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Abstract

The present article discusses theological questions arising
through the phenomenon and praxis of prayer: What are the features
of different genres of prayer such as praise and lament, confession and
intercession, and how can the relation between semantics and pragmatics
within the performance of prayer be characterized if the language
of prayer does not only embrace self-involving speech acts in an agonic
process leading to the supplicant’s self-transformation, but also silent
gestures, deeds and attitudes? What is the relation between speech and
silence in prayer? To what extent is it legitimate to determine prayer as
a ‘dialogue’ with God? Given that God does not speak with a ‘voice’
that can be heard acoustically, the question is also how one can know
whether it is God or someone else ‘speaking’ to a person. Texts by Luther,
Kierkegaard, Levinas, Derrida, Chrétien, Wittgenstein, Phillips,
Casper and Brümmer provide the basis for this discussion.