The short, structured prayers of the Book of Common Prayer appointed for each Sunday and feast, exemplified by the Collect for Purity.
Tagged: Liturgical Prayer Prayer Anglican
The Text
Collect for Purity
Almighty God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Historical Context
A collect is a short prayer that 'collects' the petitions of the congregation into a single form: an address to God, an appeal to one of his attributes, a petition, an aspiration, and a conclusion through Christ. Thomas Cranmer translated and composed the collects of the first Book of Common Prayer in 1549, adapting many from Latin sacramentaries; a collect is appointed for each Sunday and holy day of the church year. The Collect for Purity, which opens the Prayer Book Communion service, derives from an 11th-century Latin prayer and is also the source of a widely used opening prayer far beyond Anglicanism.
Use and Practice
The collect of the day is prayed in Anglican and Episcopal Eucharists and daily offices, and collects open meetings and services across the Anglican Communion. The pattern has influenced prayer in Methodist and other Protestant traditions that draw on the Prayer Book.
References
- The Book of Common Prayer Free / open access
Related Prayers and Creeds
- Thirty-Nine Articles — The Church of England's defining doctrinal articles, finalized in 1571 and printed in the Book of Common Prayer.
- The Lord's Prayer (Our Father) — The prayer Jesus taught his disciples in Matthew 6 and Luke 11, shared by Christians of every tradition.
- Te Deum — An ancient Latin hymn of praise to God, sung on occasions of solemn thanksgiving in Catholic and Anglican worship.
- Apostles' Creed — The ancient baptismal creed of the Western Church, summarizing belief in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Related Across the Site
- Anglican Communion Office Document Library Library — More than 1,500 communiqués, resolutions, and papers documenting the life and work of the Anglican Communion since 1867.
- Digital Library of Classic Protestant Texts Library — An extensive collection of Reformation and post-Reformation texts, including Reformed, Anglican, and Presbyterian works, by subscription or perpetual access.
- Project Canterbury Library — A free archive of out-of-print Anglican works and related modern documents, transcribed and hosted by the Society of Archbishop Justus.
- Amidah Prayer or Creed — The standing prayer at the center of every Jewish prayer service, recited silently while standing.
- Norito Prayer or Creed — Formal ritual prayers in classical Japanese, recited by priests to the kami at shrine festivals and rites.
- Salah Prayer or Creed — The ritual prayer performed five times daily, with fixed postures, recitations, and the closing testimony (Tashahhud).
- Te Deum Prayer or Creed — An ancient Latin hymn of praise to God, sung on occasions of solemn thanksgiving in Catholic and Anglican worship.
- Trisagion Prayers Prayer or Creed — The opening prayers of Orthodox services and prayer rules, built around the thrice-holy hymn 'Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal.'