Prayer book?

[Phillip_Rolfes]

I owned this one already and sold it to a bookstore. There’s quite a few typos in this one, which is disappointing. Some of the icons look like poor quality clip art. The cover is way too stiff even to be bonded leather.

The typos are unfortunate, and I hope that a revised edition which corrects these mistakes is released at some point. The icons could’ve been done in a higher resolution. As it is, it looks like a very pixilated scanned image. Again, I’d hope that this would be corrected in a revised edition. The leather cover on my book is just fine.

The thing that I really like about the book is the translation of the prayers. Despite the few typos, the translation is dignified and very readable/prayable. I’m torn with the whole modern vs. Elizabethan English thing. For private prayer I prefer modern English hands down. When in private I prefer to speak to God in the same language with which I’d speak to my spouse and children. To me that just feels more intimate. But that’s a subjective preference. Liturgically I think reasonable arguments can be made for both Elizabethan and modern English. Elizabethan English, on a subjective level, sounds more dignified. I would argue that when it comes to the public worship of the Church using a language that is understandable, but is not the “street language” would be preferable. That being said, certain Churches have committees that meet regularly to update translations into the modern idiom so that the translations are accurate, but still up to date. I’ve read that the Romanian Orthodox Church is one such Church. I’m just glad that I’m not the one left with the decision because to me there are an equal number of pros and cons with both Elizabethan and modern English.

 

[andrewstx]

When I pray mentally and extempore I use modern English of course. But in the liturgy and prayer books I like E… English.

I should never post that late, as the results showed.

 

[ByzCathCantor]

I’m glad you were successful in getting the free trial subscription. I made two attempts to get subscribed, and a PM to Jack, unsuccessful. Did they end up deciding to offer the paid subscription? If so got a link for that?

I signed up for the trial subscription early on, via the email address Jack had provided at that time. It’s likely that he was only taking requests via that route, as he does not routinely post on the boards (including ByzCathForum).

Anyhow, here’s a link to the current offering: Byzantine Daily Office

There is an archive of the files provided during the trial period, available via this link.

Христос Воскресе!

 

[ByzCathCantor]

For the OP, there is also The Byzantine Book of Prayer published by and available from Byzantine Seminary Press in Pittsburgh for about $20.

The original Byzantine Book of Prayer, like the Byzantine Daily Worship, was published by Alleluia Press and both are the handiwork of + Archbishop Joseph Raya.

I am not sure if this book by the same name now being offered by the BSP is a different book, or a reprint of the original. As I was interesting in replacing my long lost copy of the original, I think I will call to inquire …

FYI - this prayer book was indeed published by Byzantine Seminary Press, under the Imprimatur of + Metropolitan Judson, and is still being sold via the BSP website. Except for the cover and a few pages at the beginning, is an exact reprint of the original publication of Alleluia Press.

I did order this as a replacement from my long lost copy, as I always did like this prayer book, but I would warn my fellow members of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Church that the Divine Liturgies included in this volume do not conform to current translations in use today.

As for the OP, I do not think the contents of this prayer book as sufficient to support recitation of the Daily Office.

 

[Hesychios]

I was saying or trying to say that both Byzantine daily Worship and the Jordanville prayer book have been very useful to me. And a good psalter.

I agree, about both books.

 

[Zekariya]

I use the Melkite “Publicans Prayer Book” which can be found here: melkite.org/products-page/prayer-books

It uses modern yet reverent English (like the RSV bible). It is beautifully typeset in two colors, black and red. It is genuine leather (unless I’ve been fooled). I is a typical Byzantine prayer book which is similar to the Jordanville Prayer Book.

I also use the Agpeya. The Agpeya is the primitive Liturgy of the Hours used by the Coptic Orthodox Church. You can read the Agpeya online here: agpeya.org/ This is the edition that I use: orthodoxbookstore.org/theagpeya-copticprayerbookofthesevenhours.aspx

I converted from protestantism to the Antiochian Orthodox Church and later in life became Coptic Orthodox and now, having come into the Catholic Church, I am officially a Melkite Catholic (though I still hold to Cyrillian/miaphysite Christology of the Coptic Church ).