August 24, 1662 - Book of Common Prayer Instituted

Because the Church of England is the official church of Great Britain, the church is subject to the acts of the British Parliament. One of those acts is the Act of Uniformity, passed on May 19, 1662. The Act states that every minister in England may only use the official Book of Common Prayer, and on August 24, 1662, the deadline arrived for all ministers to consent or face imprisonment. Though it has been modified over the years, the Act remains in effect today.