Queen Elizabeth’s funeral liturgy reflects ‘straightforward’ faith

The mourning and ceremony that has followed the death of Queen Elizabeth II has culminated in a traditional Christian funeral service rooted in the Book of Common Prayer.

British PM Liz Truss makes a reading at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral. Picture: Getty Images

The mourning and ceremony that has followed the Queen’s death has culminated in a traditional Christian service rooted in the Book of Common Prayer, in keeping with the monarch’s wish that her funeral be short and uplifting.

The rites performed in the Church of England ceremony ­derive from the Order of the ­Burial of the Dead from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, with the Queen having selected her favourite psalms and gospel readings for the liturgy.

Following the singing of the Sentences, as the Queen’s coffin proceeded through Westminster Abbey, the hour-long service included many of the hallmarks of the traditional Anglican funeral, including St Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians and a reading from the Gospel of St John.

It is understood the Queen ­requested a short and concise ­liturgy that would not be “boring”, according to a former Church of England archbishop, with the late monarch wanting people to feel uplifted by the Christian service.

Former Perth archbishop and theologian Peter Carnley said the funeral followed the format of a traditional Anglican funeral that is available to any member of the church, reflecting the Queen’s “straightforward” and “uncomplicated” form of Christianity.

“At a funeral service there are a selection of Lessons that you can choose – and which the Queen herself has selected – and in the opening Lesson from St Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians she has chosen a classic statement of Christian belief about the centrality of the resurrection,” he said.

“The Queen was known to have been a person of strong Christian faith, so this is a simple statement that reflects her faith in the resurrection of Christ.”

The Second Lesson, selected from the Gospel of St John, is also another cornerstone of the Christian funeral service.

“The Queen’s Christianity is said to have been fairly uncomplicated and straightforward. And this is a fairly uncomplicated and straightforward selection of readings and hymns, which seems to be reflective of her faith and attitude towards religion,” Mr Carnley said.