Acclaimed writers of faith such as Karen Armstrong,
C. S. Lewis, The Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Harold Kushner, and Thomas Merton explore the meaning of prayer in this inspirational volume, illustrated with more than a hundred photographs representing the world’s spiritual traditions.

Fifteen essays range over a wide array of topics from the perspective of many faiths. Mohandas K. Gandhi and Thomas Moore discuss the human “instinct” for prayer and the need of people of every creed and culture to reach out to the divine. Harold Kushner, C. S. Lewis, and Carol Zaleski pose fundamental questions about the nature of prayer: What is the purpose of prayer? How does it change us? Why are some prayers answered and others not? Thomas Merton, Thich Nhat Hanh, Desmond Tutu, and Jack Kornfield reflect on methods of contemplative prayer and meditation, and the human need for silence and stillness. Kathleen Norris, The Dalai Lama, and Michael Wolfe address the role of prayer within the larger community, suggesting that prayer and meditation are incomplete unless they deepen our compassion and enrich our relationships with others.

Woven between the essays and pictures are quotes, insights, and prayers composed by such beloved spiritual guides as Mother Teresa, Elie Wiesel, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Henri Nouwen, and Abraham Joshua Heschel. Combining insightful text with compelling images and beautiful design, this life-affirming book is a journey into the mystery of prayer and the desire of people of all faiths to communicate with a reality greater than their own.

 

Talking to God: Portrait of a World at Prayer, 176 pages, cloth, 9"x12", 120 photos, ISBN: 0-9656338-3-7, $39.95