"Stamping" Prayer with Jesus' Name

[Akahige]

Hello! This is my first time posting here or in any of the forums, but just to give you a brief prelude to my question, I was raised Methodist, became agnostic/atheist for a number of years, came back to a Southern Baptist church, went to a non-denominational church, did the "free-range" thing and then passed by but not through Catholicism on my way to discovering Orthodoxy. After much searching, research and simply feeling the impact of Orthodox teachings, I'm extremely confident that this is where the fullness of truth is to be found and hence where I want to be. That said, I'm not yet Orthodox due to some health issues slowing me down, but I at the very least want to push in that direction.

Now as to my question, it's a rather simple one really, but having been brought up in Protestant churches and having been exposed to that my whole life, I learned that you are always to end a prayer by saying, "In Jesus' name." It was treated as if the prayer had no power unless you basically stamped it with Jesus' name to send it off to God. Considering this now, I continue to do it, but I don't know whether this is a legitimate thing or simply force of habit. What do the Orthodox say? Is it really necessary to do, or is this really just a protestant practice?

Thanks for your time and help!

 

[ikonographics]

First of all, welcome to TAW Feel free to come and join us in the main section. You'll probably get more responses there.

The "in Jesus name" is definitely a protestant practice. Orthodox prayers usually tend to end with various glorifications of the Holy Trinity. Eg. one of the prayers in thanksgiving for Holy Communion ends: For Thou art the Bread of life, and the well-spring of holiness, and the giver of all that is good and to Thee do we send up glory, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen."

It is also common for prayers to end with variations of "for blessed art Thou unto the ages. Amen.

Also we Orthodox tend to refer to the Lord as "Christ" or "Jesus Christ" we almost never use the name "Jesus" alone because he is not just a man named Jesus, He is the Christ.

 

[Akahige]

This is very beneficial! Thank you! And I think I will take up your invitation to come join in the main forum. I've been reading for months just letting the wisdom shape me.

 

[ikonographics]

You're welcome

 

[ArmyMatt]

just me two cents

it's fine to end personal prayers with in Jesus' name, it's just something that we don't do, but there is nothing theologically wrong with that. I think the only thing to point out is that you don't need to stamp anything on a prayer, just so long as it is sincere. remember the publican only cried for mercy, and he recieved it.

and welcome to TAW!

 

[Akahige]

This is wonderful and instructive! Thank you, and thank you for the welcome.

 

[ArmyMatt]

no problem dude!

 

[George95]

First of all, welcome to TAW Feel free to come and join us in the main section. You'll probably get more responses there.

The "in Jesus name" is definitely a protestant practice. Orthodox prayers usually tend to end with various glorifications of the Holy Trinity. Eg. one of the prayers in thanksgiving for Holy Communion ends: For Thou art the Bread of life, and the well-spring of holiness, and the giver of all that is good and to Thee do we send up glory, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen."

It is also common for prayers to end with variations of "for blessed art Thou unto the ages. Amen.

Also we Orthodox tend to refer to the Lord as "Christ" or "Jesus Christ" we almost never use the name "Jesus" alone because he is not just a man named Jesus, He is the Christ.

Well said! I attended a Baptist school, and it was very common to hear in Jesus's Name, Amen. You could also use In Your Holy Name, and variations as such.

 

[Akahige]

Come to think of it, the Baptist church I attended when first coming out of atheism/agnosticism a decade ago is likely where I first picked up the habit of doing that.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I think one of the reasons, and this just popped into my noggin, that we usually name all Three Persons is that there is only one Divine Action, since there is only One God. so whenever Christ does something, His Father and the Spirit are at work as well.