Why no Propers?

Discussion in 'Liturgy, and Book of Common Prayer' started by Alkayus, Apr 20, 2016.

  1. Alkayus

    Alkayus New Member

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    Good afternoon everyone!

    Time for another question semi-related to what I asked before :)

    Why are there not propers provided in the Book of Common Prayer save the Collect, Epistle and Gospel? The 1549 kept the Introit, but dropped the rest and all consecutive editions dropped the Introit as well. I am not sure why, being most if not all of the propers (Introit, Gradual/Tract/Alleluia/Sequence, Offertory, Secret, Communion, and Post-Communion) were Biblical (pretty much Psalms I believe).

    I have tried to look this up everywhere, but I cannot seem to find an answer. Hopefully there is a substantial one outside of "simplification" or "not Roman".

    Thanks a bunch everyone. Hopefully these liturgical questions aren't getting annoying :)
     
  2. Stalwart

    Stalwart Well-Known Member Anglican

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    I mean on the one hand simplification does have a role here. The Roman missal and the Sarum rite on which the BCP was based is so clunky and convoluted that Rome itself has changed it in the 1960s.

    That being said, much of what is considered a proper can be found in today's mainstream anglican liturgy, except perhaps in a new guise.

    For example the function of the Introit is served by the opening hymn which always varies, and the Opening Verses from scriptures which always vary.

    The Gradual is either literally present as the Gradual in the more traditional parishes, or as a sung hymn. My parish has it as the gradual.

    The Offertory in my parish is a sung hymn.

    The Secret was done away with as illegitimate in the worship of the people and pseudo-gnostic.

    The Communion etc are obviously there. So basically most elements apart from the Secret prayers are there just as before, in perhaps a newer guise.
     
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