Why We Pray

“John Peckham provides a deeply moving and profoundly theological case for prayer to a consistently good and trustworthy God. He makes sense of the conundrum of unanswered prayer, describing the parameters that impact the hearing and answering of our prayers. Peckham’s clear case for a God who is not distant or immovable but affected by our words and actions demonstrates that humans are genuine partners with God in accomplishing his will. Every Christian, indeed everyone contemplating a conversation with God, will be enlightened by this important work.”

“In this outstanding discussion of petitionary prayer, John Peckham reassures us that prayer really does make a difference. Peckham shows how cosmic conflict is central to a biblical theology of prayer. God has created a world in which we are invited to strive, with him, against the powers of darkness. Tough questions about unanswered prayer are not ignored, even as the overall picture of God that emerges is reassuring. Readers will learn much from Peckham’s rich theological treatment of prayer. And more than that, they will be inspired to pray!”

“The disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, and he did. Even more now than then, the world needs prayer, and John Peckham has not only cogently offered us the biblical antecedents and exemplars for this primal human speech but also thoughtfully argued the theological and philosophical bases for prayer. From discussing simple prayers on our own behalf to prayers for catastrophic events to what might be termed ‘warfare prayer’ on a cosmic spiritual level, Peckham runs the gamut of possible philosophical arguments for and against the necessity of prayer—especially why a good, omniscient, and all-powerful God needs our prayers to act in any dimension at all.”

“Lucidly written and normed by Scripture, this book explains why we pray if God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving. Why We Pray addresses Western concerns about how prayer can influence such a God as well as what to do with unanswered prayers and the problem of divine hiddenness. I found myself both challenged and encouraged by Peckham’s stimulating engagement with prayer. Most of all, I found myself wanting to pray more, which is a testament to the theological task and to this work specifically.”

“It is not every book of serious theology that leaves one eager to pray, but this one does—not by admonition but by fundamentally shifting our view of God and how he works in the world. It eases long-lasting puzzles (and the perplexity they cause) by putting more pieces of the providential jigsaw on the table. It even defuses the disturbing implications of the doctrine of predestination along the way. The only disappointment of this book is that it doesn’t come with a free pair of kneepads!”

“In Why We Pray John Peckham tackles a series of fundamental questions that I and many others have about the nature of prayer and our disappointments with it. He approaches these puzzles with a pastoral sensitivity that is both theologically astute and scripturally infused. In this book you will not find easy answers, trite sayings, or pointless advice. Instead, expect a thoughtful, mature Christian wrestling with profound mysteries and discovering more and more reasons to pray.”