The first and fundamental act of theological work is prayer, as Karl Barth expressed in his final lecture "Introduction to Evangelical Theology." The spirit and words with which Barth himself formulated and spoke his public prayers can be found in this collection of 50 prayers. Barth noted that he had a dislike for all cultic solemnity and everything anointed from a young age. The sobriety and simple language of his prayers remain striking even 50 years later. Their significant advantage also lies in their brevity; Barth adhered to his own maxim that the essence in all matters of spiritual and theological discourse should also be found in brevity. The prayers are organized first according to the church year and then in a loose thematic order.