New Zealand Prayer Book -Rev ed.: He Karakia Mihinare O Aotearoa [Hardcover]

Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 5, 1997

Assembled by a commission of church liturgists, lay people, and clergy in New Zealand, this guide offers services and prayers for holy days as well as for weekly services and personal meditation. It preserves the ethnos of Anglican spirituality and incorporates the best liturgical insights from modern scholarship. Two-color, Maori-inspired illustrations throughout. 3 ribbon markers.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English

Product Details

• Hardcover: 992 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne (August 5, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006060199X
• ISBN-13: 978-0060601997
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #56,751 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #35 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Worship & Devotion > Rites & Ceremonies
  • #46 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Ministry & Church Leadership > Church Institutions & Organizations
  • #81 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Worship & Devotion > Prayerbooks

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

101 of 103 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There's hope for the Church, June 13, 2000

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Martha Ainsworth "contemplative musician" (New York City) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: New Zealand Prayer Book -Rev ed.: He Karakia Mihinare O Aotearoa (Hardcover)

Even though this book was written for corporate, rather than private worship... even though this book was written for the Church in New Zealand, and I am an American... my copy of this book is well thumbed, and I find myself turning to it several times a week for my personal prayer. The language is so direct, so clean, it is sometimes striking. For instance, instead of a rambling 18th century groveling absolution, this book offers: "God forgives you. Forgive others. Forgive yourself." The richness of the Anglican tradition remains intact, but through the enlightened use of language, most of the unhelpful baggage of Anglicanism has been cast aside. Instead of an imperialistic God, here you find evidence of a loving God. Here I found the prayer I wanted to pray, the words for that which was wordless within me. Here I found the powerful, direct language that sets me free to connect to the Holy One. I recommend this book as a valuable resource, not only for all Anglicans, but for anyone who loves being in relationship with God.

50 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gift of Simplicity, June 26, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: New Zealand Prayer Book -Rev ed.: He Karakia Mihinare O Aotearoa (Hardcover)

A New Zealand Prayer Book beautifully combines the lofty Anglican tradition with a directness and simplicity that reflects native culture. Many of the prayers are almost childlike in their simplicity, but directly speak to the heart and soul. I find myself coming back to certain prayers, especially an evening medititation that reminds, "What has been done has been done; what has not been done has not been done; let it be." Accessible and reflecting the complexity, and simplicity, of the soul.

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A God-inspired taonga, May 23, 2004

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FrKurt Messick "FrKurt Messick" (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: New Zealand Prayer Book -Rev ed.: He Karakia Mihinare O Aotearoa (Hardcover)

Published in 1989, the New Zealand Prayer Book, He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa represented a significant development in Anglican liturgy, not only for the province of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, but for liturgical development around the world. While it remained true to the spirit of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer (a book whose language and beauty is renowned, but also less applicable in the modern world, even in English-speaking societies), it represented in many ways a paradigm shift by incorporating the texts of the Maori side-by-side with the English liturgies in many instances, and paying a great deal of respect for the language and culture of the indigenous peoples without sacrificing the integrity of the historical English liturgical forms. (There are also sections in Fijian and Tongan, reflecting even more diversity in the province.)

Many of the Anglican provinces around the world that remained in colonial and commonwealth settings retained as their primary source the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, put together by the English in response to the liturgical, spiritual and political influences of the their time and place. The New Zealand Prayer Book reflects these same developmental features - scholars of the province took care to craft a liturgy sourcebook that is responsive to their particular Pacific setting and cultures.

The Prayer Book Commission was at work for well over 20 years on this text, a period of radical change in the New Zealand society. This period saw the adoption of Maori as an official language of the nation of New Zealand, realignments economic and political, and major shifts in the church (the province has ordained women since 1977, two years before the official acceptance of women's ordination by the Anglican province in the United States, the Episcopal church). The book is much more open and user-friendly, and incorporates much more of the laity in the conduct of the service, recognising the ministry of all the faithful as the primary ministry of God.

There were experimental and supplemental liturgies, to be sure (all provinces have these to greater or lesser degrees), and the production of prayer book pieces in stages meant that there wasn't a huge problem of introducing the new book. Indeed, the acceptance of this book as a supplemental text in other provinces and by other denominations has helped prove its worthiness.

The book has the basic sections expected in the Book of Common Prayer: the Church Calendar and Year, revised for the New Zealand context (nonetheless sharing major portions with greater Christendom); Liturgies of the Word for Morning and Evening Prayer, as well as other prayers and devotions; Liturgies of Baptism and Confirmation/Renewal; Eucharistic Liturgies; Pastoral Liturgies (healing, penitence, thanksgiving for children, blessing a home); several Marriage Liturgies and various Funeral Liturgies (it is perhaps with these forms that the local influences are the greatest at shaping the liturgy); Ordination Liturgies (deacon, priest, bishop), and various indexes.

In nearly a thousand pages, this book is in a small-size format, easily held, and easily used on a routine basis by tens of thousands of worshippers. For any Anglican, and any person interested in liturgy and worship, this is a necessity.