Prayer: A Radical Response to Life

by Matthew Fox

Here is a new edition of one of Matthew Fox's most powerful early books, another in a series of the classic works by the maverick priest and theologian being reissued by Tarcher/Putnam. Prayer was written by Fox when he was a radical young priest fresh from the experience of the sixties and Vatican II. Originally published in 1972, it is one of the first works to herald the revolution of liberal theology that was just beginning to sweep the nation. Originally published under the title On Becoming a Musical, Mystical Spirituality American Style , the book now has a more accessible title and appearance and is as vital today as when it first appeared.

Genres: Spirituality, Christianity, Prayer

192 pages, Paperback

First published June 4, 2001

About the author

Timothy James "Matthew " Fox is an American priest and theologian. Formerly a member of the Dominican Order within the Catholic Church, he became a member of the Episcopal Church following his expulsion from the order in 1993.
Fox has written 35 books that have been translated into 68 languages and have sold millions of copies and by the mid-1990s had attracted a "huge and diverse following"

Reviews

[Justin Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really lively language and approach to prayer and life that I found refreshing and eye-opening. It takes a bit of know-how with spiritual judeo-christian jargon, folkways and God-talk to follow and understand, but Fox is a fine writer and I am inspired by the gifts of the book.
Some things stood out for me, principally Fox's exploration, paraphrasing and re-appraisal of key terminology e.g. problems vs. mysteries, mysticism, rootedness and uprooting, prophecy, radical, and not least 'prayer' itself - which is the radical response to life of the title. Even the previous title 'On becoming a musical mystical bear,' which obviously has an 'alternate' ring to it, makes sense after reading the way Fox defines prayer and action as a sort of deep-diving into the nitty gritty of one's life and humanity, its subconscious almost, where power, freedom and creativity in the self can be expressed through the symbol of a musical mystical bear. It's very poetic, in fact Fox talks about creativity and the arts as avenues to a prayerful way of living. His writing style is a melding of an earthy confessional and high theological concepts, mixing heaven and earth if you like, which I feel lucky to be able to decipher, appreciate and respond to. My response to Fox as a writer is like a student to a very compassionate and passionate teacher - he is inspired and inspiring, sometimes a little whacky, but always coming from a place of absolute determination grounded in a vision of truth and connection. (p.s. somewhere in there a good unpacking of 'talking' to God)

[Craig Bergland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can you analyze prayer to death? If anyone can, Fox can. Once again his penchant for loving the sound of his own voice (a common issue with preachers of every sort, even me) makes this book sluggish in the second half. The first half is worth the effort, however!

[Galina Krasskova · Rating 1 out of 5]

populist trash. the author dismisses monasticism, contemplative life, and mysticism, defining the latter as one's capacity for enjoyment, replacing the Mystery of his religious tradition with poorly articulated social justice rhetoric, which he terms 'radical'. his religion has less to do with his God and the transcendent mystery of the incarnation and everything to do with human social issues. His initial discussion on prayer was interesting and somewhat thought provoking but where he takes this had very little to do with religion. He's so afraid of the inherent hierarchy of divine engagement and the possibility that someone somewhere might consider this elitism or be unable to achieve the same state of prayer that he dismisses the very fundamental building blocks of his faith. His extremely leftist political persuasion definitely shines through.

[V K · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very thought-provoking, like most of Matthew Fox's work. Viewing prayer as a radical seems a bit strange, but you just might after reading this book. It will certainly make you wonder about what this idea of prayer actually means to you. This book is not for the religious-minded, but it will be of interest to those with either a personal or intellectual interest in spirituality.