The Oxford Book of Prayer (Oxford Books of Prose) (Paperback)

~ the late George Appleton (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Review

'A greatly welcomed book of gloriously rich spirituality.' Avril Bottoms, Methodist Recorder

'Any Oxford Book is in itself a recommendation, and this one is no exception. This is a book to dip into and enjoy.' Dominic Baldwin, Southern Cross

'this collection of prayers has become a classic, to be found on the shelves of almost every member of the clergy ... many are deeply personal and beautifully suited to those moments when we simply need help in expressing the thoughts of our hearts' Andrew Cain, The Door --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

Under the expert guidance of the late Bishop George Appleton a selection of prayers has been made spanning many centuries. It includes Christian prayers from the Bible and from the saints and mystics of the past, as well as prayers from Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Iranian, Shinto, Classical Greek and Latin, native American, and Baha'i religions, and also contemporary prayers from different parts of the world. The cooperation of many advisers has ensured that the choice of prayers is ecumenical in the widest sense of the word. The prayers are arranged under headings such as "Prayers from the Scriptures", "Prayers of Christians, personal and occasional", "Prayers of the Church", and "Prayers from other traditions of faith", but there is also a subject index to guide the user to prayers for particular occasions, and an index of authors and sources. The book may thus be used for browsing or for more structured prayer, for private meditation or for public worship.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (December 12, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192803743
• ISBN-13: 978-0192803740
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #860,387 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An admirably capacious anthology, April 15, 2001

By	ceolnoth40 "ceolnoth40" (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Oxford Book of Prayer (Oxford paperbacks) (Paperback)

This reviewer was dithering between the 4- and 5-star ratings, and decided to err on the side of generosity. The Anglican bishop George Appleton was himself generous in compiling this book of prayers, taken largely from the Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox traditions.

If you're a Roman Catholic, you will find in the Oxford Book of Prayer examples of liturgical language that are lovelier than any of the passages you have heard at a post-conciliar Mass. For the Anglicans, there is Hooker and Traherne and Herbert of the earlier centuries, and Eric Milner-White, John Baillie, and Appleton himself for the twentieth century. Orthodoxy is very well represented, with Eucharistic prayers, with anthems and hymns for vespers and mattins at various points in the liturgical year.

There is Cardinal Langton's immortal "Veni Sancte Spiritus" in both Latin and English. There are a few poems, or snippets of poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins. There are canticles by Alcuin of York, and prayers of Ghanaian fishermen, in happy juxtaposition. There is a litany to the Holy Spirit (prayer no. 672) used by the ecumenical Taize community in France.

There is a moderately sized section of prayers from "other traditions of faith," from Jewish to Taoist, Muslim to Baha'i, a gracious but not overly concessive tribute to religious pluralism (a prayer-book consisting solely of Christian prayers would perhaps be seen as triumphalistic), but there, some beauty and genuine feeling for the transcendent is often to be found.

As there are more than eleven hundred prayers in this admirably capacious anthology, any review of a few paragraphs is bound to fail in its attempt to convey the temper and the flavour of the book. Let us therefore take one prayer at not-quite-random, no. 588, from the Syrian Orthodox Church:

"Open to us, Lord, your great door; O Fountain of all mercy, hear our prayer and save our souls. Shine upon me, Lord, and I shall be light like the day; I will sing your praise in light while I marvel; may the morning awaken me to the praise of your Godhead and I will pursue the study of your word all the day long. With the day may your light shine on our thoughts and may it drive away the shadows of error from our souls. The creation is full of light, give light also to our hearts that they may praise you with the day and the night."

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Never Be Without the Words to Say, November 3, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Oxford Book of Prayer (Oxford paperbacks) (Paperback)

This is an excellent reference guide for famous sayings that often come out of prayers. But, more importantly, there is a great tradition of Christians who have prayed. Calvin, St. Francis of Assisi, Teresa of Avila all led lives of prayer. This book creates a place to read the prayers of common people and theologians. Some of them viewed God very differently then is our current conception. Read them, pray them, browse them, leave with a deeper understanding.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Resource, May 12, 2000

By	Jonathan Bennett (Ohio, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Oxford Book of Prayer (Oxford paperbacks) (Paperback)

George Appleton has put together a wonderful devotional resource. The book is divided into six sections. Section one has prayers of adoration, which are addressed to God. Section two consists of prayers from the Bible (Old and New Testaments) including those by the Psalmists, Jesus, Paul, and many others. The third section has prayers of other Christians including such themes as devotion, suffering, protection, etc. Section four has the prayers of the Church. This part is comprised of prayers relating to the creeds, the sacraments, the communion of saints, the Paschal and Christmas cycles, plus much more. Section five is called "Prayer of Listening" because it contains readings from Scripture where God addresses humankind (hence "listening"). The fifth section has prayers from a variety of other religions, including Judaism, Buddhism, Greco-Roman civilization, and primitive nature religions. This section is small compared to the Christian part and this book is primarily a Christian resource. Finally, there are prayers for the unity of humankind. Many famous Christian authors are included, ranging from the early church until the modern day. With over 1100 prayers, there is bound to be one for every occasion in a person's life. I highly recommend this book.