This summer I am preaching around my circuit about the Lord's Prayer. There will be three services, it is a rich theme, which could probably support far more than three sermons but sometimes congregations need a break! My main source is Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels by Kenneth E Bailey.
Bailey has been known to me as a writer for many years. His analysis of the parable of the prodigal son impressed me during the mid-nineties when I was studying for my Masters in Applied Theology. His access to Middle Eastern traditions brings rare insight to his writings.
His main focus for the words, Our Father, is upon the second word. He goes into great detail and there's no point in dwelling on it here, except to observe the word translated in English as Father is universal. I think we can properly see it as a celebration of oikoumene, understood as the reconciliation of all things, because it affirms God as Father of all people.
I am particularly interested in the first word, Our. Bailey doesn't have much to say about it but what he does say is very interesting, page 100:
In conclusion the phrase in the prayer is "Our Father" not "My Father". The Psalms have frequent reference to "my God", and the personal relationship between the God of the Bible and the individual believer must not be ignored. Yet, as we will see, the Lord's Prayer affirms a family of God that has one Father, and this prayer includes all followers of Jesus in that family.
It may be simplistic to say, whilst God is Father of all, those who pray Our Father are part of God's family. There are still many Christians who insist their tradition (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant) is the one true church and that other Christians are lacking authenticity in some way. But the family is all who say this prayer.
I do not deny we are united by more than this one prayer. However, we need to understand it is a statement of who we are and our collective relationship with God.
These opening words tell us that when we raise the sword against anyone, we deny the image of God. When we raise the sword against our fellow speakers of the prayer, we cut ourselves off from God's family.
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