The Lords Prayer In The Early Church

The Lord’s Prayer is one of the oldest and most widely used short summaries not only of how Christians pray but of what they believe about God, the world, and humankind. Justo González, whose textbooks have taught Christian doctrine and history to thousands of pastors, draws on scripture, the Church Fathers, and his own life experience to make this vital prayer from the Christian past comprehensible for readers who want to understand—and live—Christianity in the present. Teach Us to Pray is for all who are learning or practicing Christian discipleship and ministry, from college students and motivated laypeople to veteran pastors and teachers.

The Lord s Prayer is arguably the most important prayer in Christianity. Still, exactly how the prayer developed in the life of the early church has remained hidden in ancient manuscripts. Hammerling s thorough and ground-breaking examination of these works reveals that early authors enthusiastically expounded upon its power and mystery, claiming that the prayer uttered by Christ belonged at the core of Christian ritual and beliefs. Many early church writers labeled it a "perfect summary of the gospel" and joyously referred to it as a pearl of great price and worth.

Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts was first published in 1908. It contains a selection of prayers, arranged chronologically, and collected from many old books of prayers and devotional materials. Chapters include; New Testament Prayers (Simeon, Mary, Jesus, Stephen, Paul, Peter); Other First Century Prayers (Clement of Rome, Clementine Liturgy, Syrian Clementine Liturgy); Second Century Prayers (Polycarp, Ignatius, Liturgy of St. James, Barnabas, Clement of Alexandria, Irenaeus); Third Century Prayers (Old Gallican Sacramentary, Liturgy of St. Mark, Eastern Church Liturgy, Eastern Church Vespers); Fourth Century Prayers (Coptic Liturgy of St. Cyril, Ambrose, Nerses of Clajes, Gallican Sacramentary, Armenian Liturgy, Basil, Chrysostom, Augustine, Apostolic Constitutions); and, Fifth Century Prayers (Liturgy of the Nestorians, Ancient Collect, Leonine Sacramentary, Gelasian Sacramentary, Liturgy of the Blessed Apostles).

"This work presents the early interpretive history of the Lord's Prayer. It not only surveys what it meant to Jesus and the early Christians, but also seeks to address the question of why the understanding of the Lord's Prayer changes. Biblical texts invite--even urge--new interpretations. The meaning of the Lord's Prayer is to be found not just in its "original sense," but in the history of its meaning"--

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that the Our Father ?is truly the summary of the whole Gospel? (no. 2761). Catholics pray the Lord's Prayer whenever they worship at Mass and say the Rosary, and other Christians pray it frequently as well. Join Scott Hahn (accompanied by St. Cyprian, St. John Chrysostom, and St. Augustine) as he unlocks the riches of the Lord's Prayer.

"An in-depth examination of the Lord's Prayer guided by the writings of the Church Fathers"--

'In liturgical study, and especially in English liturgical study, the subject of the daily office has always been something of the poor relation', writes the author in his preface. This volume aims to do something to fill that gap. It begins with a detailed examination of the Jewish background and of the practice of daily prayer in the first three centuries of the Church, and goes on to trace the evolution of the divine office in both its monastic and secular forms in East and West down to the time of St. Benedict. Intended as a replacement for The Influence of the Synagogue upon the Divine Office by C. W. Dugmore (Alcuin Club Collection No. 45), it not only incorporates the results of recent research by continental scholars and others but also challenges traditional assumptions at a number of important points, offering a fresh interpretation of the evidence.

'In liturgical study, and especially in English liturgical study, the subject of the daily office has always been something of the poor relation', writes the author in his preface. This volume aims to do something to fill that gap. It begins with a detailed examination of the Jewish background and of the practice of daily prayer in the first three centuries of the Church, and goes on to trace the evolution of the divine office in both its monastic and secular forms in East and West down to the time of St. Benedict. Intended as a replacement forThe Influence of the Synagogue upon the Divine Officeby C. W. Dugmore (Alcuin Club Collection No. 45), it not only incorporates the results of recent research by continental scholars and others but also challenges traditional assumptions at a number of important points, offering a fresh interpretation of the evidence.

Overview The early church leaders were prolific in their writing and historical documentation. While some of this work has been canonized, much has been forgotten. The Text and Studies: Contributions to Biblical and Patristic Literature collection resurrects these documents in a renewed and focused study, attempting to glean the wisdom and insight of the ancients. These volumes dig deep into apocryphal literature with critical analyses, close readings, and examinations of the original manuscripts.