Rituals and Practices in Intercessory Prayer Spaces
Rituals and Practices in Intercessory Prayer Spaces
Intercessory prayer involves rituals and practices that vary across Christian traditions. The biblical basis for intercessory prayer is rooted in the concept of prayer as "converse with God" and "intercourse of the soul with God" [1]. In the Old Testament, the Israelites practiced intercessory prayer through rituals such as burning incense on the altar, which symbolized their prayers ascending to God [5].
The early Christian church continued this practice, with believers praying for one another and invoking God's aid. According to John Calvin, the true object of prayer is to carry thoughts directly to God, whether to celebrate his praise or implore his aid [7]. Calvin emphasizes that prayer is primarily an internal feeling manifested before God.
Different Christian traditions have developed distinct rituals and practices surrounding intercessory prayer. In Reformed theology, intercessory prayer is seen as a priestly function, with Christ being the sole mediator between God and humanity [3]. Charles Hodge argues that while Christ is the only intercessor, believers can still pray for one another, as this is consistent with Christ's role as mediator [3].
In contrast, Catholic tradition emphasizes the role of saints in intercessory prayer. Thomas Aquinas argues that the saints in heaven can be invoked to pray for the faithful on earth, as they are nearest to God and can intercede on behalf of believers [6].
The physical spaces where intercessory prayer takes place also reflect varying traditions. For example, the biblical description of the Temple includes "holy rooms" where priests would eat the most holy things and lay out offerings [2]. In the Old Testament, the Israelites built specific structures, such as the altar of incense, to facilitate prayer and worship [5].
The practice of intercessory prayer is not limited to specific spaces or rituals, however. According to Augustine, believers can pray "always" by cherishing uninterrupted desire, faith, hope, and charity, even as they use specific words and rituals in prayer at stated hours and seasons [4].
The various Christian traditions agree that intercessory prayer is an essential aspect of the Christian life, even if they differ on the specifics of how it is practiced. As Calvin notes, believers should commit one another to God's care and protection, recognizing that everything good comes from their common Father [8].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14). Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold inter”
- Ezekiel “Then he said to me, The north rooms and the south rooms, which are before the separate place, they are the holy rooms, where the priests who are near to Yahweh shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meal offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy. -- Ezekiel 42:13”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 119: § 4. Intercession of Saints. There is but one Mediator between God and man, and but one High Priest through whom we draw near to God. And as intercession is a priestly function, it follows that Christ is our only intercessor. But as there is a sense in which all believers are kings and priests unto God, which is consistent with Christ’s being our only king and priest; so there is a sense in which one believer may intercede for another, which is not inconsistent with Christ’s being our only intercessor. By intercession in the case of beli”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 1: Augustine — Confessions, Letters — CHAP. IX -- 18. When we cherish uninterrupted desire along with the exercise of faith and hope and charity, we "pray always." But at certain stated hours and seasons we also use. words in prayer to Go: CHAP. X. -- 19. Wherefore it is neither wrong ! nor unprofitable to spend much time in praying, if there be leisure for this without hindering other good and necessary works to which duty' calls us, although even in the doing of these, as I have said, we ought by cherishing holy desire to pray without ceasing. For to spend a long time in prayer is ”
- Exodus (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Exodus 30:7: Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense--literally, "incense of spices"--Strong aromatic substances were burnt upon this altar to counteract by their odoriferous fragrance the offensive fumes of the sacrifices; or the incense was employed in an offering of tributary homage which the Orientals used to make as a mark of honor to kings; and as God was Theocratic Ruler of Israel, His palace was not to be wanting in a usage of such significancy. Both these ends were served by this altar--that of fumigating the apartments of the sacred edifice, while the pure”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Supplement (Supplementum), Of Prayers with Regard to the Saints in Heaven, Art. 2: Article: Whether we ought to call upon the saints to pray for us? I answer that, According to Dionysius (Eccl. Hier. v) the order established by God among things is that "the last should be led to God by those that are midway between." Wherefore, since the saints who are in heaven are nearest to God, the order of the Divine law requires that we, who while we remain in the body are pilgrims from the Lord, should be brought back to God by the saints who are between us and Him: and this h”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 75: Saviour also condemns, namely, when hypocrites for the sake of ostentation court the presence of many witnesses, and would sooner pray in the market-place than pray without applause. The true object of prayer being, as we have already said (sec. 4, 5), to carry our thoughts directly to God, whether to celebrate his praise or implore his aid, we can easily see that its primary seat is in the mind and heart, or rather that prayer itself is properly an effusion and manifestation of internal feeling before Him who is the searcher of he”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 75: we all obtain whatever is good is our common Father ( Mt. 23:9 ), every thing which has been distributed to us we should be prepared to communicate to each other, as far as occasion demands. But if we are thus desirous as we ought, to stretch out our hands and give assistance to each other, there is nothing by which we can more benefit our brethren than by committing them to the care and protection of the best of parents, since if He is propitious and favourable nothing more can be desired. And, indeed, we owe this also to our Fath”