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Liturgy and Liberty: The Controversy over the Book of Common Prayer, 1660–16631

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2012

Christopher Haigh
Christopher Haigh*
Affiliation:
christopher.haigh@history.ox.ac.uk
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Abstract

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a formal liturgy as against extemporized worship? After the restoration of the English monarchy in 1660, it was clear that some form of national ‘Church of England’ would be reconstructed – but would it have a set liturgy, and if so what would it be like? This paper considers over a hundred books published in the following three years, debating whether the Book of Common Prayer should be imposed, reformed or abandoned, with arguments based on biblical precepts, the practice of the early Church and reformed Churches, the duties of ministers and the needs of congregations. The debate shows how the views of both conformists and nonconformists had developed in response to the religious free-for-all of the 1640s and 1650s, though it had little influence on political decisions.

Keywords

ceremoniesChurch of EnglandCommon PrayerliturgynonconformityRestorationworship
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Anglican Studies , Volume 11 , Issue 1 , May 2013 , pp. 32 - 64
Copyright
Copyright © The Journal of Anglican Studies Trust 2012

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Footnotes

1.

This is a revised version of a paper read at the ‘British World’ conference at the University of Southern Queensland in July 2012. I am grateful to Marcus Harmes and the other convenors for the invitation, to the Harmes family for many kindnesses, and to Alison Wall for her comments.

2.

Christopher Haigh retired in 2009 as Student (i.e. Fellow) of Christ Church, Oxford and head of the History Faculty at the University of Oxford.

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