Why Do We Pray?

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In this excerpt, C.S. Lewis defends the practice of petitionary prayer—requests to God to intervene in specific situations—against intellectual and theological criticisms. He argues that such prayers are both scriptural endorsed and exemplified by Jesus, particularly in His prayer at Gethsemane. Lewis addresses criticisms rooted in determinism and scientific predictability, asserting that the world is inherently unpredictable and that human actions, including prayer, are part of this unpredictability. He challenges the notion that a predictable world is necessary for human freedom, suggesting instead that the unpredictability of human wills and historical events supports the rationality of petitionary prayer. Ultimately, Lewis upholds petitionary prayer as a meaningful and necessary expression of faith, compatible with both Christian doctrine and the realities of human experience.