Is prayer still relevant in a hyper-digital, secular age? Dr Johannes Hartl - a Catholic philosopher, author, and founder of the Augsburg House of Prayer—believes prayer not only remains vital, but may be the key to our future.
In this wide-ranging conversation with Luke Martin, Johannes explores why even non-believers “pray” more than they realise, how prayer begins as attention rather than just words, and what the problem of divine hiddenness and unanswered prayer reveals. He discusses why transactional prayer misses the heart of Christian spirituality, shares stories from a 24/7 House of Prayer with over 100,000 hours of worship. He explains the importance of digital minimalism—including why he goes on holiday without a phone. They also examine why Gen Z men are surprisingly open to faith, the failure of secularism’s promises, and the emotional challenges of church hurt and deconstruction. Finally, Johannes suggests we may need a new monasticism and a more holistic, embodied approach to faith.
Whether you’re a sceptic, a deconstructing Christian, or a lifelong believer, this episode offers a challenging and hopeful vision for prayer, faith, and the future of spirituality.
For Johannes Hartl: https://johanneshartl.org/en/
For Luke Martin: follow on X: https://x.com/luke_s_martin
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