Yes And
March 21, 2004
We’ve spent the last three weeks talking about prayer, covering topics such as Scriptural evidence that supports prayer, and my personal experience with three types of prayer. Today we are going to continue with how we pray and what different typologies of prayer are. Many of you have been sharing with me how things have agreed or not agreed with your own experiences of prayer. Today, I hope that we’ll all leave saying yes and. Yes, I pray that way, and yes I pray that way, and all ways to pray are acceptable unto you oh God!
Probably the most significant work on the phenomenology of prayer was done by Friedrich Heiler. This work was done toward the end of World War I. Heiler was a Catholic who converted to Lutheranism and taught history of religion at the University of Marburg, a Protestant university in Germany. He makes the logical case that prayer takes different forms depending on the kind of religion or spirituality in which it is found. He sees six types of prayer: primitive, ritual, Greek cultural, philosophical, mystical and prophetic.
1. Primitive prayer is associated with primitive man. God is a higher being or beings who hears and answers the requests of humans, though not generally understood as all-powerful or all-holy. These prayers are born out of fear and need, the request is frequently for deliverance from misfortune and danger. Example: The Israelites holding the Golden Calf requesting things of the statue.
2. Ritual prayer is from a more advanced civilization. Prayer becomes a form, a litany, a repetition believed to have a magical effect. Example: If I repeat this saying three times I will have a boy child…
3. Greek religion holds prayer as a purified form of primitive prayer. The Greeks offered petitions focused on moral values instead of just rudimentary needs. Example: Asking the Gods for enlightment based on sound mind and body…(Good Olympic example!)
4. Philosophical prayer is reflective on the meaning of life. Philosophical prayer also defers to one’s presence within the divine order of the universe. At best, philosophical prayer includes thanksgivings for the blessings of life. This is common today, why me, why here, why now? At best it’s thanks for this place, this time, this lesson.
5. Mystical prayer is one of the highest forms of prayer according to Heiler. Mysticism aims at union with God. The primitive god is transformed into a God that transcends personality, being best described as the Absolute, the infinite Abyss, or the infinite ground and depth of all being. Mystic prayer elevates the mind to God. Revelation becomes an internal illumination instead of an intervention of God in history. Mystics often speak of a ladder of prayer, and petition is considered the lowest stage. In essence, the Ladder is composed of 30 steps or rungs, each representing different vices and virtues encountered in the course of one's ascent to spiritual perfection. Beginning with the " renunciation of the World" (i.e., renunciation of passions and earthly attachments), it guides one along the steps of " Obedience," " Repentance, .... Remembrance of Wrongs," " Gluttony," " Vain glory," - to the higher stages which are the acquisition of " Meekness," " Discernment, .... Holy Stillness," until one attains to perfect love and union with God. Each step contains various short instructions often illustrated by examples from the lives of saints and desert fathers.
The Ladder is particularly suited to Great Lent. Even today it is traditionally read in monasteries during the Lenten services. It is not, of course, within our feeble spiritual abilities to ascend the full scale of this divine ladder, but we should at least persuade ourselves to make a firm beginning.
The highest form of prayer is contemplation, which often culminates in ecstasy. Ecstasy is a standing outside of oneself, a suspension of normal physical functioning, and a direct intuition of God. More contemporary understandings of ecstasy include Paul Tillich’s concepts of understanding of the subjective side of revelation…our being is shocked because it senses its limitation of existence through death but that shock is overcome with the elevating sense of the divine presence.
6. Prophetic prayer is the other highest form of prayer and it’s based on need and love. It is a spontaneous outburst of emotion. It involves importunity, begging and even complaining. Heiler places the biblical prophets and apostles here and also the reformers especially Luther and the Puritans. This is Amos’ “Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an everflowing stream.” Moses’ “What if they don’t believe me? I can’t speak well!” Luther’s “I’m a dirty lowdown swine, how can I possibly receive your grace?”
Since World War I we have seen a contemporary phenomenon of prayer known as Secular Spirituality. This is a sort of worldly-mysticism which focuses on immersion in the world. Liberation theologian Luis Segundo, for example, defines prayer as reflection on and openness to what God is doing in history. Dorothy Soelle speaks of political prayer which is oriented toward praxis rather than adoration or petition.
Prayer in the Christian sense does not deny the mystical dimension of prayer. But, neither does it accept the idea of a higher stage in prayer where petition is left behind. The progression of prayer as seen in the spiritual life is from the prayer of rote to the prayer of the heart.
Meditation and Contemplation both have a role in Christian prayer. However, not as higher stages of prayer but as supplements to prayer. The focus of our meditation is a greater attachment to God and to our fellow human beings.
Silence also has a role in prayer. Silence is used to prepare ourselves to hear the Word. But once again, it’s not meaningful prayer until you have meaningful communication with the living God. So silence alone is not enough. It is the quiet space where you clear room for conversation with God, the centering and focus of oneself to participate in the dialogue. It is not the end result.
Some people pray in a dark room, alone, in private. Some people pray with others in the middle of the day. Some pray with arms outstretched. Others pray solely within. Some cry, other shout, we give thanks, we demand. There are as many types, times, vehicles of prayer as we are diverse within the body. The key is the communication with that being beyond ourselves. And, I hope after today, perhaps we might all try a different type of prayer. If you are interested and feel ready to share prayer with others, I’m interested in starting a prayer group. This group will meet monthly and pray for the prayer concerns of each other, our community of faith, our community of Tucson, our world. It will be a confidential prayer group. We will explore different forms of prayer, different types of prayer, different attitudes of prayer. If you are interested please see me.
Next week, I’m going to open the sermon up for a dialogue sermon. Let’s dialogue about why you pray, how you pray, what your experiences with prayer have been. You’ve heard a lot from me in the past month, now I’d like us to be more interactive. What is prayer like for you, how do you experience it. Why is it meaningful for you? So bring your questions, experiences, traditions, and stories. AMEN.