On the first page of “the New York Daily News” on an article about the tragedy in San Bernardino, when a couple of terrorists are Muslims 2 Dec 2015 shot 14 people, has published a controversial headline: “God is not correct”. The article criticized the presidential candidates from the Republican party for what they “preach about prayer”, but are silent about gun control. This event caused a sort of debate about the reality of prayer in crisis situations. To talk about it, in the Studio, CBN is Dr. Roots, Becker, Dean of the faculty of theology at the Regent University.
Roots Dr. Becker: I am very happy to be here.
MHN: Some may interpret the words “I’ll pray for you” as just a nice saying, the purpose of which is to comfort the bereaved. But from a Christian point of view, they are something much more, isn’t it?
Of course, much more! God invites us to participate in His economy of salvation, the spread of His Kingdom. By prayer we are, in fact, add your voice to the voice of Christ, who, as says the Scripture, loves to intercede for us. So, in essence, prayer is when we participate in building God’s Kingdom in this world.
MHN: What do you think about this campaign launched against the prayers?
I see it in Facebook. I see it absolutely everywhere. I think all this is because we live in a very pragmatic world, where they spend an inappropriate opposition between faith and action, between prayer and reality.
MHN: it is interesting how even those who don’t believe in God, the people finding themselves in a crisis situation, suddenly begin to cry out to Him, asking for deliverance. Why?
I think it’s because we are created to need God. Indeed, in the Book of Genesis says that God created man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his face. When our life hangs in the balance, we all admit that we need God more than oxygen. This is a natural reaction.
MHN: People talking about praying for our country and how prayer can protect our people. Whether this belief?
Yes, of course. The Scripture says that if we will humble ourselves, pray and repent, then God will heal our land. And in His most famous prayer, Jesus has extended this to the whole world: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as in heaven.”
MHN: Roots Dr. Becker, thank you for your comments. Thank you for participating in our program.
It would be an honor.