The Hidden Ear of God

The Hidden Ear of God is a Christian exploration of prayer through its verbal icons and iconic words. It brings together theology and social anthropology, which have been enemies far too long. By studying “prayer in its own right,” the author seeks to understand how prayer is transfigured in authentic dialogues between God and man, where the initiative is divine. After exploring the Hebrew psalter and the five daily Muslim prayers (salat), Indian devotional prayers (bhakti) are presented in the words of their poets. A brief chapter on Buddhism examines the relationship between Buddhist chant and prayer in Christianity. In a final chapter, conclusions are offered concerning the advantages of studying non-Christian prayer by stepping off from Christian revelation.