Early Christian Prayer and Identity Formation

The contributors of this volume address the question of identity among Christ-believers from the viewpoint of prayer. Prayer brings into the discussion several dimensions that make up religious identity. It is attested rather early that prayer was theology performed, and thus intertwined with emerging theologies. Furthermore, prayer was Christocentric in orientation and focus. As of yet, these aspects have not received due attention in scholarly discussions. Christian identity, albeit fragile and complex, was taking shape already in the first century and found itself on the verge between textual phenomenon and social realities. The texts had an impact on those who were exposed to them, in creating representations of social reality, but were not to be identified with that reality. Texts on prayer are prescriptive in that they recommend certain notions of Christian identity, with the addressees invited to embrace certain ways of thinking and acting. The present volume looks into that process.Reidar Hvalvik/Karl Olav Sandnes: Early Christian Prayer and Identity Formation: Introducing the Project - Mikael Tellbe: Identity and Prayer - Larry Hurtado: The Place of Jesus in Earliest Christian Prayer and its Import for Early Christian Identity - Reidar Hvalvik: Praying with Outstretched Hands: Nonverbal Aspects of Early Christian Prayer and the Question of Identity - Geir Otto Holmås: Prayer, 'Othering' and the Construction of Early Christian Identity in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke - Mikael Tellbe: Prayer and Social Identity Formation in the Letter to the Ephesians - Anna Rebecca Solevåg: Prayer in Acts and the Pastoral Epistles: Intersections of Gender and Class - Ole Jacob Filtvedt: With Our Eyes Fixed on Jesus: The Prayers of Jesus and His Followers in Hebrews - Craig R. Koester: Heavenly Prayer and Christian Identity in the Book of Revelation - Karl Olav Sandnes: »The First Prayer«: Pater Noster in the Early Church - Hans Kvalbein: The Lord's Prayer and the Eucharist Prayers in the Didache - Reidar Aasgaard: »What point is there for me in other people hearing my confessions?« Prayer and Christian Identity in Augustine's Confessions - Anastasia Maravela: Christians Praying in a Graeco-Egyptian Context: Intimations of Christian Identity in Greek Papyrus Prayers - Niclas Förster: Prayer in the Valentinian Apolytrosis: A Case Study on Gnostic Identity - Glenn Wehus: »Bring Now, O Zeus, What Difficulty Thou Wilt. « Prayer and Identity Formation in the Stoic Philosopher Epictetus - Reidar Hvalvik/Karl Olav Sandnes: Prayer and Identity Formation: Attempts at a Synthesis