I was at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion/Society of Biblical Literature for work last week (which was conveniently held here in Philly) and, as is my way, I scoured the book exhibit where most publishers were offering discounts on their wares.
One item I picked up from Augsburg Fortress was William Russell’s little book Praying for Reform. It features selections from three of Luther’s important works on prayer, The Personal Prayer Book of 1522, the Booklet for Laity and Children, published in 1525, and the treatise A Simple Way to Pray (for a Good Friend) from 1535.
The first two works are “proto”-catechisms which represent Luther’s attempt at reforming the standard medieval catechism. Catechisms typically included a discussion of the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments, but what was new about Luther’s catechisms, according to Russell’s introduction, was that he rearranged the order to reflect the theology of the Reformation.
According to Russell, in the medieval catechetical tradition, the Creed came first, followed by the discussion of the Ten Commandments. However, Luther saw this as reflecting the erroneous medieval theology of grace, the idea being that first you get “grace” (the Creed) which acts as a sort of power that enables you to fulfill the law (the Ten Commandments).
The significance of Luther reversing the order (which was preserved in his later Small and Large catechisms) was that he thought we needed first to go to the law to be made aware of our sinfulness, and then to Christ who promises us salvation apart from works of the law. In other words, the purpose of grace is not to enable us to fulfill the law, as though we could then achieve salvation by grace-powered works, but to save us apart from any merit of our own (and good works would follow). Luther’s conviction was that the Christian’s prayer life should follow this changed understanding of grace.
A Simple Way to Pray demonstrates Luther’s emphasis on meditating on the word as the basis for fruitful prayer, reminding me of Bonhoeffer’s dictum that “the Word of God ought to determine our prayer, not the poverty of our heart.” Writing to his barber Peter, Luther discusses how he himself prays and commends it to his friend. He says that he will begin by saying “quietly to myself and word-for-word the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and, if I have time, some words of Christ or of Paul, or some psalms, just as a child might do.”
Using the word as a flint to “kindle the heart” Luther recommends weaving the words into a “four-strand garland”:
- Teaching – what do I learn from this portion of Scripture?
- Thanksgiving – thanking God for what he has done for us in these words
- Confession – admitting that we have fallen short, especially in not believing this teaching and living by it
- Petition – asking for God’s help to grow in grace and obedience
For example, here’s Luther’s treatment of the First Commandment:
That is, I think of each commandment as, first, instruction, which is really what it is intended to be, and consider what the Lord God demands of me so earnestly. Second, I turn it into a thanksgiving; third, a confession; and fourth, a prayer. I do so in thoughts or words such as these:
“I am the Lord your God, etc. You shall have no other gods before me,” etc. Here I earnestly consider that God expects and teaches me to trust him sincerely in all things and that it is his most earnest purpose to be my God. I must think of him in this way at the risk of losing eternal salvation. My heart must not build upon anything else or trust in any other thing, be it wealth, prestige, wisdom, might, piety, or anything else.
Second, I give thanks for his infinite compassion by which he has come to me in such a fatherly way and, unasked, unbidden, and unmerited, has offered to be my God, to care for me, and to be my comfort, guardian, help, and strength in every time of need. We poor mortals have sought so many gods and would have to seek them still if he did not enable us to hear him openly tell us in our own language that he intends to be our God. How could we ever-in all eternity-thank him enough!
Third, I confess and acknowledge my great sin and ingratitude for having so shamefully despised such sublime teachings and such a precious gift throughout my whole life, and for having fearfully provoked his wrath by countless acts of idolatry. I repent of these and ask for his grace.
Fourth, I pray and say: “O my God and Lord, help me by thy grace to learn and understand thy commandments more fully every day and to live by them in sincere confidence. Preserve my heart so that I shall never again become forgetful and ungrateful, that I may never seek after other gods or other consolation on earth or in any creature, but cling truly and solely to thee, my only God. Amen, dear Lord God and Father. Amen.”
Luther says that this simple exercise can be used when contemplating the Ten Commandments, the Creed, or virtually any portion of Scripture. He also suggest meditation on the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer, using them as a guide, and expanding on them and making the prayers our own.
The “method” Luther proposes here seems to have some affinity with the monastic tradition of lectio divina – meditating on a porition of Scripture, finding God’s word for me in it, and responding in prayer. But at the time it may have been a reaction to the perception that many of the Christian laity’s devotions consisted of “vain repetition” of set formulaic prayers (he is careful to mention to Peter that he doesn’t intend for him to repeat Luther word for word but to make the prayers his own).
In any event, you can see here the importance reforming prayer had for Luther as a key element to reforming the life of the church. This makes sense if the life of prayer is how Christians are formed in their understanding of the life of faith (consider the bitter debates about revising the Book of Common Prayer). It also makes you wonder if our churches could profitably spend more time nourishing and instructing their members in the life of prayer, especially when you consider some of the other things we spend an inordinate amount of time and resources on.
A Thinking Reed 
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