Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

The "New Zealand Prayer Book" is a masterpiece. Combining the traditional prayers and forms of worship of the Anglican Church of New Zealand with the rich earth-based spirituality of the Maori and other Pacific Island cultures, this worship manual should be the standard for any church or community seeking to deepen its connection with creation and the Creator. The richness and diversity of its forms, the simplicity of its language, and its concern for the hundreds of years of worship practices of the Anglican Church combine in a Prayer Book for the Twenty-first Century.

If you're an Anglican who loves liturgy (or even if you're not Anglican), this is a must for your library. It's the standard prayer book with all the services you know and love, but with a wonderful new twist of language. In the translation for today's church, the feeling has come back to all the words we say without thinking. For example, in the Lord's prayer "our Father" becomes "Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, Source of all that is and thiat shall be, Father and Mother of us all..." What could more inclusively capture a glimpse of the Living God?

The New Zealand Prayer Book is one of the easiest to use prayer books in my library. It has marks of creativity that open up prayer. Out of the 3 or 4 prayer books I have, this one is the most flexible and useful. I combine it with daily scripture reading from The Chalice Hymnal and the Revised Common Lectionary. This prayer book keeps me balanced and regular - more so than others I have.

I have found this marvelously rich book to be a delightful aid in leading public worship and in persuing private devotions. It is richly worded, grand in imagery, and may be joyfully read aloud. It is careful in its use of truly inclusive language and symbols.

I purchased this book as a gift for my husband, who was impressed by its contemporary version of The Lord's Prayer. Once we received it, however, we found has much more value than just one expression.

While we don't speak the Maori language, we're delighted that the New Zealand Prayer Book, for the Anglican Church in New Zealand, includes translations of many worship resources in Maori. It's also instructive to read such things as the list of saints whose lives are observed in the church calendar. And the black-and-white ink drawings that illustrate the sections are evocative and intriguing.

What we find most important, however, is the beauty of the language. It took nearly 25 years of consultation to produce this prayer book, and in our reading it was worth every minute. Rarely do we find humanity's spiritual longings, along with its praise to God, so masterfully composed. It's a delight simply to read the prayer book, and even more to use its resources in one's spiritual observance. We highly recommend it.

The language is fresh and really makes the Book of Common Prayer come alive. Even though it is written for the New Zealand Church and I am American, I find it very useful with extremely beautiful wording. I love how the words, "Eternal Spirit, Living God" is used. In the evening prayers, one of the prayers is:

Eternal Spirit, living God,
in whom we live and move and have our being,
all that we are, have been, and shall be is known to you,
to the very secret of our hearts
and all that rises to trouble us.
Living flame, burn into us,
Cleansing wind, blow through us,
fountain of water, well up within us,
that we may love and prase in deed and in truth.

Simply beautiful! Buy it, you won't regret it.

The 1989 English translation of the canticles and psalms in the New Zealand Prayer Book are a work, of which Archbishop Cranmer would be proud. I've seen and used the NZPB canticles printed in other, unofficial prayer books. The settings for Morning and Evening Worship, (to be used mainly by small groups and individuals), are organized by day and time. In addition, these "abbreviated" services mark a return to the cathedral office, which was superceded by the monastic office about 1500 years ago. The New Zealand Prayer Book includes several settings for Eucharist, (Holy Communion), as well as a treasury of traditional and contemporary prayers. One caveat; if you prefer traditional English, the 1662 English Prayer Book, or the current American Prayer Book, ( Rite 1), this Prayer Book will most probably not interest you.