Scottish Prayer Book (1929)
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The 1929 ''Scottish Prayer Book'' is an official
liturgical book A liturgical book, or service book, is a book published by the authority of a church body that contains the text and directions for the liturgy of its official Church service, religious services. Christianity Roman Rite In the Roman Rite of ...
of the
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
-based
Scottish Episcopal Church The Scottish Episcopal Church (; ) is a Christian denomination in Scotland. Scotland's third largest church, the Scottish Episcopal Church has 303 local congregations. It is also an Ecclesiastical province#Anglican Communion, ecclesiastical provi ...
. The 1929 edition follows from the same tradition of other versions of the ''
Book of Common Prayer The ''Book of Common Prayer'' (BCP) is the title given to a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion and by other Christianity, Christian churches historically related to Anglicanism. The Book of Common Prayer (1549), fi ...
'' used by the churches within the
Anglican Communion The Anglican Communion is a Christian Full communion, communion consisting of the Church of England and other autocephalous national and regional churches in full communion. The archbishop of Canterbury in England acts as a focus of unity, ...
and
Anglicanism Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...
generally, with the unique liturgical tradition of Scottish Anglicanism. It contains both the forms of the Eucharistic liturgy and
Daily Office In the practice of Christianity, canonical hours mark the divisions of the day in terms of fixed times of prayer at regular intervals. A book of hours, chiefly a breviary, normally contains a version of, or selection from, such prayers. In t ...
, as well as additional public
liturgies Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a community, communal response to and participation in the sacred through activities reflecting praise, thanksgiving, ...
and personal devotions. The second major revision of the ''Book of Common Prayer'' following the full independence of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the 1929 ''Scottish Prayer Book'' succeeded the 1912 edition and was intended to serve alongside the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
's 1662 prayer book.


Background

Following the
English Reformation The English Reformation began in 16th-century England when the Church of England broke away first from the authority of the pope and bishops Oath_of_Supremacy, over the King and then from some doctrines and practices of the Catholic Church ...
and the separation of the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
from the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
, the
liturgies Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a community, communal response to and participation in the sacred through activities reflecting praise, thanksgiving, ...
of
Anglicanism Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...
were translated into English. The first such production was the 1549 ''Book of Common Prayer'', traditionally considered the work of
Thomas Cranmer Thomas Cranmer (2 July 1489 – 21 March 1556) was a theologian, leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and, for a short time, Mary I. He is honoured as a Oxford Martyrs, martyr ...
, which replaced both the
missal A missal is a liturgical book containing instructions and texts necessary for the celebration of Mass throughout the liturgical year. Versions differ across liturgical tradition, period, and purpose, with some missals intended to enable a priest ...
s and breviaries of Catholic usage. Among these liturgies were the Communion service and
canonical hours In the practice of Christianity, canonical hours mark the divisions of the day in terms of Fixed prayer times#Christianity, fixed times of prayer at regular intervals. A book of hours, chiefly a breviary, normally contains a version of, or sel ...
of
Matins Matins (also Mattins) is a canonical hour in Christian liturgy, originally sung during the darkness of early morning (between midnight and dawn). The earliest use of the term was in reference to the canonical hour, also called the vigil, which w ...
and
Evensong Evensong is a church service traditionally held near sunset focused on singing psalms and other biblical canticles. It is loosely based on the canonical hours of vespers and compline. Old English speakers translated the Latin word as , which ...
, with the addition of the Ordinal containing the form for the consecration of
bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
s,
priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...
s, and
deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian denominations, such as the Cathol ...
s in 1550.


Earlier Scottish Protestant liturgies

In 1557, as the
Scottish Reformation The Scottish Reformation was the process whereby Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland broke away from the Catholic Church, and established the Protestant Church of Scotland. It forms part of the wider European 16th-century Protestant Reformation. Fr ...
began to see civil and ecclesiastical formalization, several options for a standard Scottish Protestant liturgy arose. The English and some Scottish Protestants sought to standardize worship on the Church of England's 1552 ''Book of Common Prayer''. However, the arrival in 1559 of the heavily reform-minded
John Knox John Knox ( – 24 November 1572) was a Scottish minister, Reformed theologian, and writer who was a leader of the country's Reformation. He was the founder of the Church of Scotland. Born in Giffordgate, a street in Haddington, East Lot ...
from
Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...
also brought his
Calvinist Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...
liturgy and influence. Knox's text was adapted for Scottish usage in 1560, and officially adopted as the ''
Book of Common Order The ''Book of Common Order'', originally titled ''The Forme of Prayers'', is a liturgical book by John Knox written for use in the Calvinism, Reformed denomination. The text was composed in Geneva in 1556 and was adopted by the Church of Scotla ...
'' in 1562 in lieu of the 1559 ''Book of Common Prayer'' adopted in England.
William Laud William Laud (; 7 October 1573 – 10 January 1645) was a bishop in the Church of England. Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury by Charles I of England, Charles I in 1633, Laud was a key advocate of Caroline era#Religion, Charles I's religious re ...
, the
Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the Primus inter pares, ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury. The first archbishop ...
from 1633 to 1645, was an anti-Calvinist and
ritualist A ritual is a repeated, structured sequence of actions or behaviors that alters the internal or external state of an individual, group, or environment, regardless of conscious understanding, emotional context, or symbolic meaning. Traditionally ...
who proposed a series of liturgical reforms generally known as
Laudianism Laudianism, also called Old High Churchmanship, or Orthodox Anglicanism as they styled themselves when debating the Tractarians, was an early seventeenth-century reform movement within the Church of England that tried to avoid the extremes of Rom ...
. After Church of Scotland bishops opposed Laud's plan to introduce the contemporary English ''Book of Common Prayer'', he assented to a separate prayer book based more heavily on the 1549 edition. On the introduction of the new prayer book in Sunday, 23 July 1637, in
St Giles' Cathedral St Giles' Cathedral (), or the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in the Old Town, Edinburgh, Old Town of Edinburgh. The current building was begun in the 14th century and extended until the early 16th century; ...
in Edinburgh, tradition states that a certain
Jenny Geddes Janet "Jenny" Geddes (c. 1600 – c. 1660) was a Scottish people, Scottish market-trader in Edinburgh who is alleged to have thrown a stool at the head of the Minister (Christianity), minister in St Giles' Cathedral in objection to the fir ...
–angered by the introduction of a supposedly more Catholic service book–protested by throwing a stool at the celebrating minister, leading to a riot that eventually spawned the First Bishop's War. The Scottish rejection of the 1637 prayer book is considered a distant cause to the
English Civil War The English Civil War or Great Rebellion was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Cavaliers, Royalists and Roundhead, Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of th ...
and the resulting
Puritan The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to rid the Church of England of what they considered to be Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should b ...
Protectorate A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a State (polity), state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over ...
under
Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...
. Following the 1688
Glorious Revolution The Glorious Revolution, also known as the Revolution of 1688, was the deposition of James II and VII, James II and VII in November 1688. He was replaced by his daughter Mary II, Mary II and her Dutch husband, William III of Orange ...
, the
Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...
camp in Scotland reestablished the
Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland (CoS; ; ) is a Presbyterian denomination of Christianity that holds the status of the national church in Scotland. It is one of the country's largest, having 245,000 members in 2024 and 259,200 members in 2023. While mem ...
under their preferred polity and liturgical norms in 1690. Non-jurors succeeded in establishing a separate Scottish Episcopal Church, officially recognized under the
Scottish Episcopalians Act 1711 The Scottish Episcopalians Act 1711 ( 10 Ann. c. 10), also referred to as the Toleration Act 1712, is an act of the Parliament of Great Britain. Its purpose was "to prevent the disturbing those of the Episcopal Communion in Scotland in the Ex ...
. This new Scottish Episcopal Church attempted to use the 1637 prayer book which was to be printed anew, though after a period of slow reintroduction of liturgical worship and private usage of the English prayer book. Despite the 1712 reprint of the 1637 prayer book, several political factors led to the English prayer book's increasing popularity. Non-jurors followed these Laudian attempts with their own "Communion Office" in 1718, which introduced the Summary of the Law as an alternative to the
Decalogue The Ten Commandments (), or the Decalogue (from Latin , from Ancient Greek , ), are religious and ethical directives, structured as a covenant document, that, according to the Hebrew Bible, were given by YHWH to Moses. The text of the Ten C ...
, alongside other revisions. Efforts to further amend the Communion Office to produce a native Scottish liturgy that would be more widely received resulted in a 1755 liturgy promulgated by William Falconer, influenced by
Thomas Rattray Thomas Rattray (1684–1743) was a Scottish Episcopal bishop who served as the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church from 1738 to 1743. He was chosen as Bishop of Brechin by the clergy of that diocese ...
's work. Falconer, made
Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church The primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, styled "The Most Reverend the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church", is the presiding bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The current Primus is the Most Revd. Mark Strange who became primus o ...
, worked with Robert Forbes to produce a further, formally accepted Communion Office in 1764, the same Communion Office that would eventually influence the first prayer book of the Episcopal Church in the United States.


Later revisions

A draft Communion Office liturgy was produced in 1889, with the removal of the
Doxology A doxology (Ancient Greek: ''doxologia'', from , ''doxa'' 'glory' and -, -''logia'' 'saying') is a short hymn of praises to God in various forms of Christian worship, often added to the end of canticles, psalms, and hymns. The tradition derives ...
from the initial
Lord's Prayer The Lord's Prayer, also known by its incipit Our Father (, ), is a central Christian prayer attributed to Jesus. It contains petitions to God focused on God’s holiness, will, and kingdom, as well as human needs, with variations across manusc ...
proving influential on the U.S. Episcopal Church's 1892 ''Book of Common Prayer''. By the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries, the usage of the 1662 English prayer book was still predominant but had lost favor due to the introduction of
hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' d ...
s extending the typical three Sunday services–
Matins Matins (also Mattins) is a canonical hour in Christian liturgy, originally sung during the darkness of early morning (between midnight and dawn). The earliest use of the term was in reference to the canonical hour, also called the vigil, which w ...
, the
Litany Litany, in Christian worship and some forms of Jewish worship, is a form of prayer used in services and processions, and consisting of a number of petitions. The word comes through Latin ''wikt:litania, litania'' from Ancient Greek wikt:λιτα ...
, and the Communion Office–to over two hours in total. Other criticisms of the 1662 prayer book, including its lack of prayers for mission work and
evangelization Evangelism, or witnessing, is the act of sharing the Christian gospel, the message and teachings of Jesus Christ. It is typically done with the intention of converting others to Christianity. Evangelism can take several forms, such as persona ...
as well as lacking offices relevant to contemporary celebrations and industrial society, compelled the Scottish Episcopal bishops to establish a committee to produce a domestic prayer book in 1909. The revision process that led to the 1912 prayer book was initially led by
John Dowden John Dowden /d͡ʒɒn ˈdaʊdən/ (29 June 1840 – 30 January 1910) was an Irish-born bishop and ecclesiastical historian. He served in the Scottish Episcopal Church as the Bishop of Edinburgh. Life He was born in Cork on 29 June 1840, ...
, a bishop who had previously written on the history of the Scottish offices. Many of his "additions to and deviations from" the 1662 prayer book ultimately saw inclusion in both the 1912 and 1929 prayer books. Outside the inclusion of the Scottish Communion Office–entitled "The Scottish Liturgy"–these alterations of the 1662 prayer book were limited and were generally options seeking to reduce the length of services. The 1912 prayer book would officially be titled identically to the 1662 prayer book–including reference to the Church of England–with only its longer, full title making note of its inclusion of the Scottish Liturgy and usage by the Scottish Episcopal Church.


Contents

Besides the inclusion of the various services, offices, and associate prayers, the 1929 ''Scottish Prayer Book'' contains the Coverdale translation of the
Psalter A psalter is a volume containing the Book of Psalms, often with other devotional material bound in as well, such as a liturgical calendar and litany of the Saints. Until the emergence of the book of hours in the Late Middle Ages, psalters were ...
, first introduced to the prayer book tradition in the Church of England's 1662 edition. Two Eucharistic liturgies are provided: one derived from the 1662 edition in its Scottish recension and the other, The Scottish Liturgy, is derived from the 1637 and 1735 Scottish liturgies.


Communion Office

The Scottish Liturgy features "The Order For A Second Consecration" for use when all the previously consecrated Communion is expended prior to all receiving Communion have been communicated. New to the 1929 prayer book, the initial
Lord's Prayer The Lord's Prayer, also known by its incipit Our Father (, ), is a central Christian prayer attributed to Jesus. It contains petitions to God focused on God’s holiness, will, and kingdom, as well as human needs, with variations across manusc ...
is optional regardless of whether Morning Prayer is said preceding the Communion liturgy.


Daily Office

The pattern of the 1662 prayer book in reciting the entirely of the
Psalter A psalter is a volume containing the Book of Psalms, often with other devotional material bound in as well, such as a liturgical calendar and litany of the Saints. Until the emergence of the book of hours in the Late Middle Ages, psalters were ...
during a 30-day period of saying Morning and Evening Prayer was retained in part, though with certain amendments. To avoid the Sunday recitation of the
Imprecatory Psalms Imprecatory Psalms, contained within the Book of Psalms of the Hebrew Bible (), are those that imprecate – invoke judgment, calamity or curses upon one's enemies or those perceived as the enemies of God. Major imprecatory Psalms include Psalm ...
–considered potentially difficult to "the scruples of the average Sunday worshipper"–rubrics were altered to remove some from public Sunday services and offer optional omission of other verses. These alterations, resulting in the removal of
Psalm 119 Psalm 119 is the 119th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in the English of the King James Version: "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord". The Book of Psalms is in the third section of the Hebrew Bible, the ...
from public services, were considered "an attempt to pander to sickly sentiment" by proponents of the 1662 prayer book. Within Matins, the ''
Te Deum The ( or , ; from its incipit, ) is a Latin Christian hymn traditionally ascribed to a date before AD 500, but perhaps with antecedents that place it much earlier. It is central to the Ambrosian hymnal, which spread throughout the Latin ...
'', with the later ending addition, is divided into three sections. The ''
Benedicite The Benedicite (also Benedicite, omnia opera Domini or A Song of Creation) is a canticle that is used in the Catholic Liturgy of the Hours, and is also used in Anglican and Lutheran worship. The text is either verses 35–65 or verses 35–66 of ...
'' is also presented, with the option to alternatively recite the ''Benedictus es'', a hymn also derived from the Song of the Three Holy Children. Following its regular usage by the
Edinburgh Theological College The Edinburgh Theological College was founded in 1810 to train Anglican clergy to serve in the Scottish Episcopal Church. In 1891 the college moved to Coates Hall in Rosebery Avenue where it gradually expanded to include residential accommodation ...
in the years preceding the 1929 prayer book, the evening service of
Compline Compline ( ), also known as Complin, Night Prayer, or the Prayers at the End of the Day, is the final prayer liturgy (or office) of the day in the Christian tradition of canonical hours, which are prayed at fixed prayer times. The English wor ...
was introduced to supplement Evensong.


Later revision

The Scottish Episcopal Church approved several alternative and trial use liturgies to supplement the 1929 prayer book, primarily for usage in the celebration of Holy Communion. Some of these were published in
pamphlet A pamphlet is an unbound book (that is, without a Hardcover, hard cover or Bookbinding, binding). Pamphlets may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half, in thirds, or in fourths, called a ''leaflet'' ...
form: the 1966 and 1970 in "grey bookies" followed by contemporary language versions in the 1977 "orange bookie" and 1982 "blue bookie." The ''Scottish Liturgy 1982s revised Anaphora was designed to emphasize the offering of the entire church. The Scottish College of Bishop approved four alternative Eucharistic prayers in 1989, with the previously existing prayer becoming Prayer I. While Prayers II, III, and IV retain significant portions of Prayer I, Prayer V was noted for its distinct and "creative" qualities. The ''Funeral Rites 1987'' was created as an alternative form for the burial office was created. In response to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
and associate legal restrictions on public gatherings, the 1987 burial liturgy was abbreviated to enable continued
Christian burial A Christian burial is the burial of a deceased person with specifically Christian rites; typically, in consecrated ground. Until recent times Christians generally objected to cremation and practiced inhumation almost exclusively. Today this opposi ...
.


Influence

The versions of the Holy Communion offices present in the approved editions of the ''Book of Common Prayer'' produced by the Episcopal Church in the United States follow the 1764 Scottish recension. This influence was evident in the inclusion of the
epiclesis The epiclesis (also spelled epiklesis; from , ) refers to the invocation of one or several gods. In ancient Greek religion, the epiclesis was the epithet used as the surname given to a deity in religious contexts. The term was borrowed into the Ch ...
in the 1789 American prayer book. The relationship between the Scottish and American churches was in part initiated by the
episcopal Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United States ...
consecration Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...
of
Samuel Seabury Samuel Seabury (November 30, 1729February 25, 1796) was the first American Episcopal bishop, the second Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, and the first Bishop of Connecticut. He was a leading Loyalis ...
by the Jacobite Scottish Episcopal bishop
Robert Kilgour Robert Kilgour (1714–1790) was a Scottish clergyman who served in the Scottish Episcopal Church as Bishop of Aberdeen from 1768 to 1786 and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church from 1782 to 1788. He was an outspoken supporter of the Jacobi ...
in 1784, as the Scottish Episcopal Church did not have the Church of England's requirement to swear allegiance to the British Crown. Indeed, in 1784 and while Bishop of Connecticut, Seabury produced a Holy Communion service almost identical to the 1764 version. This tradition continued in the Episcopal Church during the revision process that ultimately produced the current 1979 American edition, during which the Standing Liturgical Commission lamented the lost chance to consult the 1929 Scottish and 1928 proposed English editions before final approval of the 1928 American prayer book.


Notes


See also

*''
Alternative Service Book The ''Alternative Service Book 1980'' (''ASB'') was the first complete prayer book produced by the Church of England since 1662. Its name derives from the fact that it was proposed not as a replacement for the 1662 ''Book of Common Prayer'' ( ...
'' *''
Book of Alternative Services The ''Book of Alternative Services'' (''BAS'') is the contemporary, inclusive-language liturgical book used in place of the 1962 ''Book of Common Prayer'' (BCP) in most parishes of the Anglican Church of Canada The Anglican Church of Canad ...
'' * ''Book of Common Prayer'' (1604) *''
The English Hymnal ''The English Hymnal'' is a hymn book which was published in 1906 for the Church of England by Oxford University Press. It was edited by the clergyman and writer Percy Dearmer and the composer and music historian Ralph Vaughan Williams, and ...
'' *
Hymnbooks of the Church of Scotland Decisions concerning the conduct of public worship in the Church of Scotland are entirely at the discretion of the parish minister. As a result, a wide variety of musical resources are used. However, at various times in its history, the General ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scottish Prayer Book 1929 Book of Common Prayer Anglo-Catholicism 1929 non-fiction books 20th-century Christian texts Christian prayer books Anglican liturgical books Scottish Episcopal Church Scottish Reformation 1929 in Scotland History of the Church of Scotland