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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.
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