The General Thanksgiving, a prominent prayer in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, is an extended expression of gratitude to God for His manifold mercies and is positioned at the end of both Morning and Evening Prayer services. It was composed by Bishop Edward Reynolds of Norwich and first introduced into the 1662 edition in response to Puritan requests for more prayers of thanksgiving, particularly following the 1596 private prayer of Queen Elizabeth I, which contained the phrase “most humble and hearty thanks”. The prayer is described as “general” because it comprehensively acknowledges God’s gifts, including creation, preservation, the blessings of life, redemption through Jesus Christ, the means of grace, and the hope of glory.
The prayer begins with a humble acknowledgment of human unworthiness before God, who is recognized as the “Father of all mercies”. It calls for heartfelt thanksgiving, emphasizing that gratitude should not be merely verbal but should manifest in daily life through service to God and living in holiness and righteousness. The petition within the prayer asks for a deep, felt awareness of God’s mercies so that hearts may be truly thankful, enabling praise to be shown not only with lips but in actions. The prayer concludes with a trinitarian doxology, affirming glory to God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, forever.
The General Thanksgiving was included in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer as a response to the perceived lack of thanksgiving prayers in earlier editions, and it has since become a cherished element of Anglican liturgy. It was later adopted in the American Book of Common Prayer of 1789, where its use was required at every Daily Office, though it became optional in 1892 except on Sundays when the Litany or Eucharist did not follow immediately. The prayer remains a central feature in the 1979 American edition and is used in various forms across the Anglican Communion. Its enduring presence reflects its theological depth and poetic beauty, making it a fitting conclusion to the daily offices and a model for Christian thanksgiving.
