Episode 166 • 12th February 2026 • The Living Church
How does the 1662 Book of Common Prayer hold Anglicans together today?
What book of common prayer book do you use? And why? Whichever it is, and however you relate to other Anglicans, all of our common prayer books share one ancestor which still binds us together today, more closely than we might realize.
Today we’re going back to the roots of your Anglican prayer book: the great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandaddy of all Anglican prayer books, the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.
The 1662 wasn’t technically the first book of common prayer in England. So why is it the standard by which so many Anglicans today measure and revise their prayer books? Where did it come from? What makes it stand the test of time? How was it controversial, even divisive, in its own day? And how has it helped bring Christians together since?
Our guest is Dr. Drew Nathaniel Keane. Drew is a lecturer in English at Georgia Southern University and managing editor of The Anglican Way. He is the co-author, along with Samuel Bray, of How to Use the Book of Common Prayer and co-editor with the same of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer: International Edition. He’s also currently co-authoring a commentary on the 1662 Book of Common Prayer with IVP Academic.
Now let’s get down the family album, blow off the dust, and hear some tales from a fascinating and crucial chapter in our Anglican story. Family is indeed stranger than fiction. We hope you enjoy the conversation.
This episode is made possible in part by a special bequest from the Anglican Fellowship of Prayer.
From this episode:
How to Use the Book of Common Prayer: A Guide to the Anglican Liturgy
1662 Book of Common Prayer: International Edition
From the ads:
Amber D. Noel, M.Div., directs the public-facing programs of The Living Church, including the podcast, events, and the Partner program. Outside of work, she is a writer and enjoys life in Atlanta.
