Our Father, who art in heaven, give us fair trade

Some of the Church of England's best-known prayers and psalms have been rewritten to address the growing problems of fair trade and debt in the developing world.

Some of the Church of England's best-known prayers and psalms have been rewritten to address the growing problems of fair trade and debt in the developing world.

The new works are to be published later this year in a special prayer book that the authors hope will offer a religious perspective to many of the world's troubles.

The Lord's Prayer and the 23rd psalm, "The Lord is my Shepherd", are the two most famous pieces that have been reworked.

A pastor has changed the passage "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death" to, "Even if a full-scale violent confrontation breaks out I will not be afraid, Lord".

Starting with the traditional opening line, "The Lord is my shepherd", the new version goes on to declare "he lets me see a country of justice and peace and directs me towards this land" and his "shepherd's power and love protect me".

The rewriting, by Pastor Zephania Kameeta, a former vice-president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia, is included in Pocket Prayers for Justice and Peace , compiled by the charity Christian Aid.

The prayer compilation, described as tackling issues such as debt in the developing world and fair trade, also offers a version of The Lord's Prayer, written by a "community in central America", that begins: "Our father who is in us here on earth, holy is your name in the hungry who share their bread and their song."

It includes the line that God is "giving us our daily bread when we manage to get back our lands or to get a fairer wage".

And ends with, "and we have believed in the humanity and life and we shall have known your kingdom which is being built for ever and ever".

A Church of England spokesman said that the new prayer book was part of the Church's efforts to highlight the problems of developing countries. He said the move was not an attempt to change Church liturgy. The book was one of a range of pocket titles focused on specific issues, including marriage, parenting and work.

Eleanor Young, of Church House Publishing, said the book sought to inspire those praying and working for harmony, fairness and freedom around the world.

Paula Clifford, publications manager of Christian Aid, said: "Some of this might be thought to be radical, but we hope the book might enable people to see things in a new light.

"After all, Christians in Namibia are going to see things, like the 23rd psalm, in a different way from Christians in a different setting. Allowing scripture to inspire contemporary thoughts is perfectly legitimate, and there is nothing new about that."

Although none of the prayers are specifically aimed at Iraq or the Middle East, the book would help those who wish to pray for "peace and justice" in this part of the world.

Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has recently become increasingly vocal on the politics of world problems.

In March, he suggested the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq damaged the public's trust in politicians.

Dr Williams suggested that the "political health" of the country had suffered in the aftermath of the war and that owning up to mistakes might restore trust.

OPENING LINES OF THE 23RD PSALM

Original version:

The Lord is my Shepherd, I'll not want.

He makes me down to lie

In pastures green; He leadeth me

The quiet waters by.

My soul He doth restore again;

And me to walk doth make

Within the paths of righteousness,

Even for His own Name's sake.

Pastor Kameeta's version:

The Lord is my shepherd;

I have everything I need.

He lets me see a country of justice and peace

And directs my steps towards this land.

He gives me power.

He guides me in the paths of victory,

as he has promised.