The 1662 Book of Common Prayer: International Edition

Re: Book of Common Prayer in general, it transformed my devotional life and gave structure to my prayers and doctrine. A true gift to the Church from the Anglican tradition. Re: this edition, it really is what it claims to be - the authoritative standard for Anglican worship accessible to Christians of all backgrounds. I highly encourage those unfamiliar to the prayer book to give this version a try. The wording may first appear dated and distant, but its concision and gravity will soon grow on you, and it conveys the biblical truth in a surprisingly intimate and encouraging way. The editor's intention to honour the source material by "letting the words speak for themselves" is clearly visible (and appreciated). Personally, I love the use of the "real" 1662 Bible reading plan, which allows me to have my Bible reading and prayers done together every day. The font is pleasing to the eye. The format is compact: it's smaller than a Bible and "fits" in one hand to carry around, but it is definitely not a pocket edition where you're reading fineprints. My edition is printed on "actual" paper so it feels great to flip through, but I understand that later prints use paper that feels more like a photograph (?).

This international edition is not only great for its content, but also for its build. It has a Smyth Sewn binding. Truly a wonderful edition that will last for years to come.

The easiest part of the review is the physical quality of the book. It is exceptional (and quite a bargain). Some reviewers have complained that the compact size won't lie flat. This is a well-bound, thick book of handy size, so it is true that it will not lie open flat by itself. However, I'm not sure why this would be a problem for a prayer book, barring some special circumstance. I find it an ideal size. The single ribbon should also be sufficient, but can easily be supplemented by ribbon inserts for Catholic editions of Liturgy of the Hours that slide into the spine or less formal expedients. In short, this is a perfectly designed prayerbook to be used as such, and its compact size makes it handy to have and use. I was aware of the Anglican Church, of course, but outside of an admiration for C.S. Lewis, I had never seen it as having anything to do with me. Its use aboard 19th Century English warships piqued enough curiosity for me to order one for historical reasons. (Thank you Patrick O'Brian and Jack Aubrey.) I was astonished to find a brilliant prayer.resource that provided a straightforward route that covered vast territories of scripture in its morning and evening offices. And that with a minimum of page-flipping. (Even those proficient with the Catholic Liturgy of the Hours will appreciate this.) I loved the original lectionary that simply plods through scripture without many seasonal distractions. (A seasonal lectionary is included too.) The language is like the King James version of the Bible and every psalm and prayer are gems if that appeals to you. The Book of Common Prayer is indeed a treasure if the English language. And Cranmer and other English reformers skillfully brought together an improbable union of Roman Catholic and Reformed thought and worship that any Christian may admire. Thank you to IVP for bringing out such a beautiful and useful edition of this classic.

Excellent, clear print and layout.

The only reason anyone would prefer this to other copies is the omission of the prayers for the King.