The Life of Prayer in a World of Science: Protestants, Prayer, and American Culture, 1870-1930During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Christians carried on an intense debate concerning the doctrine of prayer. This ideological revolution affected not only the ways that they interpreted the Bible but also how they prayed. In this book, Rick Ostrander explores the attempts of American Christians to articulate a convincing and satisfying ethic of prayer amidst these changing circumstances. |
Contents
| 3 | |
| 17 | |
Proving the Living God Answered Prayer as a Modern Evangelical Apologetic | 35 |
The Spiritual Unrest The Cultural Context of Liberal Protestant Devotionalism | 57 |
Divine Immanence The Ideological Context of Liberal Protestant Devotionalism | 75 |
A Sane Mysticism The Christocentric Liberal Ethic of Prayer | 97 |
The New Belief in Prayer Healing and Intercession in Liberal Protestantism | 117 |
The Religion of a Mature Mind Liberal Devotional Teachings in the Early Twentieth Century | 137 |
Modernism and Prayer in the Twenties | 153 |
Notes | 171 |
Select Bibliography | 203 |
Index | 227 |
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Common terms and phrases
Abbott American Protestantism American Protestants answers to prayer believed biblical Boston Bowne Campbell Charles Charles Finney Chicago China Inland Mission Christian Century Christocentric liberal church claimed concerning prayer conservative culture Daily Altar devotional divine immanence doctrine of prayer early twentieth century efficacy of prayer ethic of prayer evangelical evangelical liberals example faith Finney Fleming Revell Galton George Coe George Mueller God’s Harry Emerson Fosdick healing holiness human Ibid immanence intercessory prayer James Jesus John Tyndall Keswick liberal ethic liberal Protestantism liberal Protestants Lyman Abbott McComb Meaning of Prayer Methodist mind miracles missionary modernist Moody Bible Institute Moody Press natural nineteenth century one’s Outlook Patton petition petitionary prayer physical Power of Prayer pray Prayer New York prayer-gauge debate religion religious revival scientific Scribner’s Scripture social Social Gospel spiritual supernatural Taylor Theology things thought Torrey Tyndall Tyndall’s understanding of prayer University Press William Adams world of science writers wrote
Popular passages
Page 8 - Come My Soul, Thy Suit Prepare": Thou art coming to a King: Large petitions with thee bring; For his grace and power are such None can ever ask too much.
Page 19 - 'without a disturbance of natural law, quite as serious as the stoppage of an eclipse, or the rolling of the river Niagara up the Falls, no act of humiliation, individual or national, could call one shower from heaven or deflect toward us a single beam of the sun.
Page 5 - What is the Almighty that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
Page 123 - as regards prayer for the sick, if any medical fact can be considered to stand firm, it is that in certain environments prayer may contribute to recovery, and should be encouraged as a therapeutic measure.
Page 30 - Look, finally, at the excitement caused by the publication of the Origin of Species; and compare it with the calm attendant on the appearance of the far more outspoken, and from the old point of view, more impious, Descent of Man.
Page 108 - ascends to heaven upon the wings of a holy dove, and dwells with God, till it returns, like the useful bee, laden with a blessing.
Page 22 - The theory that the system of nature is under the control of a Being who changes phenomena in compliance with the prayers of men, is, in my opinion, a perfectly legitimate one,
Page 11 - The potency of prayer hath subdued the strength of fire; it hath bridled the rage of lions; hushed anarchy to rest; extinguished wars; appeased the elements; expelled demons; burst the chains of death; expanded the gates of heaven; assuaged diseases; repelled frauds; rescued cities from destruction; it hath stayed the sun in its course, and arrested the progress of the thunderbolt....
Page 18 - otherwise inexplicable effects were referred to personal agency. In the fall of a cataract the savage saw the leap of a spirit, and the echoed thunder-peal was to him the hammer-clang of an exasperated god.