« Back to Issue 41

God's Priorities: Living the Lord's Prayer in the 21st Century

Author:	J John
Published By:	Victor (Kingsway) (Eastbourne)
Pages:	220
Price:	£6.99
ISBN:	1 84291 269 0

Reviewed by Chris Skilton.

This book does exactly what it says on the cover: it takes the Lord’s Prayer in seven sections, explores the meaning of each one, offering some insights into the Christian truths behind it and then looks at what it means to pray the phrase in today’s world.

Those familiar with J John’s easy and engaging preaching and teaching style will welcome this study of the Lord’s Prayer. By J John’s own admission in the book, this is not an academic study of the text and he does give a good bibliography, albeit limited in range, of where readers might turn for that. The book is directed to those new to or returning to the faith and who want to discover more about what it means to pray the Lord’s Prayer and for one’s life to be shaped and moulded by that prayer.

Not surprisingly the book belongs firmly within one tradition. There is nothing about liturgical prayer or the inheritance of prayer through the life of the church or about different ways of praying. However, for those who know what they are likely to get this would be a very good introduction both to the Lord’s Prayer itself and to different themes in praying. Maybe I’m just getting old but there’s a bit of me that is slightly irritated by the fact that the Lord’s Prayer is reduced to seven key words all beginning with ‘P’, but perhaps those new to faith will find that easy to memorise and helpful.

Each chapter ends with a section of “Practical Implications” and then some questions for discussion and reflection. The book would make a good basis for a follow-up to an ‘Alpha’ course (or its equivalent).

This is a re-issue of a book first published in 2001 and does not claim to have been amended or expanded since then.