Macmillan Book of Earliest Christian Prayers

253 Pages·1988·2.387 MB·English

by  by F. Forester Church (Author), Terrence J. Mulry (Author)

9 780025 255708
FP >$17.95
(Continued from front flap)
and Ethiopic Christian sources. Here
THE MACMILLAN BOOK OF
also are fascinating, sometimes unusual
EARllEST
prayers drawn from the New Testament
Apocrypha and the Gnostic Nag Ham
madi archives. Women's prayers, espe
cially those of Bridgid of Ulster, are also
CHR1STIAN liberally represented.
The editors-well qualified in their
own right-consulted a wide variety of
experts for advice on the contents of this
PRAYERS
volume and have prepared a collection
meant not for the specialist! or the
scholar, who nevertheless will find this
book interesting, but for the laity
everywhere, the very same kinds of
Lex orandi, lex credendi: "As you pray, people who said these prayers initially.
so you believe." For private daily inspiration or for
The earliest Christians formed a vital leading public worship, or just for new
and vibrant church. To understand the insights into the founders of the
range and depth of their belief it is Christian faith, The Macmillan Book of
better to read their prayers than their Earliest Christian Prayers is a bountiful
dogma. For when an individual prays new resource that will generously enrich
or a church prays-the heart comes the occasional as well as frequent reader.
first: the certainties, the hopes, the
fears, the dreams.
F. Forrester Church is Senior Minister
The Macmillan Book of Earliest
of All Souls Unitarian Church in New
Christian Prayers seeks out the heart of
York City and the author of Father and
the early Christian experience, in some
Son, The Devil and Dr. Church, and
senses far removed from our own, but in
other books. Terrence ]. Mulry is a
others so very close to the timeless
student at Harvard Divinity School.
yearnings and convictions that people
have shared from the beginning of time.
This wide-ranging collection draws
from mainstream sources and beyond
for private prayers, liturgical and
homiletical prayers, even the didactic.
Represented here are prayers from the
earliest Fathers of the Church to the cap
stone of the early church, Saint Augus
Jacket art: SCALA/ Art Resource:
tine, Bishop of Hippo.
Lunette with Ornate, Chapel of Veiled
But there were other vital traditions
Woman, Catacomb of Priscilla
that the editors of this volume, F.
Forrester Church and Terrence J. Mulry,
have culled from the "sidelines" as well:
Jacket design by Datid G:;;;i
prayers from Coptic, Armenian, Syriac,
(Continued on back flap)
Copyngh. © I
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THE
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MACMILLAN BOOK OF
EARLIEST �
I
CHRISTIAN
PRAYERS
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EDITED BY I
F.F orresCtheurr ch
AND
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ina nyf ormo rb ya nym eanse,l ectroonrmi ecc hanicianlc,l udpihnogt o­
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withoupte rmissiionwn r itifnrgo mt heP ublisher.
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TheM acmillbaono ko fe arliCehsrti stpiraany ers.
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II.M ulryT,e rrence.
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ISBN0 -02-525570-3
Macmillbaono ksa rea vailaabtls ep ecidails counftosrb ulkp urchasfeosr
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C O N T E N T S
Preafce VB
IT.H EF IRCSHTR ISTPIRAANY ERS
1.N ew TestanmteP rayers 5
2. 17
Seconde-nCturPyr ayers
3. 24
Prayefrrosm NagH ammadi
IIT.H EC HURCCHO MEOSF A GE
4. 35
Prayeorfs tEhaer lCyh ristFiatahne rs
5. 42
Prayefrrosm theN ew TestmaentA pocrypha
6. 51
TheE arliLeisttu rgPircaayle rs
III.- NPIOCSETPN REA YERS
7.P rayefrrosm GreeSko urces 79
91
8.P rayefrrosm Syriaancd C optic Sources
9.P rayefrrosm LatiSno urces 110
IVL.I TRUGILCP ARAYEERASS ATN DW EST
1.0
Prayefrrosm SyriaCco,p tiEct,h iopic,
132
andA rmeniaLni turgies
11. 136
Prayefrrosm GreeLki turgies
1.2 171
Prayefrrosm LatiLni turgies
V.T HEP RAYEORFSS AINATU GUSTINE
1.3 191
Conefssions
1.4
Prayefrrosm SermonCso,m mentaries,
217
andT ractates
1.5S oliloquies 233
DevotioannadlT opicIanld ex 239
Sourcaen dN ameI ndex 241
P R E F A C E
fy ouw isht oe ntetrh ec hancoefla persons'oslu, t hem ost
I
direpcats gseawayi st hroughhi so rh erp rayeTrhsi.si sc er­
taintlryu oef e arlCyh ristpiraany eArrst.uf ly etw ithoaurtt i­
ficeea,c ihs a ni ntimate convweirtshGa otdi,od ene pc alling
untod eept,r anosrfminlga nguaigtes ienltfao s acrameWnhte.nw e
partaokfei te,v ena tt hed istanocfae l mosttw om illenntihai,s
communiobne tweebne lievaenrd God hast ranosrfmational
powerO.n thea spiratailotnoaafrlt heseea rlCyh ristiwaen sd,i s­
covehro layn dm ysterieoluesm enttons u rtuoruer s oulassw ell.
When we steppebadc kt oe dit tvhoilsu me-fIro m my
pastodruatli aetsA llS oulUsn itarCihaunr cihn N ew YorCki ty,
andT errence J. froMmu lhriys s tudiaetsH arvarDdi vinity
School-insotfep aodu rinogu rs piriinttsao n o ldw ineskiwne,
werer erfeshienda ne ncounttheart notb roonulgyth hte paalsitv e,
butt hep renstea los.I tm ayo nlyb ea ni nnoceinltl usiboutnw ,e
discovetrheamdta nyo ft hesper ayeprrso,of undf rom them oment
oft heifrir usttt eranaccet,u asleleymt oi mprovwei tha geP.e rhaps
thiissb ecauesvee rtyi mae p rayteoru chaen se wl ief,i tpso weirs
extended.
As witha llg readte votiolniatle rattuhrees,pe r ayearrse
timeleCsosn.d itimoanysc hangfero m oneg enerattioao nno ther,
butn ott heh uman condiittsi,oet nlh fem ysteroyfb eing aalnidv e
havintgod ieA.l thouSgahi nPta ulS,ai nAtu gutsinaen,d t heo thers
didn oth avue si nm indw hent hewyr otteh emi,n q uitem oments
centurliaetste hre iprr ayesrpse adki recttolo yu r heaanrdta sd dress
ourd eepensete ds.
V111 PREFACE
Thisc ollectisit ohnef irosftt hrewei,t ha nthologoifte hse
earliCehsrti sthiyamnn sa ndm editationst of sololoonw T.a pping
inttoh er icvhe ino fe arlCyh ristliiatne ratouurrhe o,p ei st hat
togtehert hesbeo oksw ilplr ovidae v aluable sfooru draciel y
devotiornerafel shmnte.
We haven otd esigntehde mf ors cholaerxsc,e patsa resource
fort heiorw nd evotioAnftse.ra lll,i brafirlileeswd i th specialized
booksfo r refereanncdes tudayr ea vailatbols ec holaorfes a rly
Christian liItnea rsasteubmlrien.tg h esmea teriwael sh aved e­
pendegdr eatulpyo ns ucrhe sourBcuetsr .a thtehra dnu plicaotri ng
pretenditnodg u pltiect aheme,a cohf t hese volufmasehsi ointseo d
proviad ceo mpanionacbollel ecotfia onnc ient prayerosr, hymns,
meditatifoorn nso nscpieatlsi,as mongw hom we numbero ur­
selves.
Sincoeu ri ntendreeda dearrset hosweh o seeke xtteon tdh eir
acquaintwaintchCe h ristliiatne rawthuirlece u ltivatthieniogrw n
spiitruagla rdenasn,n otatiisko enp tto a minimum.B y thes ame
tokenw,h en forcedt o choosew,e favor poeotviecrl iteral
translnast.i o
We haven o pretensicoonnsc ernoinugrs eleicotnsW.h ile
tryitnogb ea si nclusaispv oes sibmlaer,g inaanldd atemda terial­
thosper ayetrhsa mti ght advsacnhcoel aurnldye rstanmdoirneg
thaenn courasgpei ritguraoltw h-havbee ene xcluded.
Someo ft hep rayewres d oi ncluwdiel l smpoeraekd irtelctyo
yout haont hesr.E arlCyh rsitianwiatsay sr ichvlayr ioiunds o tcrine
ande xpressaisCo hnr istiainsti otdya Tyh.u sw e havea ssemblae d
quilotf mantyr aditiboanssi,no ugr s electoinot nhsep rincitphlaet
at heologidciavlelraysn et holoogfty h ed evotiocnlaals soifec asr ly
Christiawniiltlpy r ovem orer epresentaitlilvumeti,in naga,n d
challentghianongn et harte fleocntlsty h em ainstroeafCm h ristian
tradition.
Thism eansa,m ongo thetrh nigst,h awte havec hosetno
inclumdaet ernioatlu sualcloyn sidefrored de votioanntahlo logies,
sucahs t hep rayedrrsa wfnro m theN ew TestmaentA pocrypha and
Gnostpirca yefrrosm theN ag HammadiL ibraray m,a jonre w
resourfcore o ura pprieactioofnt hev arietoifee sa rlCyh ristian
experieInnct eh.iw se altohfd iverswieth yo pteh ayto uw ilclh ance
uponp ricelgeesmssi ns urprispilnagc es.
Fort hef irtswto c enturwiee hsa,v ien cludaeldm osto fat lhle
PREFACE
IX
m�ors urvivpirnagy eFrso.rt hep rayeorfst het hirfdou,r tha,n d
fitfhc entiuersw,e h adt ob em ores electbiuvtae l,w aywsi tha ne ye
toe nsuritnhga otu rc hoicweosu ld rbeep resentIafts iovmee.
favorietaer ly prayert oab pemp iesasrisn rge,m embetrh amta ny
Christpiraany e(rbse ignninwgi tht heM agnifiocfMa a ryi nt he
Gospeolf L ukea ndi ncluding spervaeyreiarnlst he Booofk
Revelatairoaen c)t uahlylmyn so rp salmasn,ds ow ilalp peianrt he
seconvdo lumoef t hisse rieTsh.i sv olumdeo esc ontaai wni de
selectoifoe na rllyi turghioewse,v emro,s to fw hichfe aturber ief
hymnsw ithitnh eicro mpass.
Thivso lumiesa rrangienfd i vmea josre ctioenascw,hi tthh ree
chapters.
SectI,i" TohneF irCshtr istPiraany e,r"os penwsi ths elections
from theN ew Testanmte andc ontinues aw sietlhe ctoifo n
second-cenptruaryyef rrosm theA potsolFiact hearnsd p apyrais,
wella sa samplionfgp rayefrrosm theN ag HammadiL ibrary,
somem uche arliero tthheabrnus ta lelx pressoifav nee a rly sotfr ain
Christbielaine f.
SectIIi",oT hne C hurcCho mes Aogfe ,i"sc omposefodr t he
mostp arotf t hird-cenptruaryyef rrosm the teacohfte hrees s tab­
lished chfurormc ht,h eN ew Testanmte Apocryph(aw ritings
undetrh en ameos fd iscipalnedas p ostrleepsr netsaetiovfve a rious
othetrr aditoifoe nasr lCyh risttieacanhn ig,)a ndf rom thee arliest
Christliiatnu ersg,rie flecwtoirnsgh ippr actiicnet sh ef irtshtr ee
centiuers.
SectIiIIo",Pn os t-NicPenrea yse,rc"o ntaicnhso icferosm the
fourtha-ndfi fth-centFuartyh e(rasn dM otherosf)t heC hurch,
325,
mostd atintgot he perfoiloldo witnhgeC ouncoiflN iceian
whichc oincidentally ctoort rheees sptoanbdlsi nstho mfCe hris­
tianiatsty h eR omans tatree ligiuopno,nt hec onversoifoC no n­
stant.iT nheesaer ea rranged actcooG rrdeienkSg,y riaancd C optic,
andL atisno urc.e s
SectIVi,"o Lnit urgiPcraaly eErass atn dW est,i"si nofrmebdy
thes amep rinciopfol reg anizaatsSi eocnt ioInI HIe.r et,r aditoifo ns
worshiapn dt heolotghya pte rsitsott hivse ryd ay are clearly
evide.nE tacht raidtioinsd isttiinvcbeu,t m anyc ommone lements
unitteh eE astearnnd W esterlni turwgiietshe acoht her.
SectV,i" oTnhe P rayeorfsS ainAt ugusntei,m"a rkintgh ee nd
ofo ne earnadt hec ommencenmteo fa nothiesrd ,e votteodp rayers
PREFACE
x
from thew ritinogfSs a intA ugustinAem.o ngt hes electfiroomn s
hisC ofensisonsser,m oncso,m mentaritersa,c taatnedsS ,o lqiulioes,
youw ilrle discosveevre roaflt hem ostc herisphready eirnst he
entihries toorfyC hristliiatne rature.
At thee ndo ft heb ooky ouw ilfli ndt woi ndexeosn,e
devotioannadtl o pilc,ta heo thear n amea nd souirncdee txo,h elp
maket hiasn tholomgoyr ea ccessiabnldue s eufla sa n aidf or
persondaelv otions.
We arien debtteomd a nyp eoplfoer t heiern couragnetam ned
supptoi rnp uttitnhgi vso lumteo gethOeurr.t hankgso ,f irstto,
Charles ScIrI,ivI binceperre sdienotf M acmillPaunb liisnhgC om­
panyw,h oc onceitvheidis d eaan dk indilnyv ituestd o c onsitdheer
possibiloifte yd ititnhgi sse rieasn,da lstoo S tepheWni lburn,
directoofRr e ligiBoouosk ,s who enthusiasteimcbarlalcyte hde
conceapntd w asa primmeo veri ns hepherdiitfn rogm dreatmo
reayl.it
Manyo therpsr ovidaeddv icaen da ssistaWnec ees.p ecially
thanAkn neC arrU,n iversoiftC yh icagDoi viniStcyh ool; Brian
DalyW,e stoSnc hooolfT heologRyo;b erMt. G rantU,n iversoift y
ChicagDoiv iniStcyh ooHlo;l laHnedn driBxa,r naCrodl leSgeet;h
KasteUnn,i onT heologiSceamli narHye;l muKto esteHra,r vard
UniversDiitvyi niStcyh ool; Dennis R. IMlafiS cfcDhoonoaolfl d,
TheologSyt;a nlBey. Marrow, WesStcohno oolf T heology;
WayneA .M eeksY,a lDei viniStcyh ooKla;t hleMecnV eyP,r ince­
tonT heologiSceamli narMya;r graetM ilesH,a rvarDdi vinity
SchooRlo;l anEd. M urphy, DDuikvei niStcyh ooJla;r oslPaevl i­
ka,nY alUen iversLiotuyk;ve a nW ensevenP,r inceTthoeno logical
SeminarGye;of freyW ainrigDhutk,e D iviniStcyh ooaln;d L aw­
rencWei llHsa,r varDdi viniStcyh ool.
Mosto ft hep rayeirnsc ludheedr e wetrrea nslaitnte hd e
nineteeanntdhe arltywe ntiectehn tuarnyd a ret heerforei nt he
publdiocm ainW.e do exproeusras p perciatfioorn p ermisstioo n
reprodumcoer er ecenttlrya nslaptready efrrosm thef ollowing
sourcTesh:Fe a thoetfrh Cseh urTchho,ma Ps. H altoent,a. I. e,d itors
(WashingtDo.nC,. T:h eC atholUinci versoiftA ym ericPar ess),
Vols2.2 2,3 4,4 , 51, 64E,a rC7lh1yr, i Ps7rt4ai,ya een7dr i5ts;be,y d
A.H ammon, withE nglitsrha nslabtyiW oanl teMri tche(lClh i­
cagoH:e nryR egnerCyom pany1, 961N)e;wT estaAmpeonctr ypha
II, EdgarH enneckeed,i tebdy WilhelSmch neemelchewri,t h