Halter The Phenomenology of Prayer


“Earthly Economy”

A common form of prayer is called petitionary prayer. Petitionary prayer is when humans turn prayer into a sort of trade/exchange with God. Humans will pray to a higher being in “petition” for them to gift them with something in exchange for them doing something for the Gods in return. This is what the book calls and earthly economy --- a “system of exchange through which things come to us.” Pg. 64. However, the book brings up, how do the Gods benefit from our human sacrifices? I believe that in a petitionary prayer there is no benefit to the Gods. Prayer is not about us, it’s a response to God. That’s why kenosis or self-emptying, is so important when talking to God. You can’t make it about yourself because then you fall victim to the “earthly economy.”


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