The Challenge of the Lord's Prayer

You've said the Lord's Prayer so often that you know it off by heart. But does it still challenge you? Can you truly stand up to the demands of this most holy and beloved of prayers?

In his new book, The Challenge of the Lord's Prayer, author John Cox forces us to face the prayer of Jesus head on and not to pray it lightly. He provides valuable insights into its meaning and relevance today, raising important questions to challenge those who have the courage to pray this ancient prayer with a true and living faith.

As John says: "We sometimes think that prayer is all about asking, but in asking for things for ourselves, our very asking challenges us about what we are doing - in relation to God and in relation to others."

John Cox was ordained priest in the Anglican Church in 1968 and has worked as curate and rector of an inner-city ex-slum parish in Birmingham, as well as being Diocesan Director of Ordinands and Post-ordination training. Having retired twice, he now spends his time writing, playing golf and enjoying river cruises.

The Challenge of the Lord's Prayer insists that we put God first in our praying and demands that, as we ask God for forgiveness, we consider the needs of others and how we, in turn, forgive them. And it calls us to stand up to the evil in our world today.