Ancient Techniques for
Rejuvenating Your Prayer Life
Lent, 2011
Pohick Episcopal Church
The Reverend Donald D. Binder, PhD
Throughout the long history of Christianity, prayer has been an essential element of personal and corporate spirituality within the Church. Despite this, many Christians across the centuries, down to our present day, have struggled to find a meaningful prayer life. In response to these difficulties, numerous Church Fathers and Mothers have offered valuable insights about both the nature of prayer and the various forms that it can take. Over the five weeks of this course, this class will explore some of the most fruitful of these teachings. From this, it is hoped that participants will discover new and richer avenues of relating to God in their devotions.
Outline of Class Meetings
March 16 Introduction: Class Overview and the Nature of Prayer notes, hand-out
March 23 Ancient Eastern Prayer, Part I: Hesychasm, along with a Modern Twist notes, hand- out, Taizé Website, "Bless the Lord" Video
March 30 Ancient Eastern Prayer, Part II: Praying with Icons notes, hand-out, Icon Gallery
April 6 Ancient Western Prayer, Part I: Benedictine Prayer and the Lectio Divina notes, hand-out
April 13 Ancient Western Prayer, Part II: The Lectio Divina and the Four Temperaments notes, hand-out
Recommended Resources:
Edwards, Tilden. Living Simply Through the Day. New York: Paulist Press, 1977.
Edwards, Tilden. Living in the Presence. San Francisco: Harper One, 1995.
Forest, Jim. Praying with Icons. New York: Orbis, 1997.
Hall, Thelma. Too Deep for Words: Rediscovering Lectio Divina. New York: Paulist Press, 1988.
Maloney, George. Prayer of the Heart: The Contemplative Tradition of the Christian East. Notre Dame: Ava Maria Press, 2008.
Michael, Chester P. And Marie C. Norrisey. Prayer and Temperament. Charlottesville: The Open Door, 1991.
Taizé Community. Songs of Taizé. Book and CD. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2007.
All classes will be held in the Parish House Annex, 7:10 – 7:50 pm, following the Lenten Potluck. As part of their Lenten observance, students are encouraged to join in the concluding worship service held in the church at 8 pm.
