Today, we tend to think of prayer as an individual activity, a chance to talk to God one-on-one. But in each of the three Abrahamic faiths, prayer has traditionally been a communal, structured practice, less a “dialogue” between man and God than a time to approach the King as loyal and humble subjects. These ancient patterns of prayer are an antidote to the atomization of modern life.
In the Abrahamic religions, prayer is a scheduled activity. Each morning, the believer faces a new day with several standing appointments. For Muslims, there are five appointed times for prayer; for Jews, three; and for Christians, anywhere between three and eight, depending on the tradition. Prayer is, most fundamentally, a matter of heeding a call and showing up.
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