Research Catalog

Title

Prayer in the religious traditions of Africa / Aylward Shorter.

Author

Shorter, Aylward.

Publication

Nairobi : Oxford University Press, 1975.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

xvi, 145, [1] pages; 22 cm

Subject

• Prayers
• Prayer > Christianity
• Prayer
• Prayer
• Prayer > Christianity
• Prayers
• Gebet
• Religion
• Africa > Religious life and customs
• Africa
• Afrika

Genre/Form

• prayer books.
• Prayers
• Prayers.
• Prières.

Bibliography (note)

• Bibliography: p. 144-[146]

Contents

• Part one; the prayer literature of Africa -- 1 Nature and function of prayer in African societies -- 2 The problem of methodology in the study of African traditional religion -- 3 The basis for a typology African prayer -- 4 The occasion, purpose, and thematic infrastructure of African prayer -- 5 The style and structure of African prayer -- 6 Materialized, corporal and ritual prayer -- 7 Historical and other human factors in African prayer -- Part two: presentation of the texts -- I The divine governance -- Introduction -- 1 Prayer to the ancient god -- 2 Praising the creator of a new-born child -- 3 Divine guidance in human work -- 4 Prayer to become like God -- 5 Consecration of the newborn child -- 6 The spirituality of God -- 7 The divine paradox -- 8 The hound of heaven -- 9 God's inescapability -- 10 Man's creaturely insignificance -- 11 Prayer to the creator, the father of laughter -- 12 Prayer to the king of the gods -- 13 Praise of the master of the fate -- 14 Praise of god's divinatory power -- 15 The service of the creator -- 16 Praise of the creator's splendor -- 17 The creed of creation -- 18 The grandeur of god, the creator -- 19 God bewilders his people -- 20 Prayer of joyful assurance -- 21 Dancing before the lord -- II The transmission and continuity of life -- Introduction -- 22 Formula of blessing -- 23 The rivers of life -- 24 Life of cattle, life of men -- 25 Giver and refuser of life -- 26 Children, the field that we share with god -- 27 To the one who has power of life and death -- 28 Sow the seed of offspring with us -- 29 The life that animates the universe -- 30 Great man, you will come back -- 31 'Planting' the dead -- 32 He who holds out his hand dies not -- 33 Fecundity and immortality -- III Earth, the fertile mother of living things -- Introduction -- 34 May we bear children and cattle -- 35 A blessing and a curse -- 36 To the hill deity who gave me birth -- 37 Prayer to the earth goddess at the birth of a child -- 38 O Mother, deliver us -- 39 Earth, I depend on you -- 40 The forgotten god -- 41 Prayer of the New Year festival -- 42 Prayer of the Gunnu ritual -- 43 Prayer of the Tsoede ritual -- 44 Prayer for the maturity of girls and crops -- IV Health and healing -- Introduction -- 45 Overcome all these troubles -- 46 Friend, god, we tell you about this wound -- 47 You are called to join them in the evil -- 48 Prayer against fever and illness -- 49 Thou art the only one -- 50 Drive away the black god -- 51 May you spit upon us the medicine -- 52 May we not be tormented by the maladies -- 53 May sickness be slight -- 54 Help us through these roots.
• 55 Go and loose the captives' fetters -- V Memorial -- Introduction -- 56 Blessing for a homestead -- 57 Prayer for rain under god's tree -- 58 We know that you are with us -- 59 Prayer of my ancestors, you are spoken now -- 60 Prayer for entering a new house -- 61 Unceasing guardians of the living -- 62 A foretaste of heaven -- 63 Dream visit to the holy place -- VI Mediation and reciprocity -- Introduction -- 64 Receive our fellow who has died -- 65 Because there is hunger, you caused theft -- 66 We can only speak your names -- 67 We are your people -- 68 Our forefathers who are in your arms -- 69 We are here in your compound -- 70 Why would we be afraid of you? -- 71 If we were not present, who would feed you? -- VII Gratitude, a foundation for trust -- Introduction -- 72 I am your warrior -- 73 You have given me all -- 74 Thanksgiving for the birth of a child -- 75 Never can we thank you for your deeds -- 76 This is the story of your grace -- 77 Feeder who brings me up -- 78 The great worth of a newborn child -- 79 Divinatory harvest prayer -- VIII Conversion, forgiveness and purification -- Introduction -- 80 Prayer for strength and salvation -- 81 Prayer of the conversion of the unfaithful -- 82 Divinity, heartbroken because of man -- 83 Contrition for pride and greed -- 84 How have I wronged you? -- 85 Avert this evil -- 86 We did not rob a man to build -- 87 Prayer for purity -- 88 Come and save me because I am evil -- 89 Cursing and forgiving the prodigal son -- 90 Negative confession -- 91 Wherein have we erred? -- 92 General confession -- 93 How has he erred? -- 94 Plea for forgiveness -- 95 Prayer for the prisoners -- 96 The shoulders get tired of carrying sins -- 97 Litany of the thirteen questions -- IX Judgment -- Introduction -- 98 Let us not run the world hastily -- 99 Good morning to you, o god, I am learning -- 100 You will pass before a searching judge -- X Protection from evil -- Introduction -- 101 Stop the wicked man -- 102 It is you who protect the home -- 103 We are in your hands -- 104 Exorcism of the cattle kraal -- 105 Let others be done by as they did -- 106 Leave me not behind, Jesus, wait for me -- 107 Protection in the rains and in the harvest -- 108 Hearken to my constant prayer -- 109 Purification of the forest -- 110 Hatch us, wondrous hen -- 111 The need for protective grace -- XI Celestial symbols of prosperity and good fortune -- Introduction -- 112 The cloud-spotted sky has heard -- 113 Bring riches today as the sun rises -- 114 Prayer to the moon for luck -- 115 Prayer to the moon for success in hunting -- 116 Prayer to the moon for immortality -- 117 Prayer to the young moon -- 118 Who does not look on beauty soon is poor -- 119 Prayer for good fortune -- 120 God has given me good luck -- 121 Prayer to the new moon -- 122 Open the windows of heaven -- 123 Prayer for the good fortune of work -- XII Peace, internal and external -- Introduction -- 124 Let me pass the day in peace -- 125 Let me pass the night in peace -- 126 O god, lead my steps -- 127 Litany for peace -- 128 Prayer against unpleasant surprises -- 129 Let the souls of thy people be cool -- 130 Are our voices one? -- 131 Prayer for Christian unity -- 132 Peace between buyer and seller -- XIII Victory and war -- Introduction -- 133 Help us keep our enemies at bay -- 134 Battle hymn -- 135 Let not our town be spoiled by war -- XIV Crisis and desperation -- Introduction -- 136 Prayer of the Meru exodus -- 137 Prayer for the release of death -- 138 Divinity, help me -- 139 Prayer for the sick man -- 140 Desperate plea for offspring -- 141 Prayer of the desperate hunter -- 142 Prayer for rain -- 143 I lie down without food -- 144 Prayer for the unsuccessful rain-maker -- XV Old age and death -- Introduction -- 145 The gates of the underworld are closed -- 146 Prayer for a happy old age -- 147 A long farewell -- 148 Prayer for a happy death -- 149 We are bereft of a leader -- 150 Wait awhile in life -- 151 God, you have called too soon -- 152 Give me another year, lord.

ISBN

• 019572349X
• 9780195723496
• 0195723503
• 9780195723502
• 0195198484
• 9780195198485

LCCN

75980122

OCLC

• ocm02345552
• 2345552
• SCSB-207011

Owning Institutions

Princeton University Library