Review of “Finding Your Own Way to Pray”

Review of "Finding Your Own Way to Pray"

Kevin Jones-Prendergast, Youth Update: Finding Your Own Way to Pray, Cincinnati, OH, St. Anthony Messenger, 1998

"Finding Your Own Way to Pray" is an article mean to be a resource for young people.  The article looks at different ways to pray and recognizes that there is a multitude of way for people to connect with God in prayer--it's just about finding the one that feels most comfortable for you.  The article attempts to simplify what prayer is and make it approachable for young people.  This article seems to relate to teens: it certainly takes the intimidation out of prayer.  It offers creative, expressive and simple ideas for prayer.  It seems it would be fitting to use this article with young people with all the issues they are facing based on the writings of James L. Heft in Passing on the Faith: Transforming Traditions for the Next Generation of Jews, Christians and Muslims.

Heft aims to investigate how (or if) faith is being passed from one generation to another and how things like culture, individualism and values affect the transmission of faith.  It is a Western phenomena that young people are not "carrying on" the faith as they have in the past.  They seem to focus on what parts they like and don't want to feel confined in a small set box of rules and regulations.  Young people believe in being "spiritual," but not being "religious."  They are a generation that wants to be entertained and many times fee a tension between their faith and their personal ideals.  The book looks to the appropriate and most effective responses, rather than the clear-cut, tried and true answer of what works and what doesn't.

The Jones-Prendergast article affirms Heft's concern of teens becoming too focused on outside distractions.  The article aims to make praying seem like an east task to attempt.  "Pray" also calls on young people to use the prayer  that feels best for them.  Heft explains it is important to meeting young people where they are rather than telling them they should be at a certain place.  It encourages young people to be creative and find their own unique way to God.