[Note: This is one post in a series on Greg Boyd’s book Letters from a Skeptic: A Son Wrestles with his Father’s Questions About Christianity. The aim of these posts is to help you start conversations with people in your community. Invite someone to read this book with you and discuss it together. You don’t need to agree with each other or the author to benefit from doing this type of activity.]
For this session, we’ll cover Correspondences 11-12
SUMMARY
In correspondences 11-12, Greg and his dad explore the topic of prayer in greater depth. Greg’s dad raises some really important questions. Why would God care to communicate with such insignificant creatures like humans? What is the purpose of prayer? Why doesn’t prayer seem effective?
Greg provides some really helpful responses. For example, he shows how “smallness” does not equate to “insignificance.” In fact, one’s ability to love something that appears radically disproportionate is usually an example of extravagant love.
Greg also points to the complexity of life as a reason many prayers seem to go unanswered. He likens it to a military captain who cannot accommodate all the wishes of his son, who is caught in the crossfire, because he must handle the larger battlefield at the same time.
Additionally, Greg suggests that making requests of God in prayer is a small part of prayer’s purpose. Instead, prayer is meant to cultivate a relationship between ourselves and God. We do not like it when someone only makes requests of us. So, we should cultivate a life of prayer that is not entirely centered on making requests of God.
INTRIGUING QUOTES
I’m wondering why, if your view is the Christian view, have I never heard it before? (Edward, December 15, 1989)
The main function of prayer is simply to be with someone you love: to talk, to listen, or to simply “commune” with your Creator. (Greg, December 28, 1989)
If petitionary prayer could be conclusively “verified,” it would turn God into a sort of cosmic vending machine. Make your requests, pull the lever, and abracadabra, you have your wish granted. (Greg, December 28, 1989)
CONVERSATION STARTERS
Do you pray? Why or why not?
What is the purpose of prayer?
If you’d like more questions, make sure you pick up a copy of the book. It has several questions for each correspondence.
Next week we’ll cover correspondences 13-15.