Christian Prayers Ancient and New
.
a selection from Eastern and Western traditions

> Prayers from the New Testament and early church sources
> Prayers from late 5th through 9th centuries
> Prayers from the 2nd Millenium period

Introduction by Don Schwager

What is Christian prayer? It is first and foremost a response to God’s revelation of  himself, his love and truth, which has been given to us through his Son Jesus Christ. A key aspect of prayer is its relationship with the Word of God in Scripture. Isidore of Seville, a church father from the 7th century wrote:  

"Anyone who wants to be always united to God must pray often and read the Bible often. For in prayer it is we who are speaking to God, but in the readings it is God speaking to us." 

"Prayer is either a sheer illusion or a personal contact between embryonic, incomplete persons (ourselves) and the utterly concrete Person. Prayer in the sense of petition, asking for things, is a small part of it; confession and penitence are its threshold, adoration its sanctuary, the presence and vision and enjoyment of God its bread and wine. In it God shows himself to us. That he answers prayers is a corollary – not necessarily the most important one – from that revelation. What he does is learned from what he is."

The following sampling of prayers are taken from a variety of Christian traditions, both East and West. They  have been recorded and handed down through the centuries, and used by Christians in personal as well as corporate prayer with other Christians.   

> Prayers from the New Testament and early church sources
> Prayers from late 5th through 9th centuries
> Prayers from the 2nd Millenium period