Give Us Grace: An Anthology of Anglican Prayers

Rating:
Summary: Uncommon prayers...
Review: Christopher Webber is an author of several Anglican-related titles; among his best work are 'Welcome to Sunday' and 'Welcome to the Episcopal Church', which set the stage for newcomers as well as old-timers who want more background information about their church. This book, 'Give Us Grace' could be considered a natural companion to these volumes. It is an anthology of prayers in the Anglican tradition -- Anglicans are often described as 'people of the book', that book being the Book of Common Prayer. However, this book does change over time. Also, there are other writings by Anglicans, who are often influenced by the BCP in their own writing content and style.

Webber arranges this collection chronologically, beginning with the first major voice of Anglicanism, Thomas Cranmer. Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury is the father of Anglican liturgy, the prime mover behind the shape of the liturgy that continues as a primary influence to this day. Cranmer was also a biblical translator, one of the earliest to put the Bible into English, so the scriptural sensitivity of the litugry to the Bible derives from the duality of his role. From these beginnings, Webber traces others of the early Anglican period (including Elizabeth I), through the present day.

Webber does not confine his collection to the English, however, just as Anglicanism is not confined to Britain. Webber draws upon the wider experience of the Anglican communion, whose most recent enhancements to the spiritual and prayer life of its members include revised prayer books in Australia and New Zealand, as well as several generations of prayer book revisions in the United States. There are samplings from Native Americans, Africans, Asians, and other Europeans. Among still-living persons represented are Desmond Tutu, archbishop from South Africa and anti-apartheid champion, and Madeleine L'Engle, author and mystic in North America.

Anglicanism is in some ways a hybrid, taking nourishment from roots in Catholicism and Protestantism, Celtic and Roman influences, and the strong traditions of the English langauge which include both Shakespeare and the King James Bible. There are prayer structures that transcend the Book of Common Prayer and influence in profound ways the prayer development of others -- collect forms, even if not strictly adhered to, still manage to provide seed for inspiration that can often be seen. The cadence and rhythmic qualities of the Book of Common Prayer are pronounced in many of the entries here.

Webber is a priest who currently lives in Connecticut; he has served parishes in inner-city, suburban, and overseas/international settings. He brings his experience, his education, and his obvious spirituality to the writing tasks represented here.