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We have all had the experience of being at church and hearing the pastor say, ""And now with the confidence of children we are bold to pray, 'Our Father . . .'"" but before we know it we are saying ""for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen."" In the very moment of intimacy when we are given the privilege of entering the presence of our heavenly Father, our minds have drifted off. We speak the words of the prayer, not from our hearts, but from the autopilot of memory. This is mere recitation, not prayer. If in relationships familiarity breeds contempt, in the case of the Lord's Prayer, familiarity breeds thoughtlessness. The Lord's Prayer: A Confession of the New Covenant is not a Bible study in the traditional sense. It challenges us to think about the Lord's Prayer anew by understanding it as a confession of the New Covenant that Christ makes with us when we are made children of God in baptism. In hearing these familiar words afresh we learn to remember our baptismal covenant so that we might live more fully into that new relationship with God and with one another. ""Warren Smith draws upon the riches of the church's heritage, as well as his own extensive knowledge of Scripture, tradition, and contemporary literature, to give eloquent testimony to the power of the Lord's Prayer. Smith is a master teacher who has a gift for drawing students into passionate engagement with the faith, a deeply committed Christian who believes what he writes, and a gifted writer who ignites fresh insight on nearly every page. Jesus's disciples asked him, 'Teach us to pray . . . ."" Warren Smith does just that in his beautiful book."" --Will Willimon, Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry, Duke Divinity School, Durham, NC ""Warren Smith is the kind of teacher whom local churches hope their pastor will take. He takes seriously the Bible, the early church, Wesley, prayer, and good humor. All are on display in this accessible volume written with the whole church in mind. Read--and find yourself praying."" --Jason Byassee, pastor, Boone United Methodist Church, Boone, NC ""I can think of no one I'd rather teach me to pray than Warren Smith. He's a pastoral scholar and his pastoral counsel is scholarly, and this is the case without condescension or any loss of clarity. Smith's book sheds warm light on the familiar words of Scripture and the familiar practice of praying as Jesus taught us to pray. Smith's wise and fatherly voice in this book will help readers to better know the Father of Jesus Christ."" --Beth Felker Jones, Associate Professor of Theology, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL ""Written with historical insight, theological acuity, and pastoral sensitivity (a rare combination), this book deserves a wide readership among those who want to more faithfully pray and live the prayer that Jesus taught us."" --L. Roger Owens, Associate Professor of Leadership and Ministry, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh, PA J. Warren Smith (PhD, Yale) is a United Methodist Minister in the North Carolina Conference serving as Associate Professor of Historical Theology at Duke Divinity School. He teaches church history, with a focus on early Christianity. Dr. Smith is director of the South Sudan Theological Training Initiative that provides theological education for United Methodist clergy in South Sudan. He also enjoys teaching teenagers each summer in the Duke Youth Academy and Texas Youth Academy.
