How are we to understand the nature of petitionary prayer? This is an issue of perennial concern to the church, from both a theological and a pastoral standpoint. Certainly much has been written on the topic from a devotional/experiential approach as well as from a philosophical one. But Knocking on Heaven’s Door by David Crump is the first attempt to examine exhaustively the New Testament writings that have a bearing on the topic.

Two extreme views on petitionary prayer are often promulgated in the churches. The first states that God will grant any request as long as the petitioner has enough faith and/or persistence. The second acknowledges that sometimes God does not answer prayers and resignedly concludes that prayer is really for our sake and has no impact on God’s actions. Using careful exegesis, Crump first critiques these views and then examines all the relevant New Testament texts in order to construct a cohesive theology of prayer that is faithful to the teachings of Jesus and the early church. Consideration is also given to the relationship between divine sovereignty and prayer.

The quality of writing and the topical relevance make this an ideal text for courses in pastoral theology.

Too often books on prayer offer practical advice but are almost entirely devoid of sound exegesis, or they demonstrate sound scholarship but make no attempt to connect to everyday life. David Crump does a splendid job of bridging the gap between exegesis and application in this stimulating book on petitionary prayer. One does not need to agree with all of Crump’s conclusions to benefit from his careful study of the biblical text, his attention to biblical theology, and his theological synthesis that speaks to our contemporary situation.–Thomas R. Schreiner, James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

By limiting his focus to petitionary prayer, David Crump is able to deal thoroughly with the kind of prayer that raises the most problems for believers and unbelievers alike. In this work, he has made accessible a wealth of recent New Testament scholarship while engaging in a theological critique of the most revered ‘prayer warriors’ of the last two centuries–a bold move that is both refreshing and long overdue.–Sharyn Dowd, professor of New Testament, Baylor University