Inclusive prayer

[fragmentsofdreams]

When praying in a group, I believe that we should always phrase our prayers in the a way that everyone in the group can agree with. Prayer is an intimate action, and inserting a partisan attack into prayer hurts those who disagree with a sense of betrayal. It forces people to become distant as they have to pause and evaluate each part of a prayer before joining their will with it.

 

[Loki]

In general, I agree.

Are you thinking specifically of scripted or free-form prayer?

 

[fragmentsofdreams]

Both. Scripted prayer may be more dangerous because it can represent a group rather than an individual and it requires forethought. However, even a free-form prayer can quickly become uncomfortable when someone assumes everyone thinks just like them.

This can be a problem in the political season when people forget that while we share many of the same core values, our conclusions about how best to pursue and balance those values differ.

 

[Caedmon]

Are you talking about the petitions made during mass? I've occasionally had a hard time responding with "Lord hear our prayer" to some of the petitions I've heard.

 

[Loki]

Both. Scripted prayer may be more dangerous because it can represent a group rather than an individual and it requires forethought. However, even a free-form prayer can quickly become uncomfortable when someone assumes everyone thinks just like them.

This can be a problem in the political season when people forget that while we share many of the same core values, our conclusions about how best to pursue and balance those values differ.

Jumping straight to examples:

Gender language?

Political stumping for candidate/cause?

Not quite sure where you're going.

As a woman, I must say I don't think much of anything about gender language. Languages have genders; sometimes for everything, sometimes just for a few things. I know that the position of the Church is not that Christ came down from Heaven only for the males and their salvation, and am okay with words like "mankind." I do, however, acknowledge that this can become tricky when people start trying to take poetry and turn it into science.

As for political stumping; I see that as sort of dangerous, and if it's from a pulpit, even moreso. Paraphrasing Fr. James Martin from I'm not sure where, God is present in the Mass in the priest's homily, so one should be extra careful what one extols in that, and try to ensure it's not simply one's own political desires/opinions/ambitions.

 

[fragmentsofdreams]

Are you talking about the petitions made during mass? I've occasionally had a hard time responding with "Lord hear our prayer" to some of the petitions I've heard.

That's an important part of what I am talking about, but it can apply to any group prayer. In cases of disagreement, an appeal to a common underlying value should be made.

For example, it is often best to pray for a solution to a problem than to pray for a particular solution to a problem.

 

[Loki]

That's an important part of what I am talking about, but it can apply to any group prayer. In cases of disagreement, an appeal to a common underlying value should be made.

For example, it is often best to pray for a solution to a problem than to pray for a particular solution to a problem.

Italicized part: Yes, but this can quickly become something so watered-down that it pleases no one, depending on the group composition. But I see where you're going with it.

Bolded part: agreed, and also seems more in line with "thy will be done," and much less presumptuous than asking for something specific.

 

[Crazy Liz]

That's an important part of what I am talking about, but it can apply to any group prayer. In cases of disagreement, an appeal to a common underlying value should be made.

For example, it is often best to pray for a solution to a problem than to pray for a particular solution to a problem.

I agree. (But I'm not Catholic.) I asked the elders in our Friends church to be very careful in their representative prayers when praying about the war. They should choose words that both the pacifists and those who support the war can affirm with their amen.

I haven't been in church as much lately in the big service, but a couple weeks ago my husband came home complaining about the way the elder prayed to bless those in govt trying to uphold marriage between a man and a woman, or something to that effect. It bothered him enough to come home & complain to me when I hadn't even been in church.

Now, in Evangelical circles, we have prayer meetings, where people are encouraged to say their own prayers and have others join with them. In those situations, it's OK to say "I pray." But a representative, such as in a pastoral prayer, needs to be able to say "We pray," and should choose words everyone can join in.

 

[fragmentsofdreams]

Jumping straight to examples:

Gender language?

Political stumping for candidate/cause?

Not quite sure where you're going.

An example:

Bad:
God, let those who believe X see the Truth.

Good:
God, guide us to an ever deeper understanding of the Truth and grant us the humility admit when we are wrong.

The second prayer does not take sides, both by appealing to the Truth rather than a specific position and by using an inclusive us rather than an exclusive those. Furthermore, it encourages humility both by acknowledging that everyone can gain a deeper understanding and specifically appealing for humility.

As a woman, I must say I don't think much of anything about gender language. Languages have genders; sometimes for everything, sometimes just for a few things. I know that the position of the Church is not that Christ came down from Heaven only for the males and their salvation, and am okay with words like "mankind." I do, however, acknowledge that this can become tricky when people start trying to take poetry and turn it into science.

As a person from a choir that believes in inclusive language, I know that retaining the poetry requires creativity.

As for political stumping; I see that as sort of dangerous, and if it's from a pulpit, even moreso. Paraphrasing Fr. James Martin from I'm not sure where, God is present in the Mass in the priest's homily, so one should be extra careful what one extols in that, and try to ensure it's not simply one's own political desires/opinions/ambitions.

Very true.