This book investigates the historical origins and the structural evolution of the Divine Office within the early Christian tradition. Paul F. Bradshaw, a scholar of liturgical history, utilizes primary source documents and historical analysis to trace how daily prayer practices transitioned from their Jewish roots into the distinct cathedral and monastic forms of the early Church. The text provides a rigorous examination of the liturgical shifts that occurred across the first several centuries of the Christian era.

Experts and scholars of liturgy frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the historical development of Christian prayer. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which is intended for students and researchers of early church history.