Jan 5, 2024

Walter Wangerin

Walter Wangerin (1944-2021) and his wife Thanne (short for Ruth Ann) had reached something of a crossroads. They loved their life in Evansville, Illinois, but also wrestled with the invitation for Walter to teach at Valparaiso University.
Thanne’s comment proved to be the clincher, “It’s okay, isn’t it? We can go to Valparaiso…God is with us. He never left us, Wally. He never will.”

Walter went on to teach English and Theology at Valparaiso for twenty-five years. He published forty novels, including thirteen children’s stories. Book of the Dun Cow won the National Book Award for Science Fiction. He advocates a five-step format to prayer in his book Whole Prayer, Speaking and Listening to God. His five steps are pause, listen, think, pray, and go.

Pause as you begin and center yourself in an attitude of prayer. Listen to the Scripture passage for the day. Think about what you have read and give it careful reflection. Pray about what you have just read. Go into the day to act on what you have just read and prayed.

Walter’s paraphrase prayer of Psalm 23 follows here:

I am not lonely. God is here.
Hand at my shoulder. Word in my ear.

The Lord the shepherd who leads me down
to quiet pools and soft green ground.
He feeds, restores, beholds, relieves me,
shows the right road, then precedes me.

I am not lonely. God is here.
Strength for my going. Song in my ear.

Yea, though I cross the valley of dying,
I do not fear. I am not crying.
Thy rod for the beast, thy staff for my leaning,
thou art my comfort and thou my redeeming.

Thou art my present, beginning and ending,
the oil that I feel on my forehead descending,
the goodness that follows my every endeavor,
the temple I’ll dwell in forever and ever—

O Lord, I am not lonely now,
for thou art with me, my shepherd—thou!

Walter Wangerin, Whole Prayer, Speaking and Listening to God.

Rev. Dr. Peter James served 42 years as the senior of Vienna Presbyterian Church in Vienna, VA — 21 years in the 20th century and 21 years in the 21st century. He retired in 2021 and now serves as Pastor-in-Residence at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Even as a pastor, prayer came slowly to Pete. Read Pete’s story.