Anglican Prayers

Anglican Prayers on a Tumultuous Day

Jeffrey Walton on January 6, 2021

Anglican leaders have shared their prayers for the nation following a tumultuous day on Capitol Hill in which protesters stormed both chambers of the U.S. Congress and at least one woman died from a gunshot wound.

“I am deeply concerned about the unrest in the United States Capitol today,” tweeted Anglican Church in North America Archbishop Foley Beach, quoting Proverbs 14:34 that “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” 

Beach asked for others to join him in praying for the United States of America, sharing a Prayer for Our Nation found on page 657 of the 2019 Book of Common Prayer:

“Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure conduct. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom, in thy Name, we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry also released a call to prayer for the nation, in a video placed on the denomination’s website:

“The events at our Capitol today are deeply disturbing – we believe the actions of armed protestors represent a coup attempt. We are a democracy with longstanding institutional norms that must be honored, foremost among them following the processes laid out in the Constitution and federal statute to facilitate the peaceful transition of power. Today’s protesters pushed through police barricades and forced their way into Congressional chambers and the Capitol building and are now threatening the safety of lawmakers, their staff, and others who work in the Capitol complex. This threatens the integrity of our democracy, the national security of our nation, the continuity of government, and the lives and safety of our legislators, their staff, and all who work in the Capitol.”

Anglican Bishop of Fort Worth Ryan Reed issued a call to prayer for all clergy and congregations in his northern Texas diocese:

Bishop Julian Dobbs of the Anglican Diocese of the Living Word has written to the clergy of his diocese. “As your bishop, I am calling you, your congregation and ministry to pray the Great Litany with me tonight for ourselves and our nation as we petition the Lord to hear our prayers.”

A statement from Bishop Julian to the clergy of the diocese earlier this afternoon: January 6, 2021 Dear Clergy…

Posted by Anglican Diocese of the Living Word on Wednesday, January 6, 2021

This post will be updated as more prayers and public comments are released throughout the week.

Update [01/07/2020]: Bishop Dobbs and Bishop John Guernsey of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic (who serves the ACNA as Dean of Provincial Affairs) prayed the Great Litany before the U.S. Capitol earlier this morning.

No comments yet

The work of IRD is made possible by your generous contributions.

Receive expert analysis in your inbox.