Braun, Kay Bender. On Earth as in Heaven: Praying at the Crossroads. Augsburg Fortress, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-8066-8009-5.
Meet the Author
Kay Bender Braun is pastor of St. Petri-Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She has a background in journalism and has written for diverse publications including The Charlotte Observer, the team magazine for the NBA Charlotte Hornets, and Word in Season, a daily devotional published by Augsburg Fortress.
Book Basics
Unlike most books I review, this text is overtly denominational. Lutherans will find this text written by an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) pastor a good basic overview of the Lord’s Prayer, something akin to a confirmation refresher course for adults. All readers, regardless of denominational affiliation, will benefit from this short overview that frames the Lord’s Prayer not only the model prayer but also the Christian framework for discerning God’s will. Each chapter concludes with a section connecting the content to Scripture and a series of questions for personal reflection and application. This text is less than one hundred pages and should best be viewed as a 101 course on the Lord’s Prayer.
So What?
Braun’s prayer for her readers is simple yet profound, “May the Lord’s Prayer guide the decisions you make and the steps you take” (p.15). Does the Lord’s Prayer function in that way in your life?