readings, and psalms for morning, noon, evening, and night. The Daily Office is a way to begin and end your day focused on God, not just on tasks or routines. You don’t have to know everything; even reading a single psalm or prayer daily can help shape your heart.
  • Lectionary: A carefully planned schedule of Scripture readings for Sundays and weekdays. Instead of choosing passages randomly, the lectionary guides the whole Church through the Bible over the course of a year, helping you hear the full story of God’s salvation and grow spiritually in a balanced way.
  • Prayers and Services: For baptism, Holy Communion, weddings, funerals, confession, and more—written in words that are both ancient and clear, connecting Christians today with the prayers of the Church across centuries.

Anglicanism as a Way of Life

Anglicanism is less about a set of rules and more about a way to do Christianity. The BCP is a tool to shape your life around Christ, helping you integrate Scripture, prayer, and worship into your daily rhythm. In other words, it’s not just something you read on Sunday—it’s a way to be spiritually formed every day.

Anglican author and priest Stephen Spencer explains:

“The Book of Common Prayer is not primarily about words on a page; it is about shaping the heart. To pray it is to learn the rhythms of grace, to form habits that make Christ central in everyday life.”
— The Anglican Spiritual Life (SPCK, 2017)

Why It Matters

Even if you’ve grown up in an evangelical tradition, the BCP can be a tool for deepening your personal faith, grounding your day in Scripture, and connecting your heart with the prayers of Christians past and present. It’s a daily companion for spiritual growth, not a rigid rulebook.

At our church, we encourage people to explore the BCP at their own pace: maybe starting with the Daily Office, following a Psalm each morning, or reading the lectionary for Sunday. Over time, you’ll find that this rhythm shapes your heart, mind, and life in ways that go far beyond Sunday morning.

How to Use the Book of Common Prayer

The Book of Common Prayer (BCP) might look unfamiliar at first, but it’s designed to help you pray, read Scripture, and live your faith daily. You don’t need to know all the prayers or follow everything perfectly—just start where you are.

1. Start with the Daily Office

The Daily Office is the heart of Anglican spiritual life. It gives you a simple rhythm for morning, noon, evening, and night.

  • Morning Prayer: You will begin your day by reading a Psalm, a passage from Scripture, and praying simple prayers of thanks and guidance.
  • Evening Prayer: You will end your day reflecting on God’s presence, confessing what went wrong, and giving thanks for His grace.

Even just one short reading or prayer a day can help you focus on Christ in everyday life. Over time, this rhythm helps your heart and mind stay connected to God.

2. Follow the Lectionary

The lectionary is a schedule of Scripture readings that guides the Church through the whole Bible over a year.

  • Each Sunday and weekday, you’ll read a Psalm, an Old Testament passage, a New Testament letter, and a Gospel reading.
  • You don’t need to understand everything right away. The goal is to hear the story of God’s salvation unfold and let it shape your faith gradually.

3. Pray and Reflect

The BCP gives prayers for every situation: for daily life, for the sick, for families, and for special occasions. You can:

  • Pray the words as written
  • Use them as a guide to pray in your own words
  • Reflect quietly on a Scripture verse

The key is consistency, not perfection. Even a few minutes each day can be life-changing.

4. Connect with Worship

Using the BCP prepares you for Sunday worship, especially the Eucharist (Holy Communion). You’ll recognize prayers, responses, and Scripture readings from the Daily Office, making the service feel familiar and spiritually nourishing.

5. Take It One Step at a Time

  • Start small: maybe one short prayer in the morning or one Psalm in the evening.
  • Explore the prayers that speak to you.
  • Use a bookmark or guide to help you follow the Daily Office or lectionary.

Anglicanism is about being shaped daily by Scripture, prayer, and the historic rhythm of Christian life. As author Stephen Spencer puts it:

“To pray the Book of Common Prayer is to learn the rhythms of grace, to form habits that make Christ central in everyday life.”
— The Anglican Spiritual Life (SPCK, 2017)

Tips for Beginners

  • Don’t worry about “doing it right”—just start where you are.
  • Set aside a regular time each day, even 5–10 minutes.
  • Keep a journal of thoughts, prayers, or questions as you read.
  • Join others in your parish who are using the Daily Office—you’ll learn by watching and praying together.