Augustine on Prayer

by Thomas Hand

An excellent summary of the great African Bishop's teaching on prayer in the life of Christians.

Fr. Thomas A. Hand, O.S.A. Prayer is a subject that is of vital interest to Christians of all ages. We are constantly asking questions such as: What is prayer? Why should we pray? For what and for whom should we pray? How should we pray? In this easy-to-read volume, Father Hand has provided answers to these and many other questions from the thought of a Master of prayer, St. Augustine of Hippo. The author has collected over 500 Augustinian texts about prayer and has woven them into a little summa about how to improve one's prayer life.

Genres: Prayer, Theology, Spirituality

144 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1986

Reviews

[Daniel Kleven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is profoundly good. It is a seamless compendium of Augustine quotes, woven seamlessly together into a coherent whole. It's hard, at times, to tell where Augustine ends and Hand begins.

Hand's knowledge of Augustine's works is nigh exhaustive, and he pulls not only from the Confessions, or the Trinity, or Christian Doctrine, but from letters, sermons, and extensively from Augustine's work on the Psalms. The work is organized into categories surrounding prayer: "Prayer in Man's Quest for Happiness; Love and Prayer are Gifts from God; Why We should Pray; For What and for Whom We Should Pray; How We Should Pray; The Lord's Prayer; The Prayer of the Church."

In some ways, this is a mini-"Theology of Augustine" with Prayer as the integrating theme.

I read this devotionally, and I intend to read it again.

[Tom Shemanski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so much less superficial than I thought a book on payer could be. My attitude toward prayer is a lot different than it was before I read this.

[Dylan Kochan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!

[Joel Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

slow reading, but some good stuff in here.