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Article: Prayer at Taize.(religious community in France)
- Article from:
- The Christian Century
- Article date:
- March 21, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 The Christian Century Foundation. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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WE CALL PRAYER at Taize "common prayer," not the "office," which suggests a work obligation: "We do our office," "We do what we ought to do." That doesn't correspond to the way we experience prayer in our lives. To say prayer is "common" is to say that it brings us together. Of course, each member of the community tries to find time for personal prayer. But prayer in the church brings us all together.
A lot of people say, "Well, God is close to you anywhere." Of course, a Christian prays on his own, But prayer brings us together. And a certain attention given to God will have an effect on the way we are with others. If God really is communion--Father, Son, Holy ...