Anglican Daily Office Best Practice

One of, if not the premier of hallmarks of Anglicanism is the Book of Common Prayer. This monument of liturgical prose has informed the Christian mind since its promulgation in 1549. In the first BCP (before regrettable protestant revisions), Cranmer masterfully distilled the monastic canonical hours down to two: Matins and Lauds into Mattins (later Morning Prayer) and Vespers and Compline into Evensong (or Evening Prayer.)

Anglican clergy are traditionally (and in some places canonically) obliged to pray the Office, if possible in the parish church where the laity may join them in what is the prayer, not of the clergy alone, but of the whole church.

In recent years, Anglicanism has seen a growing influx of lay and clergy converts from various protestant sects, especially in the ranks of American military chaplains, and in the time constraints chaplains face, many may not be adequately formed. Clergy who have not been formed in an Anglican seminary could have been simply handed a prayerbook, as time permitted merely instruction and a little practice in the Mass and occasional reference to the pastoral offices. As a result, the daily office can be an afterthought at best. This is understandable, given the relatively short time-frame military chaplains have when changing denominations, but clergy so prepared often can be seen to “read through” Morning or Evening Prayer, reading every thing there, even with half a dozen or more opening verses and ending collects without understanding, without attending to the rubrics and perhaps never even having seen, the Office as traditionally prayed in Anglicanism. Consequently, this post undertakes the task of outlining how we customarily do the Office.

The Standalone Office

When prayed by itself, without the Mass following, the manner of praying the Office should look like this.

How to pray Evening Prayer using the American Book of Common Prayer

1. The office begins with only one Sentence of Scripture (pp. 21-22).
2. Then follow the Versicles on page 25.
3. Then follow the Psalms appointed for the day, with the Gloria Patri fol­lowing each one.  
4. The First Lesson is read, all seated except the reader.
5. The Canticle Magnificat is said in unison, all standing (p. 26).  
   (It is customary to make the sign of the cross at the opening words.)
6. The Second Lesson is read, all seated except the reader.
7. The Canticle Nunc Dimittis (p. 28), in unison, all standing.  
   (It is customary to make the sign of the cross at the opening words.)
8. The Apostles’ Creed (p. 29) is said in unison, all standing.
9. All kneel for the rest of the office
10. The Salutation (p. 30)
11. It is customary to add here the Kyries (p. 70)

 Lord, have mercy upon us.       Christ, have mercy upon us      Lord, have mercy upon us.

1. The Our Father follows in unison, customarily omitting the doxol­ogy, as it is printed on p. 308. (If the Hail Mary is desired, it may be added after the Our Father.)
2. Then are said the Suffrages, from the top of page 31.
3. The Collect for the Day, and the two Collects printed at the bottom of p. 31. 

Morning Prayer  and Evening Prayer both conclude with the following:
℣ The Lord be with you. *℟ And with thy Spirit.℣ Let us bless the Lord.℟ Thanks be to God.℣ May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.	℟ Amen.  Officiant   The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore.  Amen.

How to pray Morning Prayer using the American Book of Common Prayer

1. The office begins with only one Sentence of Scripture (pp. 3-5).
2. Then follow the Versicles at the very bottom of page 7.
3. A seasonal antiphon from page 8 may be said.
4. The Venite (p. 9) is said in unison, all standing.
5. After the Venite is said the Gloria Patri (bottom of p. 9), and the anti­phon is repeated.
6. Then follow the Psalms appointed for the day, with the Gloria Patri fol­lowing each one.  
7. The First Lesson is read, all seated except the reader.
8. The Canticle is said in unison, all standing.
   1. on Sundays and Holy Days is the Te Deum (p. 10), omitting the third section on page 11.
   1. on Saturdays and in Advent is the Benedicite (pp. 11-13).
   1. on all other days is the Benedictus es (p. 11).

1. The Second Lesson is read, all seated except the reader.
2. The Canticle is the Benedictus (p. 14), in unison, all standing.  
   (It is customary to make the sign of the cross at the opening words.)
3. The Apostles’ Creed (p. 15) is said in unison, all standing.
4. All kneel for the rest of the office
5. The Salutation (p.16)
6. It is customary to add here the Kyries (p. 70)

Lord, have mercy upon us.       Christ, have mercy upon us      Lord, have mercy upon us.

1. The Our Father follows in unison, customarily omitting the doxol­ogy, as it is printed on p. 308. (If the Hail Mary is desired, it may be added after the Our Father.)
2. Then are said the Suffrages, from the bottom of page 16.
3. The Collect for the Day, and the two  Collects printed at the top of p. 17. 
4. Morning prayer concludes with the ending above.

* (Note: a layman (or a priest praying by himself) never says “the Lord be with you,” but instead O Lord, hear our prayer, to which the response is  And let our cry come unto thee.)

When Preceding the Mass

In some places, where there may be numerous converts from church bodies using a three lesson Eucharistic lectionary, it may be found desirable to add an OT lection to the Mass. Rather than artificially import one foreign to the traditional lectionary, a better practice is to precede the Mass with an Office, usually Morning Prayer. The American BCP anticipated this and offers rubrics for the same. The way to do this without unnecessary duplication or excessively lengthening the service follows.

1. The office begins with only one Sentence of Scripture (pp. 3-5).
2. Then follow the Versicles at the very bottom of page 7.
3. A seasonal antiphon from page 8 may be said.
4. The Venite (p. 9) is said in unison, all standing.
5. After the Venite is said the Gloria Patri (bottom of p. 9), and the anti­phon is repeated.
6. Then follow the Psalms appointed for the day, all seated, with the Gloria Patri fol­lowing each one.  
7. The First Lesson is read, all seated except the reader.
8. The Canticle Benedictus (p. 14) is said in unison, all standing.
9. Mass then follows with the Introit or Collect for Purity.

The foregoing directions violate no rubrics and show the simplest and most aesthetically pleasing way to pray the Office.

Have you seen examples—bad or good—of the Office in practice? Reply below.