LCMS President offers new translation of Martin Luther’s book on praying

ST. LOUIS, December 19, 2012—The Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), has authored a new translation of Martin Luther’s brief essay on prayer, called A Simple Way to Pray.

The essay, which details Luther’s approach to prayer, was written in 1535 after Luther’s barber and friend, Peter Beskendorf, asked for some practical guidance on how to pray. In the essay, Luther details the I.T.C.P. method, which features four steps—Instruction, Thanksgiving, Confession, and Prayer.

Each step helps those in prayer to keep God’s Word at the foundation by anchoring their prayers in the catechism or other biblical texts. The I.T.C.P. process is designed for daily use to help strengthen a Christian’s prayer life.

Harrison translated the essay from German to English.

“At many points in my own spiritual development, the writings of Martin Luther have brought me comfort and encouragement,” Harrison said. “Of all his writings, none has touched me or been more fundamental in the development of my own prayer life than A Simple Way to Pray.”

A Simple Way to Pray is available through Concordia Publishing House, the church’s publisher. To order a copy, visit cph.org or call 800-325-3040.

About The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
The 2.3 million-member Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is a mission-oriented, Bible-based, confessional Christian denomination headquartered in St. Louis. Through acts of witness and mercy, the church carries out its mission worldwide to make known the love of Jesus Christ. Learn more at www.lcms.org.

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