Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Foreword by The Bishop of Shrewsbury, The Rt Revd Mark Rylands
- 1 Introduction: shaping rural theology
- PART 1 PERSPECTIVES FROM THE BIBLE
- PART 2 PERSPECTIVES FROM ORDINARY THEOLOGY
- 5 Ordinary theology for rural theology and rural ministry
- 6 The kneelers are most impressive: reflections on reading a visitors' book
- 7 Ordinary prayer and the rural church: an empirical study of prayer cards
- PART 3 THEOLOGICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
- PART 4 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES
- PART 5 LISTENING TO VISITORS
- PART 6 LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY
- PART 7 LISTENING TO CHURCHGOERS
- PART 8 LISTENING TO CHURCH LEADERS
- PART 9 SATISFACTION AND STRESS IN MINISTRY
- Contributors
- Sources
- Subject Index
- Name Index
7 - Ordinary prayer and the rural church: an empirical study of prayer cards
from PART 2 - PERSPECTIVES FROM ORDINARY THEOLOGY
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Foreword by The Bishop of Shrewsbury, The Rt Revd Mark Rylands
- 1 Introduction: shaping rural theology
- PART 1 PERSPECTIVES FROM THE BIBLE
- PART 2 PERSPECTIVES FROM ORDINARY THEOLOGY
- 5 Ordinary theology for rural theology and rural ministry
- 6 The kneelers are most impressive: reflections on reading a visitors' book
- 7 Ordinary prayer and the rural church: an empirical study of prayer cards
- PART 3 THEOLOGICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
- PART 4 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES
- PART 5 LISTENING TO VISITORS
- PART 6 LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY
- PART 7 LISTENING TO CHURCHGOERS
- PART 8 LISTENING TO CHURCH LEADERS
- PART 9 SATISFACTION AND STRESS IN MINISTRY
- Contributors
- Sources
- Subject Index
- Name Index
Summary
Abstract – The article explores the content of ordinary people's prayers by analysing 1,067 prayer cards left in one rural church over a sixteenthmonth period. The analysis is placed in the theoretical context of ordinary theology, and it uses a conceptual framework which distinguishes between three aspects of ordinary intercessory and ordinary supplicatory prayer defined as reference, intention, and objective (ap Siôn, 2007). Results of the analysis show that specific concrete issues were not included in 30% of prayer requests, but in the 70% of requests where concrete contexts were provided, 29% cited illness and 20% death. Overall, there were more examples of primary control (55%) than secondary control (45%). The results, alongside selected exemplification of categories, identify the concerns of ordinary theologians expressed in a rural ministry context and their contribution to the empirical study of ordinary theology.
Introduction
Many rural churches offer an invitation to those passing through their doors to pause, to reflect and to compose a request for prayer. The present study was established to listen to and to analyse the prayer requests left by ordinary people within one rural church. The analysis is placed within the context of ordinary theology and its practical expression through ordinary prayer.
Ordinary theology
Theology is usually regarded as an activity which lies in the domain of ‘qualified’ theologians within the Church or Academy. Although dialogue exists between qualified theologians and ordinary people, notably in the context of practical theology, very often that dialogue is controlled by the former. In response to this perceived imbalance, Jeff Astley (2002) introduced and defined the construct of ordinary theology, and asked whether benefits could be gained from listening to those who are technically unqualified (ordinary) people.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Rural Life and Rural ChurchTheological and Empirical Perspectives, pp. 64 - 80Publisher: Acumen PublishingPrint publication year: 2012