In Constant Prayer (The Ancient Practices) (Hardcover)

by Robert Benson (Author), Phyllis Tickle (Editor)
Key Phrases: office with great care, pray the office, very prayer, Brother Roger, Christ Himself, Christmas Eve (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
What does it mean to pray without ceasing? Is it really that important to pray as the early Christians did?

Released concurrently with Brian McLaren's series introduction, Robert Benson's In Constant Prayer explores the ancient practice of fixed-hour prayer, a structure for our lives where we can live in continuous awareness of God's presence and reality. This classic discipline of praying at fixed times during the day and night has transformed the lives of millions around the world. Learn what the apostle Paul meant when he encouraged the Thessalonian church to "pray without ceasing, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

The Ancient Practices is a new eight-book series from Thomas Nelson Publishers, with staggered releases on individual titles through February 2010. Though various books have covered some of these spiritual disciplines, there has never been an attempt at a definitive series until now. Immensely compelling and readable, each classic book will feature a foreword by Phyllis Tickle.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (May 6, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0849901138
• ISBN-13: 978-0849901133
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #282,769 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gently prayerful introduction to liturgical prayer, October 16, 2008

By	Sister Anne "nunblogger" (C H I C A G O) - See all my reviews

This is an introduction to the whole concept of what we Catholics call the Liturgy of the Hours. Benson was brought up in the Nazarene tradition (he's now Episcopalian) and writes for a non-Catholic readership, but I suspect that many Catholics could profit from this beautifully written presentation. (It helps that Benson is a poet.)
Benson noted in an early chapter that on his morning drive to the store to pick up the papers he reads daily (hey, writers have to read!), he would pass several houses of worship. At that early hour, between 6:30 and 7:00 each morning, he noticed that the parking lots were busy as worshipers streamed back to their cars and went off to work. They were beginning the day with prayer as a community. He also noted that the houses of worship were: a mosque, a synagogue, and a Catholic Church. The churches of his own tradition were not the sites of such daily activity. But many Protestants are beginning to adopt the ancient prayer that Catholics and Orthodox Christians inherited from Judaism. And many Catholics are learning how to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, or are joining in morning prayer in their parish before daily Mass.
It never was supposed to be just for monks, deacons and priests: we are all supposed to be participating in the prayer that the Body of Christ (that would be us) offers to the Father. Believe it or not, for about a thousand years, everyone was expected to come to Church daily for morning prayer: it was part of being a believer! That started getting lost at the time of the Renaissance; the Reformation finished the job in many places. (I recall from reading that at least in Italy in the late 1800's, parishioners were expected on Sundays to attend not just the Mass, but also Evening Prayer in their local Church.)
Benson's book comes some years after he published a kind of introductory version of "fixed-hour" prayerbook. It offered first steps in what the ancient monks (and also Vatican II) spoke of as sanctifying the whole day. His book, and a similar one by Phyllis Tickle, enjoyed a really good distribution. What I think we are beginning to see in these years is a rediscovery of the value of what is called by many names: the Divine Office, the Breviary, Lauds and Vespers, fixed-time prayer. It would be an important renewal in Christian living: we seem to be one of the first generations of Christians who do not typically recollect ourselves two, three or the biblical seven times a day in prayer--not the "gimme" kind of prayer, but the prayer of simple praise. And in the Liturgy of the Hours, that praise does not have to depend on one's feelings of exaltation or gladness: the words of praise and thanks have been given to us right in the book of Psalms, which the Hours use as the primary prayer book.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly Life Changing, May 16, 2008

By	Diane Noble (Southern California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I "inhaled" IN CONSTANT PRAYER my first time through, and now I'm rereading it, savoring every page. Already, it has completely changed my approach to and understanding of the sacredness of praying the daily office. I've just ordered three more copies to give away as gifts. Thank you, Robert, for the gift you have given us in this book. It is a treasure.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes You Think, May 20, 2008

By	BookBargainsandPreviews.com "www.bookbargains... (New York) - See all my reviews

Author Robert Benson did a terrific job writing on the topic of constant prayer. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to pray without ceasing...or never stop praying. According to the author, our forefathers had a formal time of prayer every 3-4 hours, while maintaining a constant attitude of prayer. He suggest we follow their lead and structure our lives so that we can be in continuous contact with God on a daily basis. While it doesn't come natural to us, developing this discipline goes a long way to further our spiritual growth and relationship with God.

This is an excellent book. I highly recommend it.