In The Episcopal Church, the 1979 Book of Common Prayer is often viewed as having many of the most radical prayer book changes. But did you know that the 1928 Book of Common Prayer actually had an incredibly radical change itself?
The 1928 BCP was developed post-World War I. Many people had died, and Episcopalians wanted some reassurance for the dead. Thus the designers of the 1928 BCP added prayers for the dead in the Prayer of the People.
Since the English Reformation, Prayer Books had not included prayers for the dead. Such prayers seemed to closer to the medieval prayers for souls in Purgatory. There were many thinkers at the time that believed Purgatory was the place where we go after we die to work off our sins, and if you prayed for your family members in purgatory, it would take time off for how long they need to work off their sins before entering Heaven.
Protestant thinkers found this idea repugnant because we receive salvation through Grace, a free gift from God. Grace means that we didn't work for God's gift. God gave us grace, even though we did nothing to deserve it. The Reformers did everything they could to stamp out the idea of Purgatory, so they completely dropped the prayers for the dead.
But the Reformers went a little too far. Though I would personally agree with them about Purgatory, we do need to pray for the dead. We need the reminder that the dead are not dead, but are reborn in the power of God's Grace through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The dead are not done with their journey, but just beginning it, and they still continue to serve God as members of the communion of saints.
It is helpful for us to remember that the dead are still part of our community, even though they are no longer with us in this life. Far from being a bad thing, praying for the dead is a helpful thing, for ourselves and those no longer with us in this life.