From the UPC Library, 2014, REV. 2016 RECOMMENDED READING LIST ON PRAYER
From Timothy Keller’s selected annotated bibliography in his book Prayer: experiencing awe and intimacy with God, 2014 248.3 Keller
Edwards, Jonathan. “Personal Narrative” and “A Divine and Supernatural Light.” In The Works of Jonathan Edwards. 230.58 EDW These two pieces by Edwards are complementary: one a personal account of spiritual experience; the other is a biblical-philosophical account of how spiritual experience works. Reading the two in combination could be life-changing, or at least should be prayer-life-changing.
Grenz, Stanley. Prayer: The Cry for the Kingdom. 2005. 248.32 GRENZThe nature of Christian prayer. The background to the Christian concept of prayer ; Prayer and the life of Jesus ; Prayer in the New Testament church; Christian prayer and the church of all ages ; How petitionary prayer works; Prayer and modern psychology; Prayer and Christian theology; What praying according to God's will means; The characteristics of the petitioner; How to pray according to God's will; The general pattern; Praying in situations of Christian concern ; Praying for the sick; Praying specifically; Persisting in prayer
Hallesby, Ole. Prayer, Augsburg Fortress, 1975. 248.32 HALThis little classic takes a troubleshooting approach to the subject of prayer. Rather than outlining the theology of prayer or laying out practical steps to take in praying, Hallesby takes a pastoral path, responding to a series of complaints and difficulties people have about prayer. Perhaps for this reason, the discussion sometimes feels theologically thin or speculative. Nevertheless, the overall effect of the book is to reassure strugglers that Jesus is with them and to encourage endurance.
Hansen, Gary Neil. Kneeling with giants: learning to pray with history's best teachers. 248.3 HANSEN 2012 Praying with St. Benedict: the divine office; Martin Luther: the Lord's prayer; Praying with the pilgrim: the Jesus prayer; John Calvin: studious meditation on the Psalms; Ignatius of Loyola: the prayer of the senses; St. Teresa of Avila: recollection of the presence of God; Puritans: meditation in writing; Praying with the cloud of unknowing: contemplation in the dark; Agnes Sanford: the healing light; Andrew Murray: the ministry of intercession benediction.
Henry, Matthew. A Method for Prayer: Freedom in the Face of God. 242 HENRY 1994 In this unique book Henry mines the Scripture for hundreds of actual prayers and then organizes and classifies them as subheadings under the larger headings of praise, confession, petition, thanksgiving, intercession, and concluding our prayers. It provides scores of ideas on how we can go about adoring, confessing, thanking and petitioning God. All you have to do is personalize the headings with your own issues and conditions. I have found that you can easily spend an entire day in prayer with this guide and help.
Lamott, Anne. Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essentials of Prayer. 242.4 LAMOTT 2012 An invitation to people unsure of belief in God to begin reaching out to him. If understood in this way, Lamott’s book is a disarming invitation to the doubter to pray, but that can only at best serve as a provisional first step. Telling someone to pray and not worry about who God is or what we believe about him cannot serve as a sustaining operating principle of prayer, because you cannot grow in a relationship with a person unless you learn who he or she is. TK
Murray, Andrew. With Christ in the School of Prayer. 248.32 MUR Similar to his work in Abide in Christ, Pastor Andrew Murray uses 31 chapters in With Christ in the School of Prayer to help readers learn how to change their lives and their relationships with Jesus Christ through the power of prayer. Ideal for readers whose patience or faith has been tried, this guidebook teaches Christians not only how to connect with their Lord, but the true reasons it’s important to do so.
Nouwen, Henri. With Open Hands. 242 NOU With Open Hands, Henri Nouwen's first book on spirituality and a treasured introduction to prayer, has been a perennial favorite for over thirty years because it gently encourages an open, trusting stance toward God and offers insight to the components of prayer: silence, acceptance, hope, compassion, and prophetic criticism. Provocative questions invite reflection and self-awareness, while simple and beautiful prayers provide comfort, peace, and reassurance.
Packer, J.I. and Carolyn Nystrom. Praying: Finding Our Way through Duty to Delight. IVP. 2009. 248.32 PAC This book is based on a series of talks, so it is sometimes rambling and repetitious, but overall, it is the best single popular-level treatment on prayer. This covers all the bases and directly invites, exhorts, and urges us into the life of prayer.
“Learning to Pray: The Lord’s Prayer.” In Growing in Christ. Crossway 2007. 230 PACKER 1994 Packer’s exposition of the Lord’s Prayer is perhaps the most accessible and concise contemporary one available.
Peterson, Eugene H. Answering God: The Psalms as Tools for Prayer. Harper and Row, 1989. 223.2 PET This is the best book on how to use the Psalms in prayer. It also includes along the way a very strong theology of prayer. Peterson is a champion of connecting prayer closely to the Bible both theologically and practically.
Books on Contemplative Spirituality in the UPC Library
Bourgeault, Cynthia. Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening. 248.3 BOURGEA 2004 Singing the Psalms How to Chant in the Christian Contemplative Tradition. Cd 782 BOU
Casey, Michael. Toward God: the ancient wisdom of Western prayer. 248.3 CASEY 1996
Gallagher, Timothy. Meditation and Contemplation : an Ignatian guide to praying with Scripture. 248.3 GALLAGH 2008
Merton, Thomas. Contemplative Prayer. 1971. 248.3 MER
O’Connor, Flannery. A Prayer Journal. 282.092 2014