by Pamela Gebauer

Pamela Gebauer is on staff at Christian Direction Inc. and serves on the editorial committee of Ecumenism. She is currently a doctoral student in theology and spirituality at St. Paul University, Ottawa.

Ce document est aussi disponible en français : Chemins de prière.

Prayer is one of the most basic practices found in the Christian tradition. It is mentioned in a description of the early Christian community contained in Acts 2:42 (They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer). The apostles' teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayer were the most fundamental characteristics of the early church. But what is prayer?

In its purest and most elemental form prayer is simply conversing with God. A conversation implies that the exchange is not a monologue but a dialogue. There is an expectation of response. In the Christian tradition prayer presupposes a relationship with God who is in Himself triune. As we catch a glimpse of the diversity present in the Godhead, we can begin to appreciate the tremendous diversity that has developed in the practice of prayer historically among the different Christian traditions and even within the traditions themselves.

In this issue we attempt to present but a few examples of the variety of approaches to prayer exhibited by different Christian traditions. Each author proposes a particular "pathway" in prayer that has emerged from a specific Christian tradition and, in some cases, has intersected with other Christian traditions. Gilles Bourdeau, using broad strokes in his article, gives us an overview and insight into the Roman Catholic tradition of prayer. He highlights the distinction of the role of incarnated prayer as demonstrated through the lives of the saints and more specifically through the influence of Francis of Assisi.

Daniel Pourchot opens to us the tradition emerging from Martin Luther and the churches of the Augsburg Confession since 1530. Some of the distinguishing features of the Lutheran tradition discussed include daily prayer, family prayer at meals and spontaneous prayer. The author traces the history behind these prayer practices which inaugurated the Protestant Reformation.

Father Ihor Kutash helps us to discover prayer in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. He seeks to articulate the aim of this prayer tradition - the achievement of full union with God. Donna Hunter shares with us a tradition of prayer that has emerged since 1927 - the World Day of Prayer. This practice of prayer is an example of a movement which is both world-wide and ecumenical.

Last, but not least, Charles Nienkirchen offers us his own personal and ecumenical experience of the conjunction between two different pathways in prayer. He recounts a specific incident from his own life involving the encounter of the conservative Protestant tradition and its practice of prayer with that of the older and rich tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church - West Meets East.

We express our heartfelt appreciation to each author for their contribution to our understanding of prayer. May their reflections lead us into the discovery of new pathways in prayer.