The Holy Bible:
New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha (New Revised Standard Version). The NRSV, complete with the Apocrypha, is the most frequently used translation in the Episcopal Church, and the New Oxford Annotated Bible is an excellent study resource for those who desire to know the Word of God better.
The New Interpreter’s Study Bible (New Revised Standard Version with the Apocrypha). This work is similar to the New Oxford Annotated Bible above, but with more extensive scholarly notes.
New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha, Expanded Edition (Revised Standard Version). There are many people who prefer the classic RSV text of the Bible, and this has much the same scholarship as the NRSV edition above.
The Last Word: Scripture and the Authority of God – Getting Beyond the Bible Wars. Written by noted Biblical scholar Bishop N. T. Wright of the Church of England, it is a balanced approach to scriptural interpretation and understanding.
Reading the Bible Again for the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously But Not Literally.Another work that presents a balanced understanding of Scripture, Tradition and Reason, which are the three pillars of the Anglican way.
Introduction to the Anglican/Episcopalian Tradition:
Questions on the Way: A Catechism Based on the Book of Common Prayer. We highly recommend this little book for everyone interested in the Episcopal Church. It is an expansion of the Catechism/Outline of the Faith of the Book of Common Prayer (the Catechism is made available for your convenience on the Emmanuel website). Emmanuel Church provides this book to investigators who wish to learn more about us.
Welcome to the Episcopal Church: An Introduction to Its History, Faith and Worship. This book provides a more extensive introduction to the history and liturgical traditions of the Episcopal Church than does Questions on the Way, and actually is a wonderful companion to it.
Welcome to the Book of Common Prayer.It is similar to Welcome to the Episcopal Church, but this book focuses upon the historical basis of the Book of Common Prayer, as well as the significance of the 1979 American version. In order to fully appreciate the Episcopal Church, a superb starting point is to understand how we worship God.
The New Church Teaching Series. There are 12 volumes to this comprehensive series on the Episcopal Church, ranging from Patrology and spirituality to contemporary ethical considerations.
Volume 1: Anglican Vision.
Volume 2: Opening the Bible.
Volume 3: Engaging the Word.
Volume 4: The Practice of Prayer.
Volume 5: Living With History.
Volume 6: Early Christian Traditions.
Volume 7: Opening the Prayer Book.
Volume 8: Mysteries of Faith.
Volume 9: Ethics After Easter.
Volume 10: Christian Social Witness.
Volume 11: Horizons of Mission.
Volume 12: A Theology of Worship.
A Guide to The New Church’s Teaching Series.
This is Our Faith.Written by a priest of the Anglican Church of Canada, this book is a good introduction to Anglican history, liturgy, theology and spirituality.
What Anglicans Believe. This is a good introduction to the global Anglican tradition.
Why Choose the Episcopal Church? A former Bishop of the Episcopal Church wrote this little book to explain his personal journey into the life of the Church.
Prayer & Liturgy:
1979 Book of Common Prayer. This edition is the official and primary liturgical text for the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, and is really the best resource for learning about what the Episcopal Church teaches. After all, the belief of the Church is shaped by its worship.
Oxford Guide to the Book of Common Prayer. The history of the Book of Common Prayer, which began in England in 1549, is very rich, and throughout the Anglican Communion there is equally rich diversity in the various editions of the Book of Common Prayer published by the national Churches.
Commentary on the American Prayer Book. This is the definitive commentary on the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. Nearly all the elements of the Prayer Book are discussed in great detail, with historic background provided for the various prayers and texts. Highly recommended for you hard-core liturgical buffs out there (and you know who you are).
The Book of Occasional Services 2003. There are official liturgies and ceremonies in the Episcopal Church that either aren’t utilized frequently enough to be included in the Book of Common Prayer, or have been adopted by the Church after the authorization of the current edition of the BCP. The BOS is the book that contains these liturgies, and is updated by the General Convention from time to time.
Contemporary Office Book. The practice of the Divine Office is one of the official prayers of the Anglican tradition, and this volume allows you to pray daily Morning and Evening Prayer without having to use more than one book. The Divine Office is a great way to read most of the Bible in two years. The Bible translation used is the NRSV.
Holding Your Prayers in Your Hands: Praying the Anglican Rosary. Developed in the 1980s, the Anglican Rosary has become a very popular devotional tool not only for Episcopalians, but for many other Christians as well. The Anglican Rosary is also known as “A Rosary for All Christians,” and this small book will introduce you to the symbolism and suggested prayers for use with this contemplative form of prayer.
"You might be an Episcopalian if your personal book collection is larger than the local library's"... There's a bit of truth to this old Internet joke. There's nothing quite so satisfying as sitting down with a real book and soaking in the information contained within it, and this is especially true when we're reading works about Christian faith, spirituality, and history. So if you're new to the Episcopal Church, or if you're a life-long member looking to increase your knowledge of the faith, here are a few recommendations for your consideration. Please keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive, and new titles will be added in the days to come.