Halter The Phenomenology of Prayer


Praying with a Decentered Self

“The proper posture of prayer must be a kenotic one…”. Pg. 4

In The Phenomenology of Prayer, an overall theme is that we do not really know how to pray and so we are always in a constant state of learning. How should we practice prayer? It is often misconceived that prayer is about yourself, but it is a response to God. Therefore, kenosis is the way that prayer should be practiced. Kenosis means emptying ourselves before God. When praying you decenter yourself and the self loses its preoccupation with itself and focuses on God. Humans are known to be selfish and that is not the way anyone should be when talking to God. Those who pray, should practice self-emptying, so the sacred can instill itself in our bodily being and behavior. Through this book, I’ve learned that prayer is a phenomenology and it’s something that may never be completely understood, but the practice of prayer through kenosis moves us toward a compassionate, merciful, responsible, and faithful life.

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