The Recovery of the Goods of Marriage in the American Books of Common Prayer

A remarkable achievement of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer is its recovery of the three interrelated goods of marriage. This article sets forth, first, the manner in which the goods were described in the English Books from 1549 to 1662, and then the history of their absence and the character of their reemergence in the American Books. The issue is of importance beyond Anglicanism, given the vast cultural significance of the Book of Common Prayer, particularly in its marriage rite. Although this article prescinds from more recent controversies, both advocates and opponents of gender-neutral marriage rites should find this history of interest.