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Prayer
Prayer is one of the central activities of Christian life. This anniversary edition of Karl Barth's lectures on the Lord's Prayer, along with supplementary essays by three Barth scholars, introduces us to what he had to say about this important Christian practice. For Barth, the ultimate aim of all theology is worship, and here he mines the theological and spiritual wisdom of Luther, Calvin, and the Heidelberg Catechism, urging us to participate in the work of God through prayer.
128 pages, Paperback
Published August 30, 2002
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About the author
Karl Barth
454 books263 followersProtestant theologian Karl Barth, a Swiss, advocated a return to the principles of the Reformation and the teachings of the Bible; his published works include
Church Dogmatics
from 1932.
Critics hold Karl Barth among the most important Christian thinkers of the 20th century; Pope Pius XII described him as the most important since Saint Thomas Aquinas. Beginning with his experience as a pastor, he rejected his typical predominant liberal, especially German training of 19th century.
Instead, he embarked on a new path, initially called dialectical, due to its stress on the paradoxical nature of divine truth—for instance, God is both grace and judgment), but more accurately called a of the Word. Critics referred to this father of new orthodoxy, a pejorative term that he emphatically rejected. His thought emphasized the sovereignty of God, particularly through his innovative doctrine of election. His enormously influenced throughout Europe and America.
Critics hold Karl Barth among the most important Christian thinkers of the 20th century; Pope Pius XII described him as the most important since Saint Thomas Aquinas. Beginning with his experience as a pastor, he rejected his typical predominant liberal, especially German training of 19th century.
Instead, he embarked on a new path, initially called dialectical, due to its stress on the paradoxical nature of divine truth—for instance, God is both grace and judgment), but more accurately called a of the Word. Critics referred to this father of new orthodoxy, a pejorative term that he emphatically rejected. His thought emphasized the sovereignty of God, particularly through his innovative doctrine of election. His enormously influenced throughout Europe and America.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 18, 2024
Karl comes out swinging with good theology as usual. I really enjoyed his meditations on the Lord’s Prayer and the direction the essays at the end went with that. I think the most striking thing to me is his insistence that God is completely free and in that complete freedom God chooses to allow Himself and His actions to be altered by our prayers - that God truly listens.
This portrayal of God who in His freedom chooses to be concerned with us opens a re-reading of the cold and callous God of Reformed theology. God’s freedom is not that of an overbearing tyrant who arbitrarily does whatever He pleases that we cannot challenge. God’s free choice is to be loving and is directly concerned with making us His coworkers.
I think that one thing that I struggle with in Barth’s theology is at the same time a strength and a weakness - his thoughts on social action. Barth does not allow us to identify fully with political struggles because we are to be subject to Jesus Christ. Jacques Ellul responds positively in the The Subversion of Christianity in a way to deny liberation theologies, and Dorothee Sölle responds to this negatively in Thinking About God to defend liberation theologians. I don’t know what the resolution is, but I think that Barth’s lived experience of standing against Nazi Germany, of standing with MLK and the struggle for black liberation, and his clearly socialist politics must be the interpretative lens. I just don’t know how one can parse out in real time what submission to Jesus’ lordship in the sphere of politics looks like without identifying oneself with God’s action in history.
I’ll end these thoughts with an excerpt of one of Barth’s pastoral prayers.
These words resonate strongly with the collect for social justice in the Book of Common Prayer and I can’t help but think about Palestine when I read these words. Naim Ateek is high on my to read list so that I can better articulate the Christian argument for the freedom of Palestine.
Although I don’t fully understand the Barthian approach to the intersection of prayer and justice is, I know it must be reconciled with Gustavo Gutíerrez’s Theology of Liberation.
…the fact that God yields to human petitions, that he alters his intentions and follows the bent of our prayers, is not a sign of weakness. In his own majesty and in the splendour of his might, he has willed and yet wills it so. He desires to be the God who has been flesh in Jesus Christ. Therein lies his glory, his omnipotence. He does not then impair himself by yielding to our prayer; on the contrary, it is in so doing that he shows his greatness.
This portrayal of God who in His freedom chooses to be concerned with us opens a re-reading of the cold and callous God of Reformed theology. God’s freedom is not that of an overbearing tyrant who arbitrarily does whatever He pleases that we cannot challenge. God’s free choice is to be loving and is directly concerned with making us His coworkers.
I think that one thing that I struggle with in Barth’s theology is at the same time a strength and a weakness - his thoughts on social action. Barth does not allow us to identify fully with political struggles because we are to be subject to Jesus Christ. Jacques Ellul responds positively in the The Subversion of Christianity in a way to deny liberation theologies, and Dorothee Sölle responds to this negatively in Thinking About God to defend liberation theologians. I don’t know what the resolution is, but I think that Barth’s lived experience of standing against Nazi Germany, of standing with MLK and the struggle for black liberation, and his clearly socialist politics must be the interpretative lens. I just don’t know how one can parse out in real time what submission to Jesus’ lordship in the sphere of politics looks like without identifying oneself with God’s action in history.
I’ll end these thoughts with an excerpt of one of Barth’s pastoral prayers.
We pray you to oppose all tyranny and disorder and to help all oppressed nations and persons to gain their rights.
We pray to you for the poor, the sick, the confused, the helpless, the disturbed, for all who suffer things which you alone know of. Comfort them with your presence and with the hope of your kingdom. Amen.
These words resonate strongly with the collect for social justice in the Book of Common Prayer and I can’t help but think about Palestine when I read these words. Naim Ateek is high on my to read list so that I can better articulate the Christian argument for the freedom of Palestine.
Although I don’t fully understand the Barthian approach to the intersection of prayer and justice is, I know it must be reconciled with Gustavo Gutíerrez’s Theology of Liberation.
April 14, 2020
There are two parts to this book. There are the contributions by other authors and an exposition of the Lord's Prayer by Karl Barth. I couldn't finish the contributions by the other authors (they are the reason for the four star rating. If it was only Karl Barth's commentary it would be an easy five star book), but the section by Karl Barth was excellent.
Barth first gives us an overview of prayer, then he walks through the petitions of the Lord's Prayer. This interpretation works in dialog with the catechisms of the Reformation. Luther, Calvin, and the Heidelberg Cathechism are all frequent dialog partners for Barth. Barth is appreciative of them but he also corrects them in areas where he finds them deficient, particularly eschatology. This results in a commentary on the Lord's Prayer which is fascinating, informative, and filled with praise. Barth writes with such joy. His writing easily turned to prayer, like the apostle Paul, and this style of writing stands in stark contrast with much of academic theology. Best of all, this book on prayer made me turn to prayer. I judge a book of prayer primarily on whether it turns me to prayer. If the book does, then the book worked well. If the book did not make me want to pray, then it was a poor book on prayer.
I don't think it is a coincident that the two books I have like best about prayer have been books where the author turns to prayer. Reading Martin Luther's A Simple Way to Pray and Karl Barth's Prayer both let the reader share in the act of prayer and not only the theory. We are able to learn from those who are better than us in prayer. Which seems to me the only way to learn how to pray.
Barth first gives us an overview of prayer, then he walks through the petitions of the Lord's Prayer. This interpretation works in dialog with the catechisms of the Reformation. Luther, Calvin, and the Heidelberg Cathechism are all frequent dialog partners for Barth. Barth is appreciative of them but he also corrects them in areas where he finds them deficient, particularly eschatology. This results in a commentary on the Lord's Prayer which is fascinating, informative, and filled with praise. Barth writes with such joy. His writing easily turned to prayer, like the apostle Paul, and this style of writing stands in stark contrast with much of academic theology. Best of all, this book on prayer made me turn to prayer. I judge a book of prayer primarily on whether it turns me to prayer. If the book does, then the book worked well. If the book did not make me want to pray, then it was a poor book on prayer.
I don't think it is a coincident that the two books I have like best about prayer have been books where the author turns to prayer. Reading Martin Luther's A Simple Way to Pray and Karl Barth's Prayer both let the reader share in the act of prayer and not only the theory. We are able to learn from those who are better than us in prayer. Which seems to me the only way to learn how to pray.
June 13, 2017
The actual prayers were nice.
October 2, 2025
A simple, straightforward exposition of the Lord’s Prayer and what prayer is. It has several articles by different people that offer insights into Barth’s writings on prayer, as well as a few written prayers of Barth’s that are sound. I especially loved this last line:
“‘Amen’ means that the certainty of the divine response is greater than the certainty we feel within ourselves of our needs and our desires. The most certain element of our prayer is not our requests, but what comes from God: his response” (p. 66).
So good!
“‘Amen’ means that the certainty of the divine response is greater than the certainty we feel within ourselves of our needs and our desires. The most certain element of our prayer is not our requests, but what comes from God: his response” (p. 66).
So good!
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December 22, 2020"The first and basic act of theological work is prayer." Thanks be to God that, we saints of God, have access to this privileged gathering place-- praying in, with, and through the Living Christ.
August 9, 2023
Great exposition on the Lord's prayer as well as the Reformers view of prayer. Great insight and good for self reflection.
February 4, 2015
Translations of some lectures Barth gave in French in which he exegetes the Lord's Prayer petition by petition. He reads it through Calvin and Luther's own interpretations/uses of the prayer. Too good.
June 3, 2014
Offers a good insight into Barth's views on prayer, and particularly the importance of the Lord's Prayer in Christian life.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews