I’m an old prayer book man
(“old� referring to the prayer book, NOT me).

I remember in the late Seventies and Eighties seeing some Episcopal churches advertise themselves as 1928 Prayer Book churches. And knowing nothing about Anglicanism, I thought they were being old cuds making a big deal about nothing. But now I understand.

Now that I’ve gotten into the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and older BCP’s, particularly the 1928 and 1662 prayer books, I like the older ones.

For one thing, as the Pontificator has pointed out, the older prayer books use Coverdale’s translation of the Psalms. Its language is wonderful and, yes, distinctively English. Just one example that I enjoyed in my personal evening prayer on Saturday – Psalm 30:8: Then cried I unto thee, O Lord; and gat me to my Lord right humbly. This is by far the most descriptive and colorful translation of this verse I've seen.

For another, the 1979 replaces some excellent collects for no good reason. I love this week’s collect in the older prayer books:

O Almighty God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; Grant unto thy people, that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I’m going to pray this one every day this week.

But the 1979 BCP disrespects good tradition and replaces it with a new collect, invented for the 1979 book:

O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of thy people;
Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who
calls us each by name, and follow where he doth lead;
who, with thee and the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth, one
God, for ever and ever. Amen.

It’s poorly written, taking confusing liberties with the language of John 10.

The 1979 BCP obviously isn’t all bad. And I wouldn’t decide against joining a church because it used the 1979 book. I know of two churches I love that use the newer prayer book. But after using older prayer books for a short while, I already like them much more.