The Prayer Book Through the Ages: A Revised Edition of The Story of the Real Prayer Book

William Sydnor

Apr 1997 · Church Publishing, Inc.

About this ebook

An exploration of the history of the Book of Common Prayer and its revisions, beginning with the 1549 English Prayer Book and continuing up to the present.

This revised and expanded version finishes the story of the final adoption of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. Sydnor explores why each revision was necessary, what was changed, added, omitted, as well as what was retained in the “new” book.

By understanding the delicate balance between the need for change and the preservation of what is timeless, William Sydnor believes that Episcopalians will “find anew that common ground of common prayer which is our legacy, our inspiration, and our joy.”

About the author

William Sydnor was an Episcopal priest and a long-time rector of Christ Church in Alexandria, VA. He is the author of The Prayer Book Through the Ages and Looking at the Episcopal Church. He died in 2000.