Forms of Prayer: Prayer Beads

Prayer beads are, for some people, a helpful tool in creating a physical experience of prayer that is different from our everyday sensations. Prayer beads can occupy the hands and help to focus the mind toward God, which is the heart of all forms of prayer. Many Lutherans may be unfamiliar with the use of prayer beads while those from other traditions (especially the Roman Catholic and Anglican traditions) will feel quite comfortable using them. Prayer beads are also used within the Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic faiths. Remember, there is nothing “magical” about using prayer beads. They are merely a tool, much as we might use a quite space, a candle or a church as tools to help us focus our attention on God, the true object of our worship and prayer.

In Roman Catholicism, prayer beads most commonly take the name and form of “rosary” and are divided into segments, each containing a specific set of beads for a particular purpose. If you Google the term “how to pray the rosary” you will find numerous sites which can explain to you how the rosary is organized and how one would pray the Rosary using the Roman Catholic prayers. You can buy rosaries at any local St. Patrick’s Guild store or at gift shops, religious goods stores and numerous on-line vendors.

The use of the rosary was rejected by early Lutheran followers because of its Marian focus and some have suggested that use of the rosary amounted to “works”, an idea which would also have led to disfavor amongst early Lutheran followers. However, there is no reason why you cannot use prayer beads (in the form of a rosary or otherwise), if you find them helpful to your experience of prayer. If you want to take a particular Lutheran approach to praying the rosary, the ELCA has published “A Lutheran Rosary for Lent” with suggested prayers. You can also create your own set of prayer beads with prayers that you have chosen as particularly meaningful to you. Some people find that making their own sets of prayer beads can be a fun form of spiritual creativity that creates special meaning for the prayer beads created.

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