Tertullian, Cyprian, And Origen On The Lord's Prayer (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press Popular Patristics Series) by Stewart-Skyes Alaistair

Author:Stewart-Skyes, Alaistair
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St Vladimir's Seminary Press
Published: 2011-03-29T00:00:00+00:00

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1 If, as you have demanded, I should next set forth the objections made by whose who assert that nothing comes about as a result of prayer and allege therefore that prayer is superfluous, then I shall not hesitate to do this as far as I am able, now using the term “prayer” in its more common and simple sense.

. . .12 The argument is poor, and has failed to find eminent supporters. Among those who accept providence and set God over the universe there is none who has no belief in prayer. This is the teaching of those who are entirely atheistic and who deny the existence of God or who admit the name of God but deny his providence. Already the opposing power, desiring to dress the name of Christ and the teaching of the Son of God with the most impious of teachings, has managed to persuade some people that they should not pray. The supporters of this opinion are those who have done away altogether with the things of sense, and who have no use either for baptism or for the eucharist,13 and who accuse the Scriptures of not intending prayer but teaching that something else entirely is signified in that word.

2 The arguments of those who reject prayer whilst accepting that there is a God set over the universe and assert the existence of providence, for I have no intention of discussing the assertions of those who deny God or providence altogether, might be as follow.14

God knows all things before they come to be, and nothing that occurs becomes known to him for the first time only when it occurs. So what point is there in sending up prayer to one who knows our needs before we pray? For the heavenly Father knows our needs even before we ask him (cf. Mt 6.8). It is reasonable to suppose that the Father and maker of all that is, who loves all that is and hates nothing that he has made (Wis 11.24), should have concern for the welfare of each of us, without regard to prayer, like a father who provides for and looks after his little children without waiting for them to ask, since they are entirely incapable of asking or because, out of ignorance, they often want the opposite of whatever is to their profit and advantage. As human beings we fall further short of God than the smallest children fall short of their parents’ understanding.

3 It is likely that God not only has foreknowledge of what is going to happen but also predisposes it. And nothing happens contrary to his predisposition. So, if anyone should pray that the sun rise, he would be considered a half-wit, for asking that something should happen which would occur quite apart from his prayer. In the same way a man would be considered foolish if he should think that through his prayer he had brought something about which would have happened even had he never prayed at all.

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