Monthly Archives: January 2008

Questions about the Spiritual Life

Posted on January 31, 2008 by Carl McColman

I received the following set of questions via email this morning; I’m posting them here with the permission of the author: Hi Carl … I found centering prayer to be a draining experience. I was getting angry at God for … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian mysticism, Contemplation, Formation, Mysticism | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Whew!

Posted on January 31, 2008 by Carl McColman

The ever-vigilant Mike Morrell alerted me to this one. Whew! I’m glad he did. I was on the primrose path for sure… The New Monasticism is Really Really Bad

Posted in Neo-Monasticism, humor | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

News from John O’Donohue’s website…

Posted on January 30, 2008 by Carl McColman

Here’s some information from John O’Donohue’s website: In October of 2007, Krista Tippett interviewed John for her public radio show, Speaking of Faith. The program will air on public radio stations nationwide from Thursday, February 21 through Wednesday, February 27. … Continue reading →

Posted in Celtic Christianity | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Atheism and Anger

Posted on January 30, 2008 by Carl McColman

I had a conversation with a friend last night — the same friend I’ve written about before — who is undergoing a crisis of faith. He told me last night that reading the “new atheists” — folks like Richard Dawkins, … Continue reading →

Posted in spirituality | Tagged , , , | 24 Comments

Quote for the Day

Posted on January 28, 2008 by Carl McColman

Like an ancient galleon that has spent ages at sea, Christianity is encrusted with customs and attitudes acquired on its voyage through the centuries and it is making the tragic mistake of confusing the accidents of theological and cultural history … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Quotations | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Family Portrait

Posted on January 27, 2008 by Carl McColman

Here’s a snapshot of me and my family, taken by my brother-in-law Jerry last month. Carl, Fran and Rhiannon; December 2007.

Posted in Blog | Tagged | 3 Comments

The “Rebate” Check

Posted on January 27, 2008 by Carl McColman

I’m no economist, and normally I don’t stray into the murky water of politics in this blog (I get into enough trouble writing about theology, mysticism and contemplative prayer), but on a purely intuitive level I feel like saying something … Continue reading →

Posted in Current events | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Mystery of the Missing Camera

Posted on January 26, 2008 by Carl McColman

Here is a fun story about a couple in NYC who found a lost digital camera and located its owner — an Irishman living in Australia — merely by deciphering clues from the photos in the camera’s memory. Think twice … Continue reading →

Posted in Hospitality | Tagged | 3 Comments

Quote for the Day

Posted on January 25, 2008 by Carl McColman

Any wizard can defy nature; only the true miracle-worker can accomplish wonders in sympathy with it. — John Carey, A Single Ray of the Sun: Religious Speculation in Early Ireland

Posted in Celtic Christianity, Quotations | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Protecting the Babes

Posted on January 24, 2008 by Carl McColman

But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. — Luke 18:16 Yesterday’s post (We’re … Continue reading →

Posted in Contemplation, spirituality | Tagged , | 25 Comments

We’re looking for a few good contemplatives

Posted on January 23, 2008 by Carl McColman

One thing I’ve found interesting: when I tell people I’m writing a book about Christian mysticism, a typical response I receive is, “Oh, that’s advanced, that’s beyond me, I could never be a mystic.” Boo hiss. A little while back … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian mysticism, Contemplation | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

LaserMonks

Posted on January 22, 2008 by Carl McColman

LaserMonks: The Business Story Nine Hundred Years in the Making By Sarah Caniglia and Cindy Griffith New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008 Review by Carl McColman Some years ago, the management world discovered Sun-Tzu’s The Art of War. This sixth-century Chinese treatise … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, monasticism | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Quote for the Day

Posted on January 21, 2008 by Carl McColman

[The Lord's Prayer], although it seems to contain the utter fullness of perfection inasmuch as it was instituted and established on the authority of the Lord himself, nonetheless raises its familiars to that condition which we characterized previously as more … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian mysticism, Prayer, Quotations | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

GSR190

Posted on January 20, 2008 by Carl McColman

Last night I bought a bass guitar. It’s an Ibanez GSR190: a beginner’s bass. It’s “low end” not only in the sound it makes but in the money it costs. It’s strictly no frills, but I’m already in love with … Continue reading →

Posted in Bass Guitar, Music | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

Whey Out Chocolate

Posted on January 18, 2008 by Carl McColman

My friend and business associate Joy Reid has just launched a new online store called Whey Out Chocolate. She is selling home-made “confections that are safe for people with food allergies and sensitivities.” Her website goes on to say: If … Continue reading →

Posted in Hospitality | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Forbidden/Approved

Posted on January 18, 2008 by Carl McColman

A wise Episcopal priest once told me, “Most Christians believe that unless something is explicitly approved in the Bible, it is forbidden by God. But it makes just as much logical sense to say that unless something is explicitly forbidden … Continue reading →

Posted in Contemplation, Mysticism | Tagged | 3 Comments

Books are costly, blogs are cheap…

Posted on January 16, 2008 by Carl McColman

After making a wonderful allusion to Ireland, the Epiphany Girl notes, in response to The Prosperity Mongers: This post is an interesting companion to the piece you wrote about those we leave behind specifically in terms of accepting the fact … Continue reading →

Posted in Contemplation, Mysticism, Writing, spirituality | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

La Peste

Posted on January 15, 2008 by Carl McColman

Here is a sobering article about the on-going threat of the bubonic plague. Even now, there are ten to twenty cases in America each year. Many scholars speculate that Julian of Norwich may have lost family members to the plague. … Continue reading →

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The Prosperity Mongers

Posted on January 15, 2008 by Carl McColman

I spoke with an editor of a large faith-oriented website yesterday; I had pitched a couple of ideas to this site and hadn’t had any luck getting a contract. We talked about how most of their readers were looking for … Continue reading →

Posted in spirituality | Tagged , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Quote for the Day

Posted on January 14, 2008 by Carl McColman

We could fill stadiums in every major city with people who have been burned or wounded by bad churches. But you never see them. You never hear them, because the first thing a leaver loses is her voice. In the … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Quotations | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments