If God Is Sovereign, Why Should We Pray?

Back to series
By C.S. Lewis on January 1, 2010 ,

If God Is Sovereign, Why Should We Pray?

C. S. LEWIS (1898-1963) was a professor of Medieval and Renaissance literature at Cambridge University in England. As a poet, essayist, novelist, literary historian, and critic, as well as a Christian apologist, he published numerous books and essays. More than forty million copies of his works are in print, making him the best-selling Christian author of all time. This excerpt comes from "Work and Prayer, " a British newspaper article published in 1945.

The case against prayer . . . is this: The thing you ask for is either good—for you and for the world in general—or else it is not. If it is, then a good and wise God will do it anyway. If it is not, then He won't. In neither case can your prayer make any difference. But if this argument is sound, surely it is an argument own hands and feed or murder our fellow creatures. Similarly, He made His own plan or plot of history such that it admits a certain amount of free play and can be modified in response to our prayers. . .

Click here to read the full article (READ PDF).

C.S. Lewis

Author and Scholar

Clive Staples Lewis, (1898–1963) was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954, when he was elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. Lewis was a scholar, novelist, broadcaster, and author of dozens of books, articles and essays. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include Mere Christianity, Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and the universally acknowledged classics in The Chronicles of Narnia.

 

Notice: This material is made available for limited use to participants of the C.S. Lewis Institute Fellows programs. Please do not reproduce any of the materials in the Fellows Resources other than for your personal use.

0 All Booked 0.00 All Booked 0.00 All Booked 25547 STUDY PROGRAM: In the Footsteps of the Apostles (Turkey & Greece) https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/?event=biblical-study-program-in-the-footsteps-of-the-apostles-turkey-greece&event_date=2026-09-12&reg=1 https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr 2026-09-12
Next coming event
Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds

STUDY PROGRAM: In the Footsteps of the Apostles (Turkey & Greece)

On September 12, 2026 at 3:00 pm at İstanbul, Türkiye

Grow Your Faith with a New Online Course:

Jesus and the Ten Commandments

Full details Get Directions

Print your tickets