In Silence

In Silence

Why We Pray

Donald Spoto

A wide-ranging, eloquent exploration of humanity’s intimate dialogue with the divine

The literature of prayer has a long and rich heritage. This extraordinary work of scholarship and devotion builds on that tradition and points it in a fresh direction, examining not only what prayer says about God but what it reveals about our own universal experiences and inner lives.

Drawing on the religious thinkers of both West and East, from Augustine to Rumi, from Teresa of Avila to Chogram Trungpa, Donald Spoto looks at all the types of prayer that have engaged humanity through the ages: prayer as petition, as forgiveness, as a cry of suffering, as abandonment, as serenity, as loving, as silence. In Silence is a ringing celebration of our most precious habit of being, beautifully written and filled with wonder.

“Spoto brings a tempered passion to the broad topic of prayer in human experience. An interesting blend of devotional manual and scholarly treatise.” Publishers Weekly

”Like holding an intricately cut crystal to the light, prayer emerges from Spoto’s skillful scrutiny as something to be contemplated in, of and for its own sake.”Booklist (starred review)