04 October 2009

Update on Motherhood Prayers

I am sorry to report that the CPH's new edition of Starck's Prayer Book does not include the Motherhood Prayers. This means that if they are still on your wish list, you'll need to get Emmanuel Press's edition of Starck, in which they are included. While I am grateful to Emmanuel for making the Motherhood Prayers available, the volume is bulky and unwieldy since the Motherhood Prayers are appended to the larger collection of Starck's prayers, and as I conceded before, some of the language is pretty outdated.

Whereas the Motherhood Prayers are bleeping fantastic, I encourage all interested parties to write to CPH as I have done and ask that Starck's Motherhood Prayers be considered for an updated, freestanding edition. In case I haven't sung their praises enough, one of the best things about the Motherhood Prayers is that they are truly devotional and do not degenerate into self-indulgent autobiography on the part of the writer as so many women's devotionals do, and as so many readers of women's devotionals are sick of (thank you, Kelly of the eponymous blog). And while they are thoroughly Lutheran in piety and theology, they are not so dogmatic as to exclude other Christian readers. I would give a copy of the Motherhood Prayers to a Roman Catholic, a mainline Protestant, or an Evangelical-type and expect her to find them thoroughly edifying, accessible, and ecumenical--it would not be in the least a sneaky maybe this will Lutheranize you! attempt. This is one of those rare resources that transcends denomination and serves the whole Church.

It would be great to have the Motherhood Prayers available in a small, gift-able volume requiring only one hand, such as that to which mothers often have access. CPH could also offer this blessed hypothetical volume in a package deal with the new Starck edition. It could be great, just great. Let CPH know, if you're in the mood.

5 comments:

William Weedon said...

I heard that thus far it was a no go. I really do think they should be published in update garb. I wonder if we can simply put them up on the web as a resource?

Rebekah said...

I was also told that CPH does not have plans to do anything with them right now, and I'm trying not to take it personally. (What? The only decent resource exclusively for women in the entire Lutheran tradition isn't worthy of mighty CPH? Waaaaaaaah! Grrrrrrrrr! :P)

The prayers are in the public domain, but I think they deserve more respect than a web page. So I think CPH deserves to hear about it from anyone else who has benefited from them in their current form.

HappyFox said...

I was able to get a small, one-handed, 100-year old copy on eBay for a few dollars. I'm glad to see I'm not just a freak & that other Lutheran women appreciate them too. :)

Monique said...

Rebekah I always pull out my Starcks on really bad days. It's been a life saver. Most definately belongs on the list of best books every recommended to me. The prayers are beautiful and I actually like the "old" version that I have. But then again I hunt down prayer books that are copyrighted from the 1950's and earlier for my daily devotional.

Untamed Shrew said...

I have the old version too, and yes, it's a life saver. It's so edifying that the prayers have scripture woven throughout.