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Embracing the World: Praying for Justice and Peace, by Jane E. VennardPosted by Victoria Bresee, 1/13/05 at 9:19:32 AM.
My studies with Reverend Jane Vennard at Iliff School of Theology were very transformative for me. I registered for every class in Spiritual Direction and Prayer that she taught. The opportunity to learn new (old) ways to bring more depth to my spiritual connection and the time for reflection was a critical contrast to the more active, but equally transformative, explorations into social justice issues that I was exposed to at Iliff.
Although the experiences, tools, and insights that I gained while studying with her are still very much part of my daily life and spiritual journey, it wasn’t until I read the first few chapters of her most recent book, Embracing the World, that I felt intensely compelled to become more active in the political, social arena.
She describes the circular flow that can begin at any point from transformation to intercession to action to renewal and stresses “that prayer does not take us out of the world but draws us more fully into the world.” “Prayer leads us into service and service leads us to reflection and back to God” (xii). She defines the five corresponding ways of praying that are valid and appropriate for particular points in the natural circular flow: prayers of intercession, action prayers, prayers of renewal, prayers of transformation, and prayers of discernment.
When many Christians hear the word “prayer,” they think of intercessory prayer. Jane Vennard beautifully argues that the other ways to pray are equally necessary to effect change in the world, and, that in order to transform the world, we must also allow our own personal transformation to take place.
There are many political, social, and health issues that need our attention and the past few weeks we have seen great natural disasters. We have to make choices and decide on priorities. We can’t all help with the AIDS epidemic, we can’t all help with the violence in Darfur, or saving lives affected by the tsunami. Vennard shares her own struggles and initial inability or hesitancy to see herself as an activist. She talks about the importance of looking at our own skill set and finding ways that we can value our own unique gifts that can make a difference.
I am grateful that she includes the prayer of discernment with the others. She reminds us how critical it is for us to allow time to be able to be receptive, of the necessity to give up control, even if we are sure that we know what needs to be done, and to listen to God’s guidance.
“As we pray for discernment in the struggle for justice and peace, we are not choosing between good and bad: we are choosing among the many good possibilities that God offers to us. In fact, in praying for discernment we are not trying to choose simply a good life but rather we are trying to choose our life. We are praying to discover the unique gift we each have to offer a world in pain.” (107). |
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