Book Review: Cloud of Witnesses
Today, I’m reviewing Cloud of Witnesses: A Treasury of Prayers & Petitions through the Ages, edited by Jonathan W. Arnold and Zachariah M. Carter, published by Crossway.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All views expressed are my own. This post includes Amazon affiliate links.
My Review
While my religious tradition doesn’t typically use prayer books or written prayers, I do enjoy reading prayers from others from time to time. My own prayers often feel so inadequate. I appreciate being reminded that Christians have faced many of the same challenges throughout the years.
Cloud of Witnesses is perhaps the most beautiful prayer book I’ve encountered. It is a small, curated collection of prayers from a wide variety of sources throughout church history. The older prayers have been edited to make them easily understood by today’s readers.
It’s a lovely hardback book with gold foil accents and a ribbon marker, perfect for gift-giving.
The prayers are organized chronologically into four time periods: Early Church, Medieval Church, Reformation Church, and Modern Church.
Each prayer is attributed to the person or liturgy from which it originated, but there were many I had never heard of. That’s where the Historical Introductions come in. That section of the book includes short descriptions or biographies of each of the liturgies or Christians referenced in the prayers. I appreciate having that information readily available. It makes the prayers more meaningful.
I noticed in the preface that it mentioned the prayers being edited for modern readers. While I understand the need for that, I kind of wished they hadn’t done that because sometimes the old language (think KJV style) is more eloquent and expressive. Then I realized that some of the oldest prayers (from the early church, for example) wouldn’t have been in English at all. Oh, yeah. I can’t read Greek. Well, then, modern English it is.
But guess what?
The Appendix has all the prayers in their original, unedited form. No, I can’t read Greek, Latin, German, or even Old English, but I can usually make out Middle English (once I remember that u’s and v’s are reversed). I’m so glad that section was included.
Finally, Cloud of Witnesses includes two indices: a Historical Figure Index and a Topic Index. This makes it convenient to locate a prayer you may remember and want to revisit.
From the Publisher
Throughout history, Christians have sought guidance to bolster their spiritual walk with Christ and life of prayer. Even Christ’s disciples would ask, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). But in our current individualistic culture, it’s almost too easy to neglect the wisdom of those who came before us.
To restore a love of historic Christian tradition, theology, and practice, this comprehensive anthology combines prayers and petitions of the greatest figures throughout the formation of the church, continuing through the medieval, Reformation, and modern eras. Editors Jonathan W. Arnold and Zachariah M. Carter provide context for each prayer through expert introductions, commentary, and biographical explorations. Ultimately readers will be encouraged in their faith as they learn the importance of prayer and witness the hearts and struggles of the saints.
- Helpful Historical Resource: A chronological anthology of prayers and petitions throughout church history
- Features Church History’s Greatest Figures: Clement of Rome, Gregory of Nyssa, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Charles Spurgeon, and more
- Useful as a Devotional Aid: Helps readers strengthen their knowledge of prayer and develop their walk with Christ
- Ideal for Church Leaders and Laypeople Alike: Pastors, historians, theologians, Bible teachers, and individual believers
