Best Prayer Book for True Orthodox

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Maria
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Best Prayer Book for True Orthodox

Post by Maria »

I have serious questions about continuing the use of HTM prayerbooks now that HOCNA has officially embraced the Name-Worshipping Heresy and that of Awake Sleepers. Would it be preferable to use the Jordanville Prayerbook?

Therefore, I am asking for your input in recommending other suitable prayerbooks.

The HTM 2005 editions and those of prior years were good, but they were not the best because of a lack of consistency in the Shakespearian English. However, the 2009 edition of the HTM prayerbook has some ghastly rewordings as shown below:

2000 HTM Edition: Hymns of the Resurrection, p. 125, Plagal of First Tone (Dismissal Hymn)

Let us, the faithful, praise and worship the Word, Who is co-beginningless with the Father and the Spirit, and Who was born of the Virgin for our salvation; for He was pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh and to endure death, and to raise the dead by His glorious Resurrection.

2009 HTM Edition: Hymns of the Resurrection, p. 141, Plagal of First Tone (Dismissal Hymn)

Let us worship the Word, O ye faithful, praising Him that with the Father and Spirit is co-beginningless God, Who was born of a pure Virgin that we all be saved; for He was pleased to mount the Cross in the flesh that He assumed, accepting thus to endure death. And by His glorious rising, He also willed to resurrect the dead.

The 2009 edition is not only verbose and difficult to put into byzantine chant, but it also has negative modern connotations with the word "mount." Christ mounted the ass on Palm Sunday, but ascended the Holy Cross on Good and Holy Friday. Ascend is a better choice, and the gospel uses that same word.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

jgress
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Re: Best Prayer Book for True Orthodox

Post by jgress »

What exactly are the connotations? You mean as in "the bull mounted the cow"?

I have used the HTM book. Unless recent editions have started including heresies, I don't see a problem, unless you think we shouldn't be supporting them at all anymore.

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Maria
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Re: Best Prayer Book for True Orthodox

Post by Maria »

jgress wrote:

What exactly are the connotations? You mean as in "the bull mounted the cow"?

Exactly. HTM often fails in rhetoric.

I have used the HTM book. Unless recent editions have started including heresies, I don't see a problem, unless you think we shouldn't be supporting them at all anymore.

I also use it, but shutter when reading their psalter and their renditions of the festal hymns.
Neither do I wish to contribute to their promoting heresies in future publications nor give them money.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

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m. Evfrosinia
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Re: Best Prayer Book for True Orthodox

Post by m. Evfrosinia »

When I use an English language prayer book (I do at times for private prayer, while all our services are in Slavonic) I prefer the Jordanville prayerbook. I prefer their English. The original J-ville prayerbook was translated by Fr. Lazarus Moore, an Englishman with more of a feel for liturgical English, I believe, then the translators at HTM. But it's a matter of taste and habit.

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Maria
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Re: Best Prayer Book for True Orthodox

Post by Maria »

m. Evfrosinia wrote:

When I use an English language prayer book (I do at times for private prayer, while all our services are in Slavonic) I prefer the Jordanville prayerbook. I prefer their English. The original J-ville prayerbook was translated by Fr. Lazarus Moore, an Englishman with more of a feel for liturgical English, I believe, then the translators at HTM. But it's a matter of taste and habit.

Thank you Mother.

I read the biography of St. Seraphim of Sarov written by Fr. Lazarus Moore. Father's monastic insights added deeply to this spiritual work. It was a blessing to read.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

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charbelkaleab
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Re: Best Prayer Book for True Orthodox

Post by charbelkaleab »

Yes, I use a prayer book I like it when they use wording used in the Bible.

Prayer does all and fixes all.

jgress
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Re: Best Prayer Book for True Orthodox

Post by jgress »

I agree that the old-fashioned language confers a certain dignity. Traditional Protestant and Catholic prayers also frequently use archaic English, just as Greeks typically use Koine, which is no longer spoken outside the Church, and Russians use Church Slavonic.

I still use the HTM prayer book, though my usual prayer rule just involves repeating the Jesus prayer on my komboschini. You'd best ask a True Orthodox priest which book is recommended, but I don't know of any specific problems with the HTM book, at least with the older editions (there appears to be some name-worshiping interpolations in their most recent edition of the Psalter, I think). I know the fathers at Holy Ascension Monastery at least used to use the HTM books, and they are affiliated with the GOC American Metropolis under Met Demetrius and definitely against name-worshiping.

One could argue that buying books from HTM now would support them in their schism, though you could make the same arguments for the Jordanville book, since they are now affiliated with ROCOR-MP. I don't know of any English prayer books specifically published by a recognized True Orthodox jurisdiction, so there may not be much choice.

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