Jane Austen as a guide to prayer?
Praying with Jane: 31 Days through the Prayers of Jane Austen
is a new book written by Austen scholar Rachel Dodge.
The devotional is full of insight for Austen fans.
Rachel Dodge is a great lover of Austen’s work and holds degrees in English Literature. (She wrote her master’s thesis on Pride and Prejudice).
She teaches literature on the college level, speaks frequently about Jane Austen and also writes for the popular blog Jane Austen’s World.
I recently visited with Rachel and here’s the interview.
Why did you write Praying with Jane?
“Quite simply because I’m passionate about Jane Austen and I’m passionate about prayer. Combining Jane Austen and prayer in one book has been a dream come true.
“Because I’m a Christian, I was always curious about her faith. The more I read, the more I was convinced that she was a devout Christian, not just someone who attended church and participated in the rituals of religion.
“When I began to read her prayers more closely (and in more depth), I wanted to make her prayers my own. I wanted to delve into their meaning and find out more about Austen’s personal faith.
“Most of all, I wanted to make her prayers personal. I wrote this book because there is no devotional book focused solely on Austen’s prayers.
“I wanted to write a book that invited Austen’s readers to know her better – and the God she loved.”
What impressed you the most about the way Jane Austen prayed?
“Jane prays with such emotion and gusto! (And lots of exclamation points!)
“She spends a lot of time in each of the prayers thanking God for his help, his provision, and his love. Jane also spends time in confession and petition.
“Her prayers are absolutely beautiful.”
As Rachel researched, she recognized several prayers written in the style of the Book of Common Prayer. The Church of England liturgy was part of Jane’s life growing up in a clergyman’s household.
Jane lived in a simpler time with little travel (see my favorite, Persuasion) in a small village. Dramatic prayer needs did touch her life, Rachel explained.
“She had two brothers in the Navy during wartime. Jane lived at a time when ambulances and antibiotics did not yet exist. She understood the realities of childbirth for women.
“In addition to praying for orphans, widows, and prisoners, Jane also prayed for comfort for those in any kind of affliction.”
It’s clear that while Austen had a wonderful, loving family and a happy life (and outlook on life), she was no stranger to the real need for God’s help, comfort, and guidance in daily life.
Nurture or Nature?
Jane grew up in a clergyman’s household and famously wrote at the dining room table.
Her loving and devoted father had a large and positive influence on her life.
Reverend George Austen taught his daughters at home and ran a small boarding school there as well, Rachel said.
“He encouraged Jane and Cassandra to make use of his library and to read widely. They were a close family, and it’s clear they discussed and shared everything with one another.
“They had morning and evening prayers as a family. Reverend Austen also taught his children to have their own individual prayers morning and evening.”
The family prayed before and after meals and naturally attended church every Sunday (mornings and evenings).
“Jane was intimately familiar with the devotional literature and sermons of her day. She is known to have made constant use of William Vickers’ Companion to the Altar.
“She most likely knew many of the prayers in the Book of Common Prayer by heart and would have read the prayers and Psalms in it daily.”
Research
Rachel visited the Austen homes and the Reverend Austen’s parishes in Steventon and Chawton during her research visits to England,
“Her prayers are posted at each of the churches. I gleaned a lot from the information available at the churches regarding her father’s work as a clergyman in the Steventon church and parish, the manner of worship Austen would have been familiar with, and more about Austen’s spiritual life.”
However, Rachel did most of her research closer to home.
She owns plenty of Jane Austen material and made good use of her college library. She read every biography and scholarly articles focusing on Jane’s faith or prayers.
Rachel also examined Jane’s personal letters and various family memoirs.
She spent hundreds of hours with Jane Austen’s novels, searching for evidence and examples of the powerful effect her faith had on her writing.
There are numerous scholarly databases on the Intenet as well.
The most exciting research?
“I had the great honor of viewing the original manuscripts of Austen’s prayers at Mills College in Oakland, CA. I transcribed the prayers in their entirety, exactly as they appear in the original manuscript in my book.”
Rachel wanted readers to see Austen’s punctuation and capitalization, both of which are much different than what we use today.
Personal prayer life changed?
Spending so much time reading and analyzing Austen’s prayers effect Rachel in two specific ways.
“First, Austen’s prayers themselves created a profound shift in the way I come to God in prayer.
“Her prayers are reverent, specific, and heartfelt. Her prayers remind me that God is intimately interested (and involved) in every detail of my life.”
More profoundly, personal prayer undergirded the way Rachel wrote On Praying with Jane Austen.
“This book was birthed in prayer, bathed in prayer, and written as the result of my own desperate prayers for God’s guidance in writing it.
“I prayed every day, as I sat down to write, that the Holy Spirit would lead me and guide me.
“I offered myself as a vessel, and I asked God to use every ounce of my creativity, writing ability, and wiliness to write a book that would honor His name and draw people closer to Christ.”
In addition, Rachel “fasted” several times from writing the book to pray herself.
“Those times of prayer, when I ceased “all work” on the book, were times of incredible fruit. In those stopping places, I saw God move and work in ways I could never move or work on my own.”
About Jane Austen’s books and characters
Pride and Prejudice is Rachel’s favorite book. However,
“I always say that my favorite Jane Austen novel is the Jane Austen novel I’m currently reading.”
Rachel Dodge
She noted several instances of prayer appear in the novels, particularly in Mansfield Park.
“Whenever a character spends time in “quiet reflection” or “reflection,” which occurs in several of her novels, most scholars agree that Austen is referring to prayer.”
Rachel thought Edmund Bertram in Mansfield Park would be a good candidate for the Church of England.
As to Edward Ferrers in Sense and Sensibility?
“I think Edward’s gentle nature will serve him well as he shepherds the flock in his parish.
“His wife will be quite a sensible and suitable helpmate! Hopefully, his sister-in-law will give pointers as to his style and presentation.”
Given a choice to hear either one preach, Rachel had a ready answer: “I’d rather listen to Edmund, hands down!”
Tweetables
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31 days of devotions with Jane Austen, bathed in prayer itself. Click to Tweet
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