At the time of its publication, Daniel L. Migliore was serving as the Arthur M. Adams Professor of Systematic Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary. Migliore is widely known for his influential work Faith Seeking Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Theology and for his theological contributions in the areas of systematic theology, Karl Barth studies, Trinitarian theology, and Christology. By the time of his retirement in 2009, he held the title of Charles Hodge Professor of Systematic Theology at Princeton.
Perspectives for Reclaiming Christian Prayer
Originally released in 1993 by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, The Lord’s Prayer: Perspectives for Reclaiming Christian Prayer brings together eight substantial essays exploring the Lord’s Prayer from a range of theological perspectives. The contributors represent a diverse academic community, including Samuel E. Balentine, Professor of Old Testament at Baptist Theological Seminary; Karlfried Froehlich, Benjamin B. Warfield Professor Emeritus of Ecclesiastical History at Princeton Theological Seminary; and Jan Milíč Lochman, Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of Basel, among others. The volume also includes a thoughtful preface, a helpful bibliography, and biographical notes on each contributor.
Reading as Research: Exploring the Lord’s Prayer Anew
I approached this book as part of my ongoing doctoral research on the Lord’s Prayer in the Doctor of Ministry program at Kairos University. My work explores the prayer Jesus taught in Matthew 6:9–13 as both a theological and practical framework for spiritual formation and communal discipleship. Grounded in the teachings of Jesus, my research seeks to uncover the prayer’s meaning, theological depth, and structural significance—paying particular attention to its Jewish roots and its reception within the early church. My doctoral project, The Way of Life: The Lord’s Prayer as a Path and Framework, involves developing a curriculum and a publishable dissertation that integrates biblical scholarship, historical theology, and practical ministry application. The diverse theological voices represented in The Lord’s Prayer: Perspectives for Reclaiming Christian Prayer make it a resource that demands attention. You can learn more about me and this journey here. It remains a significant volume found on the shelves of many key collections and bibliographies dedicated to the Lord’s Prayer.
Diverse Perspectives for Reclaiming Christian Prayer
The topics in this collection of theological reflections on the Lord’s Prayer are as diverse as the contributors themselves. Jan Milíč Lochman opens with “The Lord’s Prayer in Our Time,” setting the stage for contemporary engagement with this ancient prayer. Samuel E. Balentine explores its Old Testament roots, drawing connections to the prayers, laments, and psalms of Israel’s worship. I especially appreciated James H. Charlesworth’s study of Jewish prayers in the time of Jesus, which provides valuable historical and spiritual context. Karlfried Froehlich offers a holistic and insightful examination of The Lord’s Prayer in Patristic Literature, tracing how early church fathers understood and practiced it. Other essays consider the prayer through the lens of the Reformers—particularly Luther and Calvin—as well as its implications for pastoral ministry, ethics, and the lived experience of Christian faith today.
Fresh Interpretation for Every Age
In the Preface, Migliore sets the stage with some helpful comments on the Lord’s Prayer and the need for further exploration of it. He remarks, “the Lord’s Prayer invites and requires fresh interpretation in every age” (Migliore 1993, 1). Each era has needed to make the Lord’s Prayer its own, understanding its implications in its time—and it is no different now. As Migliore notes, “The church of our time brings its own special experiences and struggles to this interpretive task” (Migliore 1993, 1). This is at the heart of my research and development of a curriculum as well, to discover the richness of this prayer in our modern times.
I also appreciate Migliore’s reflections on the communal nature of this prayer, calling it a we prayer—“a prayer that we utter as members of the people of God rather than as isolated individuals… Not a trace of individualism is evident in this prayer. There is no search for personal salvation apart from the renewal of the life of the whole creation. The Lord’s Prayer is thus a prayer not of individualistic piety but of solidarity in suffering and hope with the entire groaning of creation” (Migliore 1993, 1–2). The power of this prayer is that it “roots us” in a people (we/us), with particular priorities, and with an awareness of the renewal needed in the place we are praying it.
Additionally, Migliore reminds us that this is not a prayer that drives us into lives of apathy and passivity, but rather into lives of action. It is a prayer that transforms us for the sake of the world around us—a prayer that reminds us of God’s character, purposes, Kingdom, and ways that long to break into this world. It awakens us, even as we pray, to the places in this world that are not yet aligned with the ways of the Kingdom. Migliore remarks that any “prayer modeled after the Lord’s Prayer is the ever-new beginning of our participation in the work of God in the world” (Migliore 1993, 2). As our lives are realigned to the priorities of God’s heart and the reign of the Kingdom, we find ourselves catapulted out as ambassadors into the shadows of the world around us with a renewed hope and authority gained through surrender and confession.
Reflections on Key Essays
During my reading, I especially appreciated several essays:
“The Lord’s Prayer in Our Time: Praying and Drumming” by Jan Milíč Lochman helps us see this as a prayer of resistance. “Prayer is at the heart of Christian faith, but that heart does not beat for itself. It is the source, the beginning of a life of discipleship concerned about the ‘disorder of the world,’ and ready to rise up to struggle with it” (Lochman 1993, 19).
“Enthroned on the Praises and Laments of Israel” by Samuel E. Balentine highlights “the linkage between the form of Jesus’ model prayer and the genre of Jewish statutory prayer,” which is evident in the Scriptures and Jewish writings. “Both follow a basic pattern of praise plus petition. While there are important differences between Jesus’ prayer and synagogue prayer, with respect to form, the Lord’s Prayer appears to be modeled on its Jewish antecedent” (Balentine 1993, 27).
“Jewish Prayers in the Time of Jesus” by James H. Charlesworth reminds us that “to study early Jewish prayer is to become involved in the daily lives of the Jews. Prayer was not an accessory; it was the fabric of existence” (Charlesworth 1993, 52). The Lord’s Prayer borrows from some of the best prayers still prayed in the first century. Jesus intentionally weaves for us a prayer of profound meaning and theological depth that expands upon and deepens earlier understandings of prayer.
“The Lord’s Prayer in Patristic Literature” by Karlfried Froehlich offers a historical survey of this prayer through the writings of the Church Fathers. Froehlich gives us a rich look at how the church has interpreted these petitions in varied and meaningful ways throughout history.
Finally, Elsie Anne McKee’s “John Calvin’s Teaching on the Lord’s Prayer” presents Calvin’s perspective. Though I am neither a Calvinist nor an overwhelming fan of Calvin, I can’t help but acknowledge his lasting contributions—both good and challenging—to many aspects of theology today. McKee captures how Calvin’s unique interpretations of the Lord’s Prayer continue to shape theological reflection even now.
Perspectives for Reclaiming Christian Prayer: Why This Book Still Matters
This is a good read, one that will live on my shelf for some time to come. There are few collections that bring together such diverse authors and concepts to help us reflect on and unpack the richness of the Lord’s Prayer. You don’t have to be a theologian to appreciate it, and despite its age (1993), it remains a timeless exploration that invites us to wrestle anew with the prayer’s many layers, depths, and meanings.
