The Christian life cannot be fully understood or experienced without first grasping the importance of prayer. Yet prayer, as it is found in the Christian scriptures, has received limited attention as a topic of study. Into God's Presence explores the nature and use of prayer throughout the entire New Testament. Written by twelve leading biblical scholars with diverse confessional perspectives, this insightful volume first discusses Christian prayer in relation to prayer in the Old Testament, the Greco-Roman world, first-century Judaism, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. The rest of the book takes an instructive look at prayer as it appears from Matthew to Revelation, with special attention given to Jesus as an exemplar and teacher of prayer.

Richard N. Longenecker (1930–2021) was a distinguished New Testament scholar who taught for many years at Wycliffe College, University of Toronto. He was the author of numerous books, including Paul, Apostle of Liberty; The Christology of Early Jewish Christianity; New Testament Social Ethics for Today; Introducing Romans: Critical Issues in Paul's Most Famous Letter, and the New International Greek Testament Commentary volume on Romans.

Richard N. Longenecker's profile page

Dale C. Allison Jr.
"A splendid collection of essays by a distinguished group of scholars. It is without doubt the best survey of its subject now available."

Max Turner
"This is a thoroughly researched yet wonderfully accessible account of a regrettably ignored subject. Nicely detailed, yet profound and spiritually enriching, Into God's Presence is sure to become a significant resource for scholars and pastors alike."

Currents in Theology & Mission
"This is a useful book, clearly written in largely nontechnical language and so open to a wide readership. "