Four Early Christian Documents from Egypt Regarding Prayer to the Holy Spirit

What is it about?

This articles studies the practice of praying to the Holy Spirit in early Christianity during the first three centuries CE. This topic has been largely neglected in previous scholarship. Only a few respective studies are available. However, from these, three important witnesses from ancient Egypt with regard to liturgical prayer to the Holy Spirit (i.e., prayers uttered in the context of a worship service) are absent: Firstly, a passage from Clement of Alexandria's writing "Pedagogue" (190 CE). Secondly, a phrase from the Apostolic Tradition (end of the 2nd century). Thirdly, the hymn with musical notation found in Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1786. While it is not clear if the last text can be considered a prayer in the strict sense, all three text provide worthwhile insights into Christian spirituality and liturgy during the first three centuries CE.

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Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash

Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash