Prayer

Prayer and its Significance

Prayer is a way of communicating with God. Christians pray to God because they believe in a personal God who is interested in them and is continuously guiding and supporting them. There are many different kinds of prayer and Christians believe it is important to communicate with God for many different reasons.

Feel God's presence

Some Christians seek to feel the presence of God in their lives.
They believe this can give them strength to continue to do God’s will.

Asking for God's help

Many prayers are prayers of entreaty, asking God for his help in times of need.
- This is based on the Christian belief that God is an all-loving Father who wants the best for his children.

Worship and gratitude

Some forms of prayer are expressions of worship and gratitude to God.
- These prayers are said because of the Christian belief in God as the all-powerful creator because an all-powerful God can answer prayers.

Examples of Kinds of Christian Prayer

There are many different kinds of Christian prayer and they are conducted in different ways:

Meditation

Meditation is a form of prayer that is conducted in silence.
- The person praying focuses on God in their minds and tries to be more aware of God’s presence.

Asking for help

Prayers that ask for God’s help can be both personal and public.
- Some individuals pray to God when they face a very difficult situation, such as in times of illness, and ask God for help.
- When Christians come together for liturgical services there is often a form of ‘bidding prayers’ in which the congregation prays to God for the needs of the world.

Expressing praise

Some prayers express praise, such as ‘The Canticle of the Creatures’ by St Francis of Assisi, which praises God for the wonders of creation.
- ‘Be praised, my Lord, through all Your creatures, and especially through our Lord and brother the Sun, who brings the day, and through whom you give us light.’ [St Francis of Assisi, Canticle of the Creatures]

Expressing gratitude

Prayers before meals often are designed to express gratitude to God for the food and good things God has given.

The Lord's Prayer

When the apostles asked Jesus how to pray he taught them the Lord’s Prayer.
- This prayer is often used by Christians both in personal prayer and in public prayers such as the Eucharist.
- The prayer combines praise of God (hallowed - or holy - be your name) and asking for God’s help (forgive us our sins).

1Buddhism

2Christianity

2.1Key Beliefs

2.1.1The Nature of God

2.1.2The Problem of Evil

2.1.3Monotheism

2.1.4Creation

2.1.5Bible Accounts of Creation

2.1.6The Trinity and Creation

2.1.7Afterlife

2.1.8Heaven and Hell

2.1.9The Influence of Afterlife on Life

2.1.10End of Topic Test - Christianity Key Beliefs

2.1.11Exam-Style Questions - Christian Beliefs

2.2Jesus Christ & Salvation

2.2.1The Incarnation

2.2.2Jesus - Divine & Human

2.2.3The Crucifixion

2.2.4Jesus' Betrayal

2.2.5Resurrection & Ascension

2.2.6Sin

2.2.7Original Sin

2.2.8Punishment

2.2.9The Means of Salvation

2.2.10Achieving Salvation

2.2.11Disagreements About Salvation

2.2.12The Role of Christ in Salvation

2.2.13Theories of Salvation

2.2.14End of Topic Test - Jesus Christ & Salvation

2.3Worship & Festivals

2.3.1Different Forms of Worship

2.3.2Prayer

2.3.3Sacrament

2.3.4Baptism

2.3.5Other Sacraments

2.3.6Eucharist

2.3.7Pilgrimage & Celebrations

2.3.8Christmas & Easter

2.3.9End of Topic Test - Worship and Festivals

2.4Community

2.4.1Local Community

2.4.2Mission, Evangelism & Church Growth

2.4.3Worldwide Church

2.4.4Reconciliation

2.4.5Persecution

2.4.6Caring for Those in Need

2.4.7End of Topic Test - Community

2.4.8Exam-Style Questions - Christian Practices

3Catholicism (Christianity)

4Islam

5Judaism

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