Praying with the Church: Following Jesus Daily, Hourly, Today

by Scot McKnight

Scot McKnight, best-selling author of The Jesus Creed , invites readers to get closer to the heart of Jesus' message by discovering the ancient rhythms of daily prayer at the heart of the early church. "This is the old path of praying as Jesus prayed," McKnight explains, "and in that path, we learn to pray along with the entire Church and not just by ourselves as individuals." Praying with the Church is written for all Christians who desire to know more about the ancient devotional traditions of the Christian faith, and to become involved in their renaissance today.

With his trademark style of getting right to the heart of theological concepts through practical, witty, and memorable examples from everyday life, Scot invites readers to explore: How Jesus prayed, How the Psalms teach us to pray, How Orthodox Christians pray, How Roman Catholics pray, How Anglicans pray, How The Divine Hours of Phyllis Tickle teaches us to pray, And, how praying with the church is an essential part of spiritual formation.
For more information on Phyllis Tickle's Divine Hours

Genres: Prayer, Theology, Spirituality, Christian, Nonfiction, Faith, Religion

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Scot McKnight is a recognized authority on the New Testament, early Christianity, and the historical Jesus. McKnight, author or editor of forty books, is the Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary in Lombard, IL. Dr. McKnight has given interviews on radios across the nation, has appeared on television, and is regularly speaks at local churches, conferences, colleges, and seminaries in the USA and abroad. Dr. McKnight obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Nottingham (1986).

Reviews

[booklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our community Formator asked me to be Formator for our Aspirants next year. Although I did not realize it, it was the challenge I have been praying for and gives direction and purpose to my Spiritual Life which has been lacking ever since I made my Final Promise.

Trusting the Holy Spirit within to direct my formation in order to help others, I began searching for books which would broaden my background and understanding of praying the Divine Office, something I have done off and on, poorly or well, for six years now. This is one of the books I found and it was divinely the perfect first book to read as well as an excellent resource to return to again and again as basic reference for all things concerning daily and hourly formal prayer to God.

Although Scot McKnight comes from a low-church Protestant background he fully embraces all available Christian prayer opportunities with an open mind and heart as well as our Jewish heritage. It was a joy to read this book and consistently encounter his positive responses to the all-too-familiar argument/criticisms you hear from all sides (Protestant-Catholic-Orthodox) against the prayer methods of each other. He deftly sets them aside reminding us that benefits far outweigh any concern.

A very upbeat book. Repetitive, but then it isn't necessary to read this as one does a novel. Rather, skim it for the main ideas. Extremely helpful.

[Callie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An introduction to fixed hour prayer, and praying WITH the church, for beginners. The prayer traditions of the Orthodox, Catholic, and Anglican churches are described, along w/a brief introduction to Phyllis Tickle's "The Divine Hours" which can be found here:
http://www.explorefaith.org/prayer/pr...

This book is a very practical manual on getting started. Especially for those in the low church tradition who grew up thinking that spontaneous prayers were the only ones of value; praying as Jesus did, using the Psalms, is a valuable practice too.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

McKnight does a great job of exposing us Protestants to the idea of fixed hour prayer—not simply as a “mildly interesting topic”—but as a perceptive invitation to new depth for a people who has rejected and forgotten a central life-giving Christian practice.

I rate it 5 stars, not because it is a “brilliant read”, but rather because the message is one I feel myself and my brothers & sisters from the Protestant stream of the Church need to digest and step into if we are going to grow deeper and more rooted and grounded in love.

[Jacob Aitken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you want your prayers to gain new power and freedom in extemporaneity? Learn to pray with the church. Scot McKnight offers a relatively simple structure to guide your prayers. Regardless of your denominational tradition, there is something for you in this view. Will this create “vain repetition?” I don’t see why it has to. If you want to listen to vain repetition, listen to most extempore prayers. Count how many times you hear “Father, God, Lord” in a short prayer.

McKnight’s suggestion to pray something like “the hours” or the daily office might cause some Protestants to bristle. I understand why. On the other hand, doing something like that engages the body, forces the mind to be quiet, and establishes natural rhythms for prayer. You don’t even have to pray the same hours (and unless you live in a monastery, you won’t be able to). Find a natural break in the day and pray then.

If you are struggling to get in prayer time during the day, and if when you pray extemporaneously at night and you don’t feel anything happening, then maybe the hours can help.

He then surveys the prayer books of the different traditions, none of which I find either perfect or equally accessible. I know it sounds like the Baskin Robbins approach, but that might be the best way to start.

[Maggie Griffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommend for anyone interested in learning how the Church can pray together, not just as individuals. He walks you through the importance and historical context of liturgical prayers then offers in depth explanations of the prayer books for the 3 sects of Christianity.

[Spencer Falk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read, provides a lot of good info on the different streams of prayer practices. McKnight also creates the foundation for beginning a more structured prayer life approachable for the apprehensive evangelical.

[Michael Philliber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prayer. Sounds like a harmless enough word. People pray in all sorts of ways, whether in gasps of ejaculated cries for help in a crisis, or in planned "quiet time" moments, or in coordinated settings of congregational worship. Yet, in my years of being a pastor, I find that probably most Christians struggle with how to pray, how to generate enough energy, tenacity and creativity to sustain a "prayer life". In my experience part of the problem comes with the notion that all of my prayers need to be of my own crafting. I, personally, have only so much in the area of creative juices, and then I run dry. One remedial question to ask is, do I have to always concoct my own prayers for them to be real? Scot McKnight, professor of New Testament at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, resoundingly says "No!" in his 176 page paperback titled, "Praying with the Church: Following Jesus Daily, Hourly, Today." McKnight builds a case that makes a nice distinction between "praying in the church" (personal, extemporaneous prayers prayed whenever) and "praying with the church" (crafted, traditional prayers from prayer books, prayed at set times). This simple read is for layperson and pastor alike.

In the first segment of "Praying with the Church" McKnight explains his distinction, and pulls together biblical precedent for using the Church's prayers and doing so at the set times traditionally used during daily prayer. The author claims that as we do this we "are joining hands and hearts with millions of other Christians to say the same thing at the same time. By doing this, we are creating in our lives a sacred rhythm of prayer" (2). In this way we are interacting in one aspect of communal spiritual formation where we "are formed together as we learn to pray together" (38). There are times to pray spontaneously, offering petitions for things close to home and for people close to the heart. Then there are appropriate times to implore God's care and mercy, using prayers that remind us that we are involved in the Church of Jesus Christ world over. McKnight's point is well taken. In a narcissistic nation of personal selfies and private subjectivity, daily rising up to pray with and for the Church can be a medicinal tonic that fuels praying with new freshness. This is, in my mind, the best and most helpful part of the book.

The second segment of "Praying with the Church" is more a biographical tale of McKnight's employment of various prayer books; the Orthodox "Manual of Eastern Orthodox Prayers," the Roman Catholic "Liturgy of the Hours," the Anglican "Book of Common Prayer," and Phyllis Tickle's "The Divine Hours". Most of each individual chapter is an explanation as to the use of a specific prayer book, and a forewarning of things a reader might find hard to swallow. Yet throughout, the author reminds his readers why taking this adventure may propel them further up and further on. Though this portion of the book will give some readers fodder to feed on and courage to "dabble" in new things, nevertheless others will be disappointed. I imagine that in the end the Orthodox will "harumph" and write that chapter off as not Orthodox enough; that the Roman Catholic will shake their heads in dissatisfaction and dismiss that chapter as not Catholic enough; and that the Anglicans will smile, nod their heads knowingly and discount that chapter as not Anglican enough. The only person who may well be excited and cheer with glee will be Phyllis Tickle, who likely appreciates the extra coverage her books receive and the free advertisement.

All said, "Praying with the Church" has subtle, soothing strengths and disappointing, dissatisfying drawbacks. Those who may benefit the most from this little tool will be just about anyone who finds their prayers stilted and stumbling and who long to pray anew, both in the Church and with the Church. Pick up a copy and take it out for a spin.

[Derek Winterburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

McKnight is seeking to commend the practice of prayer through the day - not so much 'private' prayer but prayer in recognition that others are praying the office elsewhere 'Praying with the Church'.

The first half of the book is the most insightful reflecting on Jesus's own way of praying. McKnight's conclusion is to follow Jesus by using the 'Summary of the Law' and the Lord's Prayer three times a day.

The second half of the book runs in a different direction and really is an extended review of a. The Jesus Prayer b. Catholic Offices c. The Anglican Book of Common Prayer and d Phyllis Tickle's Divine Hours. His practice seems to be to rotate between them for a season.

There are elements of repetition in the book (was it originally a series of lectures?) which are grating but generally it is well written with personal warmth.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like author McKnight, I grew up in a church that didn’t “pray other people’s prayers”. It was not until we spent a couple of years attending an Anglican church in the UK that I became more familiar with fixed prayers. I began to see the value of adding prewritten prayers to my practice of spontaneous prayer. Praying with the Church is an excellent guide to the different prayer books that are available and gives good advice on how to add them to your prayer life.

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exactly what I've been looking for. I'm a low-church worship leader looking to integrate something of the liturgical calendar into my life and that of my church, and this was an excellent introduction from a wise Bible scholar coming from the same point of view. Like Evelyn Underhill, he is wonderfully generous concerning all branches of church traditions, and like me, he's coming from a much less ritualised church culture. This has got me excited about prayer in the same way as when I read "Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire" by Jim Cymbala.

[Booklass Garrahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite spiritual (Christian) books. It's packed with information. I didn't agree with all conclusions, and it seems more Protestant directed, but still excellent. It's obvious the author is limited on their knowledge of Orthodox Christianity, or at least our prayer books. We have many with many varied prayers. Still, I found a lot to think about with this book. It's also very interesting.

[F.C. Shultz]

A really great introduction to the rich tradition of the church praying together. I’m into it. I ordered one of the books McKnight recommends, and I’m working on a little prayer book me and my friends can use.

Also, I love McKnight’s easy conversational tone. It fits this type of book well. Definitely recommend.

[Marissa]

I did not finish this one because I lost it lol. By the time I found it, my class had finished reading it. If I wasn’t already reading 12 other book, I’d finish it, but I just don’t have the time right now.

This is a super helpful book for anyone from an evangelical background that is curious about liturgical communal prayers.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good primer for marking time through prayer. Good into to various prayer books. The best part: side bar comments about people's experiences with prayer, liturgical seasons, prayer books, and marking sacred time.

[Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like a lot of similar titles, I read this in bits and pieces over several months. Overall I quite liked it. A nice little primer on a wide wealth of liturgical traditions. It helped me to better understand and reshape my own prayer life during a difficult stretch of time.

[Ralph Cann · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great introduction to the use and value of liturgical prayers. Easy to read and compelling.

[Jonathan]

An extremely formative book for me. I'd give it five stars for its impact on me, but I wouldnt call it a five star must read.

[Mason Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never seen the words basilica and portiuncola so many times in my life

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scott McKnight has done it again! The man is just a stud. One of the best books on prayer itself that I have read in a long time. Not everybody will dig this book but it had to be on this blog because…well, just because….IT ROCKS! The church I grew up in emphasized spontaneous, primarily private prayer. And while that certainly has its place and benefit…it misses out on a long, rich tradition of the historical church. That is, set prayers at set hours of the day. He sets up his argument that set prayers at set times has been around since the Old Testament. Psalm 55 says, “But I call upon God, and the LORD will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he will hear my voice.” Daniel in the book of Daniel chapter 6 states that he got down on his knees three times a day to pray to God. Jesus, being a good first century Jew would have joined with the nation of Israel in prayers to God at set times. A document, called the Didache, which was an early manual on Christian life from around the turn of the first century (after the time of Jesus), said that Christ-followers prayed the Lord’s Prayer three times a day.

He sets out giving us a typical Jewish prayer day and then says, based on what Jesus taught, what Christ-followers prayer day might look like. Then he moves into how Orthodox Christians pray and the prayer books they use, how Roman Catholics pray and the prayer books they use, and how Anglicans pray and the books they use. Finally he talks about a great prayer book for beginners to use who are new to this type of praying - the Divine Hours by Phyllis Tickle.

This is a wonderfully insightful book. That challenged me page after page. I have incorporated set prayers and set times into my daily praying and it is pretty neat for a number of reasons. First, it does keep me focused quite a bit better than just spontaneously praying. Second, for the most part, I am praying Scripture. Third, many of these prayers are rooted in ancient history (the scriptural prayers and the non-scriptural prayers). Fourth, I get to pray prayers from several different traditions (Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican). Which, fifth, and finally, is the main thrust of McKnight’s book - it keeps me praying with the church. Knowing that at approximately the same time people all across the world are praying these same prayers and that we are praising God and honoring Him together. Praying with the church. And because of this praying the church universal is being formed for the good of the world. Daily set prayers. A sacred rhythm that has a long rich tradition. And I am glad that I get to be a part of it now.

[Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beginning with a study of the prayer habits of Jesus, McKnight moves into an overview of several major prayer traditions within the church. In addition to our personal, spontaneous prayers in the church, McKnight argues that Christians should learn to pray with the church – through liturgical prayer traditions. McKnight explores the traditions of Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism, and the ecumenical Book of Hours. Overall, good points, but watered-down, over-simplified. B-

[Krista · Rating 2 out of 5]

McKnight explores the prayer traditions of historical Christianity including Eastern Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, Catholicism, and the prayers of Jesus Himself. Actually, "explores" is too much -- it actually seemed to be a brief overview, and was a little too simplistic for me. Still, it was a nice introduction into the traditions born in the past, and how they can enrich and inform the prayer lives of Christians today.

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Scot McKnight take us through his impressions of the Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican and Modern prayer books, encouraging the reader to expand his/her prayer life from spontaneous prayers, to praying 'with the church' following written prayers and joining centuries and cultures worldwide in their worship. Some practical suggestions in the conclusion, but overall is was very basic and just so-so. (It was a free book and a quick read).

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good intro to fixed-hour prayer in the three major Christian traditions a la Robert Webber. This is the first book I've read of McKnight after reading his blog for a couple of years and dialoging with him through email. He's got a really good ecumenical perspective that boils seemingly diverse traditions down to common ground based on precedent in the Bible.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A protestant apologetic for the use of prayer books and fixed-hour prayers in our devotional life. McKnight explores how Jesus prayed according to Jewish prayer traditions and grounds his argument in the fact that Jesus himself followed prayer rhythms. He then gives an overview of prayer books in the Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican tradition as well as the ecumenical Divine Hours.

[James Mcgowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting overview of the Divine Office for Christians of many different denominations, especially Orthodox, Catholic and Anglican. The author sees the use of the Divine Office as a way of "praying with the church" and using the different prayer books of all churches is a sure-fire way of doing so.

[Rick Lee Lee James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Prayer Resource

No matter what tradition you come from I believe you will find this book a helpful manual on how to pray and how to deepen your prayer life. Wonderful, wonderful resource.

[Makeesha Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic quick read for anyone who feels their prayer life is lacking. Protestants esp. will benefit from a fresh view on set hour praying and praying others' prayers.

[M.G. Bianco · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book makes some compelling arguments for the hour of prayers, good book.

[Scott Wieking]

Eye opening. Refreshing. Gives the Christ-follower a way forward in prayer that was formerly closed off to him/her.