The author believes the study of ancient liturgical materials facilitates special insight. He discuses at length the understanding which lie in the structures and patterns of early collects and similar prayers, for preparing such prayers challenges us to draw on nearly the whole range of theological themes and motifs.
The author believes the study of ancient liturgical materials facilitates special insight. He discuses at length the understanding which lie in the structures and patterns of early collects and similar prayers, for preparing such prayers challenges us to draw on nearly the whole range of theological themes and motifs.
The author provides activities to help the reader you affirm and learn from the experiences of prayer. She explores what keeps us from responding when deep in our hearts we long to be in relationship with God. The encourages trying different forms of prayer.
The author sees prayer in multiple and unique forms, and its value from many different religious perspectives. In all cases, it works toward purposes we cannot predict or prescribe.
Prayer is archaic, anachronistic, against the grain of modern life, solitary and often heartbreaking, embarked on without the certainty of fruit. Prayer does not promise fame, money, and the love of beautiful people. It’s working with blind faith, stubborn hope, dumb love. But the more you pray the better you’ll be.
Bondi shares what she has learned about the practice of prayer from her study of Christian monks of ancient Egypt.
How to pray to the God of love and justice, who exists in everything but isn't supernaturally powerful. Praying that the source of love fill your heart and help you decide what path to take, can be very effective.
We’ve never had it so good, yet our civilization has managed to keep God at arm’s length. At the same time, we fear we have sold our birthrights. We are afraid and preoccupied. We know there is no way out of our dilemma that does not begin in prayer.
The author discusses three types of prayers: the prayers of Samuel, those of Mary, and a prayer sung by Elvis ("I want you, I need you, I love you with all my heart.").
We are not to give up cooperating with God’s redemptive power. With this understanding of providence and prayer, it makes sense to keep on trusting God’s limitless love.
(ENTIRE BOOK) Dr. Harkness discusses first the relation of prayer to the basic structures of Christian faith. The second section book deals with ways of praying and the third with the psychological and social aspects of prayer.
How does prayer work? To ask such a question is to plunge us into the murky waters not of physics but of metaphysics -- and no one has bothered much with that topic for years. Whether or not I can prove prayer’s effects, I said a prayer for "Nuckkerweener" anyway.
(ENTIRE BOOK) For moderns who find difficulty with prayer, prayer is defined as the intentional and attentive presence of God, the purpose being the of alignment of self, in desires and actions, with divine love who is our heavenly Father. It is to open ourselves to God, to link our little selves with God's divine will.
We must cooperate with God to bring about our healing. The Kingdom includes both social justice and bodily wholeness. Healing prayer is not an effort to change God’s mind, but our minds.
Christians need to be re-Christianized, to have their true identity in Christ made palapable. The sacraments embody this.
Smudging involves burning material like sage or cedar as an act of worship among many native Americans. Bans on smudging condone policies that, intentionally or not, foster racism.
We take food for granted, and generally neglect to regard it with the proper seriousness and reverence. The fast food factory liberates us to live in the jet age, but it does not teach us that food is holy. Fast food teaches us that food is fuel; consequently, we are much better at cursing food than at blessing it.
Insofar as prayer is rooted in our situation and in our sensibility, it is rooted not in our sense of God’s presence but in our sense of God’s absence. The greatest obstacle to prayer is that it is too often addressed not to the One whom Jesus called Abba but to ourselves or to an idol of our fantasy.
The author reviews six books on prayer.