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Creating a Life with God Revised Edition: The Call of Ancient Prayer Practices
Over the past four decades, author Daniel Wolpert has answered the question "What do you do for a living?" with "I am a student of the spiritual life." In the original foreword to Creating a Life with God , Wolpert was called a “Pray-er” — someone who knew how his life was altered and transformed by prayer and someone who accepted the invitation to join Jesus in prayer to tend the longing in his heart. Both statements are still true today. In the twenty years since this book was first released, Wolpert's work has inspired many to reflect on the life of prayer and what it means to be intentional about creating daily life with God. The longevity of the book speaks to a deep hunger for the practice of prayer and contemplation. Over the years, interest in spiritual life has grown stronger, both within the church and within popular culture. In the face of a world filled with chaos, uncertainty, and constant change, spiritual practices and prayer shape us into people who can provide healing, love, and compassion in response. The twelve prayer practices in this book will help you take your relationship with God to a new level Creating a Life with God invites you to join traveling companions like Julian of Norwich and Ignatius to help illuminate each of these prayer practices. This 20th Anniversary Edition includes two new chapters and two new Saint Brigit, who invites us to take a spiritual look at climate change, and Howard Thurman, noted pastor, author, and contemplative, who invites us to explore how spiritual practices inspire social transformation. These new chapters build on the original twelve prayer practices and ask how we can use the practice of prayer to engage a world in crisis. Alongside these traveling companions, you will discover how classical approaches to God can deepen your prayer life and help prepare you to engage the world as a fearless ambassador for God's goodness.
221 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2023
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11 people want to read
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October 16, 2024
Summary: Prayer practices for relationship with God, in silence and solitude, with mind and body, alone and in community.
When Daniel Wolpert is asked, “What do you do for a living?” he answers, “I am a student of the spiritual life.” This book represents forty years of study, twenty since the first edition of its publication. Originally written for leaders of youth ministries, the book serves as a wonderful introduction to a dozen prayer practices that have enriched the lives of Christians for centuries. Two new chapters address praying in an environmental apocalypse and how prayer may be socially transformative.
Each of the chapters begins with a “traveling companion,” a Christian individual or group closely identified with that practice. The companions range from the desert fathers and mothers and Saint Benedict through Saint Francis, the Beguines, and Howard Thurman. The chapters begin with an introduction to the history of the practice and proceed to practical instruction. An appendix offers further step by step instructions for each practice. Wolpert gives suggestions for use of the practice both individually and in groups.
Wolpert begins with a “gateway” practice of silence and solitude. Then he focuses on a series of “mental” practices: lectio divina, the Jesus prayer, apophatic prayer, the examen, creativity and prayer, and journaling. Next, he discusses bodily practices including body prayer and walking. For body prayer, he uses the example of Heloise and Abelard, offered as an example of negative views of the body. He commends breath prayer and body sculpture prayers where a scripture is read and a word focused upon that is then acted upon with a bodily pose.. Walking is very slow, deliberate walking with each step taken toward God. He also discusses the use of labyrinths.
The final chapters take prayer into the world. Wolpert explores praying in nature, prayer and our stuff, and prayer in community. I appreciated the way he addressed “climate anxiety,” which may apply to other anxieties of our age. Specifically, he encourages the prayer of asking and listening for what we may do. We needn’t expect that the answer will solve a crisis, but lead us to simply partner with God. Likewise, in praying for social transformation, he bids us to embrace the way of Jesus rather than “Christian religion” that has harmed many
This introduction to prayer practices is not “dumbed down” but reflects a “simplicity on the other side of complexity.” Wolpert emphasizes that we not attempt to teach what we have not practiced. It is evident that he has spent a life in these practices, informed by spiritual examples who have preceded him. There is something for those at every stage of the journey, because all of us are “creating a life with God,” or at least longing to.
____________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Speakeasy for review.
When Daniel Wolpert is asked, “What do you do for a living?” he answers, “I am a student of the spiritual life.” This book represents forty years of study, twenty since the first edition of its publication. Originally written for leaders of youth ministries, the book serves as a wonderful introduction to a dozen prayer practices that have enriched the lives of Christians for centuries. Two new chapters address praying in an environmental apocalypse and how prayer may be socially transformative.
Each of the chapters begins with a “traveling companion,” a Christian individual or group closely identified with that practice. The companions range from the desert fathers and mothers and Saint Benedict through Saint Francis, the Beguines, and Howard Thurman. The chapters begin with an introduction to the history of the practice and proceed to practical instruction. An appendix offers further step by step instructions for each practice. Wolpert gives suggestions for use of the practice both individually and in groups.
Wolpert begins with a “gateway” practice of silence and solitude. Then he focuses on a series of “mental” practices: lectio divina, the Jesus prayer, apophatic prayer, the examen, creativity and prayer, and journaling. Next, he discusses bodily practices including body prayer and walking. For body prayer, he uses the example of Heloise and Abelard, offered as an example of negative views of the body. He commends breath prayer and body sculpture prayers where a scripture is read and a word focused upon that is then acted upon with a bodily pose.. Walking is very slow, deliberate walking with each step taken toward God. He also discusses the use of labyrinths.
The final chapters take prayer into the world. Wolpert explores praying in nature, prayer and our stuff, and prayer in community. I appreciated the way he addressed “climate anxiety,” which may apply to other anxieties of our age. Specifically, he encourages the prayer of asking and listening for what we may do. We needn’t expect that the answer will solve a crisis, but lead us to simply partner with God. Likewise, in praying for social transformation, he bids us to embrace the way of Jesus rather than “Christian religion” that has harmed many
This introduction to prayer practices is not “dumbed down” but reflects a “simplicity on the other side of complexity.” Wolpert emphasizes that we not attempt to teach what we have not practiced. It is evident that he has spent a life in these practices, informed by spiritual examples who have preceded him. There is something for those at every stage of the journey, because all of us are “creating a life with God,” or at least longing to.
____________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Speakeasy for review.
May 22, 2024
Teach us to pray
One of Jesus’ disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray.” (Luke 4:1) Jesus responded with the familiar “Lord’s Prayer.” Prayer, of course, has always been a part of religious practice from Jesus’ day to the present. Over the centuries, Christians have developed many different practices for praying. Those many practices and their historical origins are the very point of Daniel Wolpert’s twentieth anniversary revised edition of Creating life with God; the call of the ancient prayer practice.
Early in the book, Wolpert defines the purpose for his book on prayer. “My hope for these new chapters…is to demonstrate how a life of daily prayer and practice is not something we pursue for individual satisfaction and peace….Its higher purpose is to shape us and prepare us to engage the world as fearless ambassadors for God’s goodness.” (p.22)
To accomplish that goal, he has dedicated chapters detailing twelve prayer practices that have been developed through time by many Christians. Many of them have monastic origins by groups or by individuals. For example, the practice of solitude and silence, Wolpert connects with the desert mothers and fathers. The practice of lectio divina comes from and an individual Saint Benedict.
Most of the practices described are mostly mental. For examples, the Jesus prayer, silent contemplation, and journaling are really mostly “in the head” practices. However, others are also physical, such as the body prayer, walking toward God, and praying with nature. Likewise, most practices are done for individual spiritual formation, although the author includes directions for using those practices in group settings.
Wolpert notes in introducing the last practice, a praying community, that historically most practices were tool to be used in a communal setting. The concept of prayer as an individual act is mostly western European and American approach. (p. 162) The author hope that the many and varied ways of praying may be a means of focusing the somewhat scattered, fragmented, and distrusted church in today’s world.
In the final two chapters, Wolpert focuses on the connection between social action and contemplation that is between the spiritual life and the active life. Too many Christians see these as different and unrelated parts of faith. However, they are connected, and the author rightfully and skillfully ends the book with chapters on prayer and climate change, as well as prayer and social action, the latter focusing on the black theologian Howard Thurman.
Creating life with God can teach us much about how to pray. In addition to the “Lord’s Prayer,” we have many practices to choose from thanks to Daniel Wolpert, who is, by the way, confounder of the Minnesota Institute of Contemplation (MICAH).
Let us pray.
Robert L. Otte
Librarian, LaGrave Avenue Church
Grand Rapids, MI
One of Jesus’ disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray.” (Luke 4:1) Jesus responded with the familiar “Lord’s Prayer.” Prayer, of course, has always been a part of religious practice from Jesus’ day to the present. Over the centuries, Christians have developed many different practices for praying. Those many practices and their historical origins are the very point of Daniel Wolpert’s twentieth anniversary revised edition of Creating life with God; the call of the ancient prayer practice.
Early in the book, Wolpert defines the purpose for his book on prayer. “My hope for these new chapters…is to demonstrate how a life of daily prayer and practice is not something we pursue for individual satisfaction and peace….Its higher purpose is to shape us and prepare us to engage the world as fearless ambassadors for God’s goodness.” (p.22)
To accomplish that goal, he has dedicated chapters detailing twelve prayer practices that have been developed through time by many Christians. Many of them have monastic origins by groups or by individuals. For example, the practice of solitude and silence, Wolpert connects with the desert mothers and fathers. The practice of lectio divina comes from and an individual Saint Benedict.
Most of the practices described are mostly mental. For examples, the Jesus prayer, silent contemplation, and journaling are really mostly “in the head” practices. However, others are also physical, such as the body prayer, walking toward God, and praying with nature. Likewise, most practices are done for individual spiritual formation, although the author includes directions for using those practices in group settings.
Wolpert notes in introducing the last practice, a praying community, that historically most practices were tool to be used in a communal setting. The concept of prayer as an individual act is mostly western European and American approach. (p. 162) The author hope that the many and varied ways of praying may be a means of focusing the somewhat scattered, fragmented, and distrusted church in today’s world.
In the final two chapters, Wolpert focuses on the connection between social action and contemplation that is between the spiritual life and the active life. Too many Christians see these as different and unrelated parts of faith. However, they are connected, and the author rightfully and skillfully ends the book with chapters on prayer and climate change, as well as prayer and social action, the latter focusing on the black theologian Howard Thurman.
Creating life with God can teach us much about how to pray. In addition to the “Lord’s Prayer,” we have many practices to choose from thanks to Daniel Wolpert, who is, by the way, confounder of the Minnesota Institute of Contemplation (MICAH).
Let us pray.
Robert L. Otte
Librarian, LaGrave Avenue Church
Grand Rapids, MI
May 31, 2024
this is a small book, but each practice makes you curious to learn more. I like that the book is broken into three parts: Spirit. Mind, Body, and that the author pushes us to consider prayer as a "whole life" practice, that includes our bodies and our whole lives. Finally, at the end he pushes to a concept of contemplation that includes action.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews