Episcopal Press and News

New Versions of Lord's Prayer Published by Church of England

Diocesan Press Service. September 1, 1968 [68-7]

NEW YORK, N. Y. -- Versions of the Lord's Prayer in contemporary English have been written by a number of commissions or committees lately. Among the most recent are two versions published by the Church of England's Liturgical Commission.

The texts, which are to serve as a basis for discussion, are in a 53-page booklet containing the first part of the Commission's report.

Also included were contemporary versions of the Gloria in Excelsis, the Creeds, the Te Deum and other canticles.

The two versions were offered as the Commission felt it was not possible to produce a translation which did justice to all meanings. Both of the new readings omit the Elizabethan pronoun forms and cadence of the traditional text.

Canticles included were put into verse by C. Day Lewis, Britain's Poet Laureate, and music composed by Alan Ridout.