Cute cartoon about the Book of Common Prayer


Following upon the Anglicanism-related posts I've made lately, I'm pleased to pass along this charming short cartoon about the prayerbook. The cartoon gives what are perhaps overly simple explanations of some points, but this is, after all, a two-minute cartoon, not a history of theology treatise.




One of my Catholic friends refers to the Book of Common Prayer as the "un-guided missal," which is clever, but I think it nearer the point to say that the book contains prayers that any faithful Christian can use. All can pray them together. Even some who worship outside the Anglican frame of reference value the beauty, insight and timeless character of the material.

This prayer, for example, goes back (in Latin) to the eleventh century or perhaps earlier, was compiled by Cranmer into the prayerbook in the sixteenth, and is fully relevant today:
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen

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