The Challenge of Unanswered Prayer - Richard R. Crocker

The Challenge of Unanswered Prayer
Richard R. Crocker
Church of Christ at Dartmouth College
July 24, 2011
Hosea 1:2-10 and Luke 11:1-13

Here I am, talking about prayer, again. I would not be surprised if you were tired of it. After all, I talked about it last summer when I preached here. And you were kind enough to ask me to come and give another talk about it this winte during a Sunday afternoon session. I probably wouldn’t have chosen to talk about it again, had not the gospel lesson in today’s lectionary compelled me to do so. For those of you who think you have heard everything I might have to say on this subject, I apologize and beg your indulgence. I shall try not to be unnecessarily repetitive. I do not aim to be like the man in today’s parable, who by his persistence finally rouses his sleeping neighbor, but I am aware of the parallel. There is something just a bit different in what I will say today. First, I will offer a few brief thoughts on the general nature of prayer. And then I will focus more specifically on the experience of unanswered prayer. Much of what I will say is heavily indebted to Harry Emerson Fosdick’s little book, The Meaning of Prayer, which I commend to you.

First, the general thoughts. Prayer is the essence of the religious life in general, and it is certainly the essence of the Christian life. That bears repeating, doesn’t it? Prayer is the essence of the religious life in general, and it is certainly the essence of the Christian life.

Where do you go to church? - Richard R. Crocker

Where do you go to church?
Richard R. Crocker
Church of Christ at Dartmouth College
July 17, 2011
Psalm 82 and Hebrews 10:19-25

It will not surprise you to learn that I have spent a good part of my life going to church. This is due not only, and not originally, to my interest in Christian faith, or to my profession as a minister. It is due to my having been born and brought up in a small Southern town, where church attendance was universally expected. Though many things have changed in the south, it is still often the case that Yankees and other visitors are confounded, even offended, when they are inevitably asked, upon making a new acquaintance, “Where do you go to church?” A question that is deemed public in the South is deemed private in some other parts of the country, and indeed, it is deemed secret in New Hampshire.

Now, my interest in religion, and specifically in Christian religion, having been planted when I was a child in Alabama and watered by the Baptists, sprinkled by the Methodists, and carefully pruned by the Presbyterians, finally blossomed into lifetime of church experience. Indeed, I would wager, if I were allowed to wager, which of course, I am not – that I have attended more churches of different traditions than anyone in this congregation. My experience is wide. For fun, and for this sermon, I counted them up during some down time on my recent vacation. Here’s the abbreviated list:

Baptist churches – all varieties, Southern, American, National, primitive, hardshell, missionary, foot-washing, etc.
Methodist
Presbyterian – a variety, including the Church of Scotland
Episcopal and Anglican (Church of England)
Congregational and United Church of Christ
The Church of Christ (not to be confused, on any account, with the UCC)
Christian Church - Disciples of Christ
Lutheran
Roman Catholic
Orthodox
Quaker
Mennonite
Church of the Brethren
Assembly of God
Church of God
Foursquare Gospel
United Pentecostal