About The Prayer Book Society in Australia

The Prayer Book Society in Australia (Victorian Branch) came into existence in 1982. The aim was, and is, to ensure that The Book of Common Prayer and the Authorised Version of The Bible, which together had nurtured Anglicans for over four hundred years in the Christian faith, were kept in living use in public worship and private devotion - and not replaced by the multiplicity of modern liturgies which are now available.

Why is this so important?

Because:

1. THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER (1662) which includes THE ORDINAL for the making, ordaining and consecrating the bishops, priests and deacons in the Anglican Church, together with THE THIRTY-NINE ARTICLES OF RELIGION, is declared by the Constitution of the Anglican Church of Australia to be 'the authorised standard of worship and doctrine in this Church, and none of its principles may be contravened'.
   

   And because:

2. THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER (1662) is the primary service book of the Anglican Church of Australia. Both An Australian Prayer Book (1978) and A Prayer Book for Australia (1995) have the legal status of Alternative Service Books authorised by General Synod for use 'together with The Book of Common Prayer (1662)'.

The Victorian Branch of The Prayer Book Society was established at an inaugural meeting - open to everyone - held at St Mark's Camberwell on 26 March 1981. A branch had previously been established in Sydney and there were several members of the Diocese of Melbourne - and beyond - who wished to meet with others who were deeply concerned about the preservation of The Book of Common Prayer in the life and worship of the Province. In the 1970s there had already been various developments in the United Kingdom, which finally resulted in the formation of The Prayer Society there. It published two journals - Faith and Worship and Faith and Heritage - until 2003 when it changed to a quarterly journal and an annual publication of Faith and Worship.

Liturgical revision and experimentation, not to speak of innovation, were very much part of the ecclesiastical scene in the 1970s. In Australia the new Liturgy authorised by General Synod in 1977 - An Australian Prayer Book - found rapid acceptance after its introduction the following year. It was to be used together with The Book of Common Prayer - words that were to reverberate during succeeding years.

In 1995 General Synod authorised A Prayer Book for Australia but defined it as 'Liturgical Resources authorised by General Synod' and 'to be used together with The Book of Common Prayer (1662) and An Australian Prayer Book (1978)'.

Looking on the ecclesiastical scene from the vantage point of 2004, what does the Society stand for? It aims to be a torchbearer to the ancient truths of an ancient church - not reactionary, confrontationist, or obscurantist.

The Society happily encompasses widely differing forms of churchmanship; it brings together people pledged to uphold the worship and doctrine of the Anglican Church as enshrined in The Book of Common Prayer. It does not propagate Prayer Book fundamentalism, but believes that a modest amount of flexibility in usage is both sensible and desirable and it certainly does not seek to suppress An Australian Prayer Book 1978.

However, very great concern is felt in the Society at the extent to which the new books have displaced the old and it has been alarmed at the extensive pastoral problems which often result from our unfeeling implementation of liturgical change.

Two special areas of concern have also exercised the attention of the Society: the use of The Book of Common Prayer in the training of ordinands and in the instruction of confirmees. Our branch now distributes annually copies of The Book of Common Prayer to ordinands of several dioceses within Australia.

The Synod of the Diocese of Melbourne in 1980 affirmed its support for the continuance of The Book of Common Prayer in living use as did the General Synod in 1985.

Although understandably circumstances change, perceptions change, even people change, it appears that change itself has now crystallised into a hallmark of contemporary church life. But a church which embraces change too readily runs the risk of losing respect as well as its most devoted members.

Set against this is the belief and conviction of many that change in the life of the church should be slow, sparing and well tested; that change itself is only one face of the ecclesiastical coinage - the other being the permanent, unchanging nature of Christian belief as delivered to the infant church, records in the inspired Scriptures, continued in the Catholic order of the church, and by the very nature of its eternal truth, ever speaking to each changing generation.

It is this immutable nature of Christian faith and order which is well enshrined in The Book of Common Prayer, quite apart from the aesthetic qualities of our ancient liturgy. The liturgies of innovation may well answer the needs of some members of our church; The Book of Common Prayer answers those of others.

Members of The Prayer Book Society believe that the preservation of the book in living use warrants both dedication and mutual encouragement; for this reason the Society arranges quarterly services and addresses on the foundation of The Book of Common Prayer.

The Society happily encompasses widely differing forms of churchmanship; it brings together people pledged to uphold the worship and doctrine of the Anglican Church as enshrined in The Book of Common Prayer. It does not propagate Prayer Book fundamentalism, but believes that a modest amount of flexibility in usage is both sensible and desirable and it certainly does not seek to suppress An Australian Prayer Book 1978.

However, very great concern is felt in the Society at the extent to which the new books have displaced the old and it has been alarmed at the extensive pastoral problems which often result from our unfeeling implementation of liturgical change.

Two special areas of concern have also exercised the attention of the Society: the use of The Book of Common Prayer in the training of ordinands and in the instruction of confirmees. Our branch now distributes annually copies of The Book of Common Prayer to ordinands of several dioceses within Australia.