A Study of Prayer

by Ruth Burton, Urantia Brotherhood School
Page numbers refer to the original 1955 printing of The Urantia Book

• I. The Evolution of Prayer
  • 1. The evolution of prayer - Paper 91
  • 2. First prayers - verbalized wishes - p. 995
  • 3. Bargaining with God - p. 983
  • 4. Primitive concepts of prayer - p. 995
  • 5. Prayer as part of evolving religion - p. 996
  • 6. Prayer in relation to the ego - p. 997
  • 7. Sundry aspects of prayer - p. 996
• II. Function of Prayer
  • 1. Prayer a factor in spiritual progress - p. 999
  • 2. The promise of prayer - p. 999
  • 3. The mission of prayer - p. 1621
  • 4. Even futile prayers expand the soul - p. 1621
  • 5. Prayer prevents the isolation of personality - p. 996
  • 6. Twofold functional aspects of prayer - p. 997
• III. Ethical Praying
  • 1. Unselfish and non-materialistic praying - p. 997
  • 2. Praying in all fairness - p. 998
  • 3. Ethical prayers elevate the ego - p. 997
• IV. Conditions of Effective Prayer
  • 1. Seven conditions - p. 1002
• V. Answers to Prayer
  • 1. Prayer transmissions to the Father - p. 84, 1638
  • 2. Persist in seeking the answer - p. 1619, Luke. 11:5-13
  • 3. The wicked judge and prayer answers - p. 1619, Luke. 8:2-8
  • 4. Right answers to wrong prayers - p. 1946
  • 5. Jesus discourses on answer to prayer - p. 1848-9
• VI. Prayer as Related to Worship
  • 1. Primitive praying hardly worship - p. 983
  • 2. Prayer must not displace worship - p. 1123
  • 3. Prayer as related to worship - p.65
  • 4. Prayer may lead to worship - p. 1621
• VII. The Personal Prayer Life
  • 1. Remember sonship is a gift - p. 1621
  • 2. Personal repercussions of prayer - p. 999
  • 3. Transcending prayers - p. 1000
  • 4. Tolerance for ignorant praying - p. 998
• VIII. Dangers of Excessive Private Prayer
  • 1. Compensated by group prayer - [91:7.6]
• IX. Social Repercussions of Prayer
  • 1. Repercussions of praying - p. 998-9
  • 2. The efficacy of group prayer - p. 998
  • 3. Tolerance for another's prayers - p. 999
  • 4. Formalization of prayer - p. 999
• X. The Lord's Prayer
  • 1. Evolution of the Lord's Prayer - p. 1389
  • 2. The Believer's prayer - p. 1619, Luke. 11:1-4
  • 3. Jesus' teaching regarding prayer - p. 1620
• XI. Examples of prayer
  • 1. Hap's prayer - p. 747
  • 2. John's prayer - p. 1618
  • 3. Other forms of prayer - p. 1621-4
• XII. Jesus' Teaching About Prayer
  • 1. Jesus' early praying - p. 1360
  • 2. Jesus' later prayer life - p. 2088-9
  • 3. Jesus' discussion of prayer - p. 1638-41, Zecharia 7:11-13, Proverbs 28:9, Proverbs 1:24-28, 21:13, Psalms 21:2, 37:5, 72:12, 51:10-11, 141:3, 140:3, 119, 69:30-31, Matthew 6:30-33
• XIII. Distortions of Prayer
  • 1. Distortions of prayer - p. 995
  • 2. Misunderstanding prayer - p. 1946
  • 3. Materialistic praying - p. 995
  • 4. Prayer no escape from reality - p. 999, 997

A service of
The Urantia Book Fellowship