Practices in ChristianityPrayer

Prayer is how Christians communicate with God. Many Christians believe that it is through prayer that God’s grace and guidance are given. Christians think of prayer as two-way communication that gives comfort, as God is listening and may send messages back.

Why do Christians pray?

The mnemonicACTS and I can be used to remember five key themes in Christian prayer:

• Adoration – Praising God, eg “Dear God, I know that you are all-loving…”
• Confession – Saying sorry, eg “Please forgive me for the horrible things I have said about…”
• Thanksgiving – Thanking God, eg “Thank you for the amazing weather this week…”
• Supplication – Asking for God’s grace to help with something, eg “Give me strength to…”
• Intercession – Praying for someone who is ill, eg “Please remember my cousin, who is ill, and help them to heal after their operation.”

Praying in the spirit

Many Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is active when they pray. In the Bible, St Paul encourages the early Christians to ‘pray in the Spirit’. He writes: Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests (Ephesians 6:18)

Chants and meditational prayer

Chanting is the practice of rhythmic shouting, singing or repeating words out loud. There is a long tradition of chanting in Christianity, and chants are performed both with others and privately. Many communities of monks and nuns perform ancient chants, and new ones are often composed and used in Christian worship today. For instance, the Taizé community in France practises worship and prayer through chanting. Many Christians believe that chanting helps a worshipper to concentrate and experience God.

Some Christians practise meditational prayer. In this type of prayer, a worshipper thinks deeply about God, on their own and in silence. Some Christians, including Quakers, meditate together – they sit in silence or may be inspired to speak by God. A Christian who practises meditational prayer may use an object or a passage from the Bible to focus their meditation.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen. (Luke 11:2–14)

The Lord’s Prayer is the most widely known prayer in Christianity. It contains all four themes of ACTS.

The Lord’s Prayer is said across most denominations and forms part of most liturgical worship services worldwide. Some Christians also say the prayer privately. Doing this is important for many Christians because, according to the Gospel of Matthew, before teaching his followers the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus instructed them not to show off about praying publicly. Instead, he said you should go to your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what you have done in secret, will reward you (Matthew 6:6). Some Christians try to ensure that they say the Lord’s Prayer every day.