Conversation

Conversations happen for a variety of reasons. Some are pleasant and some are not. Usually in conversations a certain amount of character judgment is going on. But not always. I have a friend who many times disagrees with what I say, but does not judge me or my character. He just arrives at different conclusions about life.

When it comes to the translation of the idea of prayer in the New Testament, I have nearly always, even from age 20, translated the word as conversation. The trouble that some have with that idea is that it diminishes God and places Him more on a peer level. Another argument against conversation is that when the Greeks asked their Gods for protection or guidance, it was nearly always an appeal or request. It was not a conversation. Since the Greeks' language is the vehicle used for expressing NT ideas, perhaps it is wise to see how they used the word.

But a person can converse with God as easily as with anyone else. Certainly requests are made, or appeals. Certainly we talk casually, intensely as with peers. But, no one that I know of really looks on God as a peer. And conversing includes the whole gamut of conversation, not only requests and appeals. Even if the Greeks' idea of request or appeal excluded conversation, I think God allows Christianity to grow and evolve from its infancy 2000 years ago to now. That would allow growth for the idea of prayer to become conversation. So, I'm going to stick with conversation. It's what I have when I take my daily walks in the park twice a day, most days.