Quiet Time
Encyclopedia
Quiet Time is a regular (often daily) individual session of Christian
spiritual activities, most notably prayer
and/or private study of the Bible
. The term "Quiet Time" is used by 20th-century Protestants
, mostly evangelical Christians
. It is also called "personal Bible study" or "personal devotions". Rick Warren
points out that it has also been called "morning watch" and "appointment with God".
Practices vary according to denominational tradition
: Anglican devotions
, for example, will occasionally include the use of prayer beads
. Billy Graham
suggests that Quiet Times consists of three main elements: prayer
, Bible reading, and meditation
. He also mentions that many Christians accompany these three elements with journaling
.
often spent time alone in prayer: Luke
5:16 says that "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (NIV). Leslie Hardin suggests that this was Jesus' Quiet Time: spending time in prayer and fellowship with God.
Keith Newman suggests that as well as including conscious study and expressive prayer, a quiet time is a time of open-minded listening and waiting for guidance.
Rick Warren argues that there is a difference between reading the Bible during Quiet Time and Bible Study.
used by Jesus
in his ministry. A notable example is My Utmost for His Highest
, written by Oswald Chambers
. Many Christian stores dedicate an entire section to these types of books, but in some countries they are available at secular stores as well, often shelved in the "inspirational" section.
Some Christian communities (e.g. Christadelphians
) have Bible reading schedules, like the one suggested in the Bible Companion
, for example, as one tool to help them with their study of the Bible. Such schedules take people systematically through the entire Bible, reading approximately four chapters per day (in the case of the Bible Companion), which allows the reader to keep context in their studies through the different books of the Bible, and ensures different areas are not neglected.
Robert Murray M'Cheyne
also designed a system for reading through the Bible
in one year. The plan entails reading the New Testament
and the Psalms
through twice a year, and the Old Testament
through once. This program was included (in a slightly modified form) in For the Love of God by D. A. Carson (ISBN 0851115896) and is recommended by several Bible publishers, such as the English Standard Version
and the New English Translation
.
The use of study Bibles
is also popular.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
spiritual activities, most notably prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
and/or private study of the Bible
Bible study (Christian)
In Christianity, Bible study is the study of the Bible by ordinary people as a personal religious or spiritual practice. Some denominations may call this devotion or devotional acts; however in other denominations devotion has other meanings...
. The term "Quiet Time" is used by 20th-century Protestants
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
, mostly evangelical Christians
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
. It is also called "personal Bible study" or "personal devotions". Rick Warren
Rick Warren
Richard Duane "Rick" Warren is an American evangelical Christian minister and author. He is the founder and senior pastor of Saddleback Church, an evangelical megachurch located in Lake Forest, California, currently the eighth-largest church in the United States...
points out that it has also been called "morning watch" and "appointment with God".
Practices vary according to denominational tradition
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
: Anglican devotions
Anglican devotions
Anglican devotions are private prayers and practices used by Anglican Christians to promote spiritual growth and communion with God. Among members of the Anglican Communion, private devotional habits vary widely, depending on personal preference and on their affiliation with low-church or...
, for example, will occasionally include the use of prayer beads
Anglican prayer beads
Anglican prayer beads, also known as the Anglican rosary or Christian prayer beads, is a loop of strung beads which Anglicans, as well as Christians of other denominations, use as a focus for prayer. This particular way of using prayer beads was developed in the mid-1980s by Episcopalians in the...
. Billy Graham
Billy Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
suggests that Quiet Times consists of three main elements: prayer
Prayer in Christianity
Prayer has been an essential part of Christianity since its earliest days. Prayer is an integral element of the Christian faith and permeates all forms of Christian worship...
, Bible reading, and meditation
Christian meditation
Christian meditation is a form of prayer in which a structured attempt is made to get in touch with and deliberately reflect upon the revelations of God. The word meditation comes from the Latin word meditārī, which has a range of meanings including to reflect on, to study and to practice...
. He also mentions that many Christians accompany these three elements with journaling
Diary
A diary is a record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. A personal diary may include a person's experiences, and/or thoughts or feelings, including comment on current events outside the writer's direct experience. Someone...
.
Background
Proponents of the concept point out that JesusJesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
often spent time alone in prayer: Luke
Gospel of Luke
The Gospel According to Luke , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Luke or simply Luke, is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. It details his story from the events of his birth to his Ascension.The...
5:16 says that "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (NIV). Leslie Hardin suggests that this was Jesus' Quiet Time: spending time in prayer and fellowship with God.
Use
Jerry and Becky Evans argue that the Quiet Time is a time of encouragement, strengthening, and insight to the Christian, and "spiritual food" for a person’s soul. They suggest that it is a "time of complete focus on God" that "continues throughout a person’s entire life."Keith Newman suggests that as well as including conscious study and expressive prayer, a quiet time is a time of open-minded listening and waiting for guidance.
Rick Warren argues that there is a difference between reading the Bible during Quiet Time and Bible Study.
Materials
Many devotional books, or devotionals, are available in retail stores today. These books contain directed Bible studies often incorporating stories or anecdotes that convey Biblical principles, similar to the parablesParables of Jesus
The parables of Jesus can be found in all the Canonical gospels as well as in some of the non-canonical gospels but are located mainly within the three synoptic gospels. They represent a key part of the teachings of Jesus, forming approximately one third of his recorded teachings...
used by Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
in his ministry. A notable example is My Utmost for His Highest
My Utmost for His Highest
Written by Oswald Chambers , My Utmost for His Highest is a compilation of Chambers' Christian preaching to students and soldiers. Published in England in 1927, and in the USA in 1935, the book has become one of the most popular religious books ever written...
, written by Oswald Chambers
Oswald Chambers
Oswald J. Chambers was a prominent early twentieth century Scottish Protestant Christian minister and teacher, best known as the author of the widely-read devotional My Utmost for His Highest.Born to devout Baptist parents, Chambers did not plan to go into the ministry...
. Many Christian stores dedicate an entire section to these types of books, but in some countries they are available at secular stores as well, often shelved in the "inspirational" section.
Some Christian communities (e.g. Christadelphians
Christadelphians
Christadelphians is a Christian group that developed in the United Kingdom and North America in the 19th century...
) have Bible reading schedules, like the one suggested in the Bible Companion
Bible Companion
The Bible Companion is a guide developed by the Christadelphians to aid reading the Bible. It was first produced by Robert Roberts when he was just 14 years of age, in about 1853, and revised by him over a number of years into its current format.-Background:Christadelphians believe that reading...
, for example, as one tool to help them with their study of the Bible. Such schedules take people systematically through the entire Bible, reading approximately four chapters per day (in the case of the Bible Companion), which allows the reader to keep context in their studies through the different books of the Bible, and ensures different areas are not neglected.
Robert Murray M'Cheyne
Robert Murray M'Cheyne
Robert Murray M'Cheyne was a minister in the Church of Scotland from 1835 to 1843. He was born at Edinburgh, was educated at the University of Edinburgh and at the Divinity Hall of his native city, where he was taught by Thomas Chalmers. He first served as an assistant to John Bonar in the parish...
also designed a system for reading through the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
in one year. The plan entails reading the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
and the Psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
through twice a year, and the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
through once. This program was included (in a slightly modified form) in For the Love of God by D. A. Carson (ISBN 0851115896) and is recommended by several Bible publishers, such as the English Standard Version
English Standard Version
The English Standard Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible. It is a revision of the 1971 edition of the Revised Standard Version...
and the New English Translation
New English Translation
The New English Translation is a free, "completely new" on-line English translation of the Bible, " with 60,932 translators’ notes" sponsored by the Biblical Studies Foundation and published by Biblical Studies Press....
.
The use of study Bibles
Study Bible
A study Bible is an edition of the Bible prepared for the use of a serious student of the Bible. It provides scholarly information designed to help the reader gain a better understanding of the text.-History:...
is also popular.
Criticism
Evangelical theologian Greg Johnson criticizes the way the concept is treated by evangelicals as an almost obligatory part of a relationship with God. He emphasize that the practice is not commanded in the Bible, and was not even possible for many centuries, until the printing press and certain economic conditions enabled most Christians to own their own copies of the Bible.See also
- Catholic devotionsCatholic devotionsA Roman Catholic devotion is a gift of oneself, or one's activities to God. It is a willingness and desire to dedicate oneself to serve God; either in terms of prayers or in terms of a set of pious acts such as the adoration of God or the veneration of the saints or the Virgin Mary.Roman Catholic...
- Lectio DivinaLectio DivinaIn Christianity, Lectio Divina is a traditional Catholic practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's Word...
- Mystic prayer
- Spiritual discipline
- WorshipWorshipWorship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. The word is derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something, for example, Christian worship.Evelyn Underhill defines worship thus: "The absolute...