Praying the Jesus Prayer Together
The Jesus Prayer is an ancient yet simple form of contemplative prayer, rooted in scripture. Over the last few decades it has spread out of the Eastern Orthodox tradition and into the lives and spirituality of Western Christians, causing a quiet revolution.
Both Brother Ramon (the hermit) and Simon Barrington-Ward (the bishop) had been practising and teaching the Jesus Prayer for well over twenty years when they came together for a shared week of prayer at Glasshampton Monastery. This book shares what they learned in an experience they described as a 'week of glory', yet also marked by the physical suffering of Brother Ramon's illness.
The 13 chapters and epilogue are written alternately by Bishop Simon and Brother Ramon and bring together insights from the Catholic, evangelical and Orthodox traditions. Topics covered include:
Brother Ramon SSF died in early summer 2000, after a short battle with cancer. He wrote widely, especially on the subject of prayer and spirituality, and also wrote The Flame of Sacred Love and When They Crucified My Lord for BRF.
Simon Barrington-Ward, having been General Secretary of CMS (1975-1985), became Bishop of Coventry (1985-1987), and then retired to Cambridge. While at Coventry he wrote a small book called The Jesus Prayer (BRF, 1996). Through this book he came to know Brother Ramon and to join with him in writing the present book. Although illness disrupted that collaboration so tragically, they both discovered that it had also profoundly enriched and enhanced their praying together.
- View other titles by Brother Ramon SSF, Simon Barrington-Ward