“But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” – Matthew 6:6 (BSB)
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” – Acts 2:42 (BSB)
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” – Colossians 3:16 (BSB)
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.” – James 5:16 (BSB)
The Book of Common Prayer provides everything needed to pray the Daily Office well, whether alone or with others. Archbishop Foley Beach (ACNA) explains: “The structure is not a prison, but a trellis. It supports your spiritual growth so that the vine of Christ can grow in your life.” (Address to the ACNA Assembly, 2017) This pattern encourages Scripture-fed, Spirit-led prayer rather than subjective or unanchored devotion.
Archbishop Ben Kwashi (Nigeria) reminds us, “When Christians in Africa pray the Daily Office, they know they are part of a global and historic Church. Whether in a cathedral or under a tree, we are praying the same psalms, reading the same Word.” (GAFCON Plenary, 2018) The Daily Office thus forms not only the individual soul, but the unity of the Church across space and time.
Gerald Bray emphasizes, “The genius of the Prayer Book is that it teaches the faithful to pray with the Word of God on their lips. This is not about performance, but participation in the life of Christ.” (Bray, Anglicanism: A Reformed Catholic Tradition, 2021) Likewise, Stephen Andrews, Principal of Wycliffe College, notes that “the Office weaves Scripture into the very voice of the Church’s prayer, ensuring that our devotional life is as biblical as it is prayerful.” (Interview with the Living Church, 2020)
Ultimately, as the 2019 BCP notes, the Office is for everyone: “Daily worship is the fundamental spiritual practice that binds together Anglicans of every tradition, culture, and age. It is a gift we receive, not a burden we bear.” (2019 BCP, Introduction to the Daily Office)
“Do you pray? You speak to the Bridegroom. Do you read Scripture? He speaks to you.” – Jerome, Letter to Eustochium, c. 384 AD
“Lift up your hands in prayer, not only when you go to church, but also when you are at home. Pray before sleeping, when rising, and while working.” – Basil the Great, Homily on the Martyr Julitta, c. 370 AD
“Let us not neglect to come together and give thanks to God. For the very pattern of gathering morning and evening, with hymns and the reading of the divine Word, is the life of the Church.” – John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews, c. 400 AD
An Anglican Catechism (Expanded) offers over 350+ Scripture-based answers to the core truths of the Christian faith. Each entry includes biblical texts, theological insight, and reflections from historic and contemporary Anglican voices. Rooted in the classical tradition, it is designed for teaching, discipleship, and spiritual formation.
An Ancient Worship Movement invites readers into the rich, historic worship of the early Church rediscovered through the Anglican tradition. This book calls believers into a deeper, Spirit-filled encounter with Christ through timeless practices.
St. Thomas Church
PO Box 873
Abbotsford, BC,
V2T 7A2, Canada
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St. Thomas Church is a Church planting movement in ancient tradition.
