Whenever They Prayed: Dimensions of New Testament Prayer

Rodney A. Werline's book "Prayer in the New Testament" explores New Testament prayer as a cultural practice, highlighting the authors' and communities' ability to navigate and maintain relationships with one another and their God through ritual practice. Jewish prayers outside the New Testament provide evidence of a grand cultural enterprise.

Format: Hardback
Length: 212 pages
Publication date: 11 October 2021
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Here is the rephrased text:
Rodney A. Werline revolutionizes the scholarly understanding of New Testament prayer by shifting the focus from source and genre analyses to viewing prayer as a cultural practice. This approach unveils fresh dimensions of the prayers, shedding light on their profound significance. Werline collaborates with ritual theorists like Catherine Bell, Pierre Bourdieu, Talal Assad, and Roy Rappaport to illuminate the genius of the New Testament authors and their communities. Through years of embodied practice, these individuals developed a unique ability—the capacity to navigate and sustain relationships with one another and with their God through ritual practice. Werline specifically highlights how their actions brought cultural memory to life, facilitated revelations, protected against demonic forces, and fulfilled their obligations to one another and to their divine Creator.

However, the full impact of these observations cannot be fully grasped without contextualizing the prayers within their Second Temple Jewish framework. Jewish prayers outside the New Testament should not be treated as mere "background," but as evidence of a grand cultural enterprise in which early church members actively participated. By understanding the prayers within this broader cultural context, we gain a deeper appreciation of their significance and the role they played in shaping the early Christian community.

Weight: 590g
Dimension: 227 x 163 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781978705586