A historical note on prayers for the dead in The Church of England

 As far as I can tell, prayers for the dead did not form part of the authorised public liturgy of The Church of England from 1552 until 1917 or even 1967.

Of The Thirty Nine Articles of Religion, we might note especially:

“XXII. OF PURGATORY

THE Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping, and Adoration, as well of Images as of Reliques, and also invocation of Saints, is a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God.”

And:

“XXXI. OF THE ONE OBLATION OF CHRIST FINISHED UPON THE CROSS

THE Offering of Christ once made is that perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction, for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual; and there is none other satisfaction for sin, but that alone. Wherefore the sacrifices of Masses, in the which it was commonly said, that the Priest did offer Christ for the quick and the dead, to have remission of pain or guilt, were blasphemous fables, and dangerous deceits.”

Homily XIX Concerning Prayer seeks to “take away the gross error of purgatory out of our heads” and says “neither let us dream any more, that the souls of the dead are anything at all holpen by our prayers.”

In the case of Breeks v Woolfrey (1838) 163 English Reports 304, The Dean of the Arches, Jenner, concluded that the historic formularies “shew that the Church discouraged prayers for the dead, but did not prohibit them: and that the 22nd Article is not violated by the[ir] use” (p.311).

Prayers for the dead were included in 1900 during the Boer War and in a service for the commemoration of Queen Victoria in 1902.

In 1904, Archbishop Randall Davidson was embarrassed by an allegation that he had “said prayers for the dead with the late Queen [Victoria]”. He seems to have agreed that the insertion of such prayers in the public services of the Church would have been illegal.

An explicit prayer for the departed was issued by authority for the first time in 1917 and brought forth protests from evangelicals Bishops Chavasse (Liverpool) and Knox (Manchester) although they were clearly in a minority.  

In the 1919 novel, Mr Standfast, John Buchan has a fictional Protestant lady say: “I whiles wish I was a Catholic and could pit up prayers for the sodgers that are dead.  It maun be a great consolation.” 

Prayers for the dead were included in the 1928 Prayer Book which was rejected by Parliament.

Following the Prayer Book (Alternative and Other Services) Measure 1965, Series 2 (1967?) included them.

The Church of England Worship and Doctrine Measure 1974 gave General Synod the power to introduce liturgy.

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Culled, with some cutting and pasting, from a number of online sources but especially:

https://ecclesiasticallaw.wordpress.com/2019/11/08/praying-for-the-dead/

https://www.fulcrum-anglican.org.uk/articles/can-we-pray-for-the-dead/