What Are We Doing When We Pray

Vincent Brümmer's classic book on prayer from 1984 provides a comprehensive philosophical analysis of central issues regarding the nature and practice of prayer. What do we do when we ask things of other people, when we thank them or praise them, when we express penitence for what we have done to them and ask their forgiveness? And how does doing these things in relation to God differ from when we do them in relation to other people? And what does this entail for the existence and nature of the God to whom we pray? This new edition has been substantially revised and updated. Three new chapters have been added which develop in detail a hint by G.K. Chesterton that faith 'is not a thing like a theory but a thing like a love affair.' Since prayer is the expression of this 'love affair' it is also the clue to understanding the nature of faith. These chapters contribute significantly to the current academic interest in spirituality by showing how Brümmer's analysis of prayer helps us to understand the nature of spirituality, of faith and religious belief, and of theology. Spirituality is not aimed at achieving religious 'experiences' or mystical 'knowledge' about God; it is primarily aimed at attaining the religious form of life and at coming to see the world in the light of faith. Religious belief is not merely a cognitive enterprise like science; it cannot be divorced from spirituality and the life of faith, and is therefore fundamentally existential and not merely intellectual. Serving as a valuable core text for students, this book also contributes to a number of current debates in theology and philosophy of religion: the debates on realism and religious belief, on the rationality of faith and the nature of theology, on the relation between religious belief and morality, on the relation between science and religion and the lively debate among evangelical Christians in America on the 'openness of God.'

Vincent Brümmer's classic book on prayer from 1984 provides a comprehensive philosophical analysis of central issues regarding the nature and practice of prayer.This new edition has been substantially revised and updated. Serving as a valuable core text for students, this book also contributes to a number of current debates in theology and philosophy of religion: the debates on realism and religious belief, on the rationality of faith and the nature of theology, on the relation between religious belief and morality, on the relation between science and religion and the lively debate among evangelical Christians in America on the 'openness of God.'

Beginning with his experiences as a prisoner of war, Moltmann anchors his reflections in a theology of life - and the Spirit as elemental renewer of life - which links biblical manifestations to contemporary ones, hope to holiness, creation to community, and politics to prayer. In the Spirit we embrace the presence of God, but we also embrace community with people and all living things.

Prayer is foundational to the Christian life, but many people don’t really understand it. What is it for? How does it work? Why do we do it? This short and accessible book explains what prayer is, why it exists, and how it can encourage us in our life of faith. Written by a pastor with years of teaching and counseling experience, Why We Pray doesn’t simply tell readers why they should pray, but instead focuses on four blessing-filled reasons that will help Christians want to pray. Rather than feeling discouraged and disheartened by their inconsistency in prayer, readers will feel reinvigorated to approach God with confidence and joy, delighted by the privilege of talking directly to their loving heavenly Father.

"[A] popular presentation of the relationship between personality and spirituality. The author relates the personalities of sixteen types of Myers-Briggs ..."--Page 4 of cover

A more abundant life is within your reach. Join Jess Connolly as she casts a fresh vision for how to break free of cheap grace and empty rule-keeping and change the world rather than be changed by it. Grace is always good news, but it's not cheap. True grace compels us to change, and that's where holiness comes in. Jess Connolly--beloved writer, speaker, business coach, coauthor of Wild and Free, and author of You Are the Girl for the Job--will be the first to admit that not long ago, like many women, she embraced God's grace, but found herself forgetting holiness altogether. Dance, Stand, Run charts Jess's discovery that holiness was never meant to be a shaming reminder of what we "should" do, but rather a profound privilege of becoming more like Christ. In Dance, Stand, Run, Jess shares the truth that changed her life and her faith forever: once we've gripped the grace that Jesus has given us by faith and planted our feet on his holy ground, we become ambassadors of life, hope, truth, and love. Jess will give you the encouragement you need to finally: Claim your identity as a holy daughter of God Live out your holy influence with confidence before a watching world Discover your true purpose Dance, Stand, Run is an invitation to God's daughters to step into the movements of abundant life: dancing in grace, standing firm in holiness, and running on mission.

"But...why?" It's the first and most fundamental question most children ask--and when it comes to worshipping our Father in Heaven, our answer couldn't be more important. Why Do We Worship? lays out God's plan for worship in the Scriptures and encourages even very young children to discover and practice worship in their lives.

If God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and entirely good, why do we need to ask God to do good things? Won't God act for the best regardless? Do our prayers even make a difference? Why do some go unanswered? This brief, accessible book provides a fresh angle on our questions to help us think differently about why we pray and what happens when we pray. John Peckham applies the insights from his successful book Theodicy of Love to the perennial problem of petitionary prayer, offering practical implications for how we might pray and live in ways that advance God's kingdom of unselfish love. Since our understanding of petitionary prayer is inseparable from our understanding of God, Peckham sheds significant light on the nature and character of God and the often-mysterious workings of divine providence. He does so by bringing theological and philosophical nuance to readings of key biblical texts on prayer, weaving in other scriptural clues to articulate an understanding of prayer that highlights not only its necessity but also its urgency. This book will appeal to students, pastors, church leaders, and thoughtful laypeople.