Christians looking for an aid in their prayer or devotional lives will be interested in Thomas C. Oden and Cindy Crosby’s Ancient Christian Devotional. Arranged for a weekly prayer time for either individuals or groups in prayer meetings, it could also be used for daily use. Most of the 52 presentations. use readings from the common lectionary for Sundays for Year A; two more books like this could be collated for Years B and C, and the publisher is highly urged to do so.

The book’s introduction serves as a guide for readers to use this book. Each chapter includes a theme (following the Cycle A lectionary), opening prayer from a Church Father (the particular type of Sunday, like Advent or Lent, Easter, is indicated here), readings (three in all from the common lectionary, Old Testament, New Testament, and a Gospel), psalm of response, reflections from the Church Fathers (related to the Scripture readings), and a closing prayer from a Church Father.

This book can be a great resource for clergy of all denominations in preparing Sunday homilies or sermons, especially those who use the Common Lectionary. Readers can use this to prepare for their Sunday worship or for daily prayer. One could also envision a daily devotional book based on the liturgy.

Thomas C. Oden is the general editor of the ongoing Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture project, and this devotional is a prime example of this collected commentary by Church Fathers. Oden is also an editor and author of numerous works which include Systematic Theology ( a three-volume set) (2006), Turning Around the Mainline (2006), The Rebirth of Orthodoxy (2002), and other books and articles.

Cindy Crosby is the author of By Willoway Brook (2003), co-author of We Have a Latte in Common (2003), and author of Waiting for Morning (2001). This book is recommended to preachers and pray-ers.