The prayer book and preaching
Two days ago, on Saturday, I married a couple for the first time. Sunday morning I was at a church that used the morning prayer form of service. Today I was reading through the prayer book service for infant baptism.
The thing that strikes me most about the prayer book is the quality of the prayers in it. It really is thought through, more so than I am. It’s inspired me to continue to read through the big fat biography I have on Cranmer. It’d be great to understand more about the man behind the prayer book, Thomas Cranmer, and learn about his concerns for propriety of church.
Last week at a training day, Phillip Jensen reminded me of the focus the prayer book services have on the Bible read and taught. It has started some more balls rolling in my head about the purpose and place of preaching in the Christian life and in church life.
If I ever get around to doing further study, maybe something exegetical about the sermons in Acts and/or something doctrinal about the place of preaching, possibly in conversation with Thomas Cranmer. Any other ideas of what I should study?