Prayer

Prayer is from the Old French preiere, from Latin precaria (to entreat, ask)[1]. The semantic root is in petition or entreaty, though in religious usage prayer covers a much wider range than petition alone: praise, thanksgiving, confession, contemplation, intercession, and silent presence are all forms of prayer in various traditions[2].

prayer varies from liturgical recitation to spontaneous address to contemplative silence.

Christian prayer takes many forms. Catholic and Orthodox traditions include liturgical prayer (the Liturgy of the Hours, the Divine Liturgy), sacramental prayer (especially around Eucharist), devotional prayer (the rosary, prayer to specific saints), and personal prayer. Protestant traditions emphasize prayer in worship services and personal life, with varied attitudes toward liturgical structure. Contemplative practices including the Jesus Prayer (in Orthodox hesychasm) and centering prayer (in modern Catholic practice) develop the more silent dimension.

Islamic prayer is structured around salah (the five daily prayers) with their specific rakat, recitations, and direction toward Mecca. Beyond salah, dua (personal supplication in one's own words) is encouraged. Specific prayers from the Prophet's example (taught and transmitted as Sunnah) are part of daily Muslim life: morning and evening invocations, prayers at meals, prayers for travel.

Jewish prayer is highly developed, with the daily Amidah, the Shema, the Kaddish, and many other prayers structuring observant life. The siddur (prayerbook) varies by tradition (Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Mizrahi, Hasidic, and contemporary movement-specific versions). The synagogue service centers on prayer alongside Torah reading.

Hindu prayer ranges from formal Vedic recitation to devotional songs, mantra repetition, mental remembrance of God, and silent contemplation. The Gayatri mantra and similar formulas are widely recited. Pujas often include prayer as one element among offerings, gestures, and recitation.

Buddhist traditions include prayer in distinctive senses. Pure Land Buddhism's nembutsu (calling on Amitabha Buddha) and Vajrayana mantra practice both function as prayer-like devotional practice. Some Buddhist traditions emphasize that prayer to a creator God is not part of the tradition while still developing rich devotional forms toward bodhisattvas and buddhas.

Indigenous traditions often include prayer in ways that differ from the petitionary model. Address to ancestors, kami, or sacred presences in particular places may be central without conforming to the petition-and-response pattern.

Comparative prayer studies has produced significant literature. Friedrich Heiler's classic Prayer: A Study in the History and Psychology of Religion (1932) attempted broad comparative typology[3]. More recent work by Sam Gill, Bruce Janz, and others has refined methods. Cognitive science and psychology of prayer has grown in recent decades[4].

• Prayer: A Historyby Philip Zaleski and Carol Zaleski
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• Spiritual Marketplaceby Wade Clark Roof
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