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UK News

Younger people "will turn to traditional prayers", says Prayer Book Society

David Harris says "a profound spiritual and intellectual thirst" will prompt people to revisit the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, a collection of traditional prayer books used in services within the Church of England and much of the wider Anglican Communion.

Mr Harris, who was born in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia and has been the rector of Giles' Church in Reading for five years, has been speaking since his new appointment at the PBS.

A charity which "encourages rediscovery of the majesty and spiritual depth", the PBS was founded in 1972 amid moves to reform liturgy within the Church of England and concerns the 1962 Book of Common Prayer would become unused.

Married father-of-seven, Mr Harris, who has been a trustee of the PBS since 2013 has spoken about his passion for the book, which was originally compiled by Thomas Cramner.

He said: "I was enraptured by the Prayer Book almost the moment I opened it for the first time. The ordering of a life of worship in such a deep and biblical way just made so much sense.

"Our era of the world, at least from the 1960s, has been one of constant innovation and reckless instability but I think that there is a growing distaste for both, especially in the church.

"As this distaste grows (and it will), I believe people - especially young people - are going to turn to The Book of Common Prayer with a profound spiritual and intellectual thirst.

"It is our job as the Prayer Book Society to make sure that the Prayer Book is still a vibrant and lively option when the world finally does wake up from this age of impoverished imagination."

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