A short but richly pragmatic approach to prayer.
Rowlett (Praying Together, 2002, etc.), a retired Methodist minister and author of four previous books about Christian devotion, offers a helpful, concise guide to prayer.
This book is written not only for readers who want to include prayer in the fabric of their lives, but also for study groups, and as such, it can provide a useful prayer framework. The author distinguishes between “primitive” concepts that locate the divine “out there somewhere” and her concept of a Christian God who knows the secrets of the human heart. “The heart has been described as the location of God’s presence,” Rowlett writes. “Perhaps because it has been thought of as the source of life, the core of a person’s being.” In a simple, clear and straightforward style, this brief book sets out precise prayer methodologies that can be used for many different circumstances and challenges in life. Each chapter focuses on a different type of prayer, and the author explores these approaches in some depth, enriching her discussion of prayer’s practical uses. The book then provides a series of prayer prompts that readers may use according to their own personal needs. Rowlett develops a careful methodology—a Benedictine way of using reading, reflection, response and contemplation to develop an active, engaged prayer practice. Although the author often provides examples of prayers from her Methodist background, she also draws from other sources, including the late German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Rick Warren, the conservative pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif. She also continually reflects on the challenges that contemporary Christian practitioners face in developing and nurturing prayer. “Careful listening is a challenge in the twenty-first century,” Rowlett writes, and she underscores the necessity of paying close attention to one’s inner counsel when establishing a regular prayer practice.
A short but richly pragmatic approach to prayer.Pub Date: June 26, 2013
ISBN: 978-1449795153
Page Count: 148
Publisher: Westbow Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 10, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
