ENGLISH

Compelling God: Theories of Prayer in Anglo-Saxon England

By Stephanie Clark

Book information

Publisher
University of Toronto Press
Year
2018
ISBN
9781487501983
Language
english
Format
AZW3
Filesize
731 kB (749012 bytes)
Series
Toronto Anglo-Saxon Series, 26
Pages
336\0
Topic
History
Time added
2021-11-07 16:53:34

Description

While prayer is generally understood as "communion with God" modern forms of spirituality prefer "communion" that is non-petitionary and wordless. This preference has unduly influenced modern scholarship on historic methods of prayer particularly concerning Anglo-Saxon spirituality. In "Compelling God," Stephanie Clark examines the relationship between prayer, gift giving, the self, and community in Anglo-Saxon England. Clark’s analysis of the works of Bede, Ælfric, and Alfred utilizes anthropologic and economic theories of exchange in order to reveal the ritualized, gift-giving relationship with God that Anglo-Saxon prayer espoused. Anglo-Saxon prayer therefore should be considered not merely within the usual context of contemplation, rumination, and meditation but also within the context of gift exchange, offering, and sacrifice. "Compelling God" allows us to see how practices of prayer were at the centre of social connections through which Anglo-Saxons conceptualized a sense of their own personal and communal identity. Acknowledgments Introduction 1. The Anglo-Saxon Inheritance 2. "Gratiam pro gratia": Bede on Prayer 3. Does Prayer Work? The Prayers of King Alfred 4. Ælfric and the Community of Prayer Conclusion Bibliography Index

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