Endorsements for “The Lion, the Mouse and the Dawn Treader”
I am honored and humbled to note that my forthcoming book, The Lion, the Mouse and the Dawn Treader has received the following endorsements, from two authors I deeply admire:
Buried within many of C.S. Lewis’s children’s books are timeless messages about the Christian faith. Carl McColman reveals how Lewis’s fascinating adventure can help us more fully understand spiritual insights from not only Jesus himself, but also some of the great saints and mystics. By turns playful, provocative and profound, McColman asks us to ‘become like little children’ in order to understand some very adult lessons.
—James Martin, S.J., author of The Jesuit Guide
to (Almost) Everything
The Lion, the Mouse and the Dawn Treader is an amazing, inspiring adventure. The Narnia stories are not just for children, but if you want help to assist children (or anyone) to understand their depth, read this book! You can touch the whole journey of the Christian search for God — and likely be spurred toward renewal in your own life — by getting on this Narnian ship.
—Trina Paulus, author of Hope for the Flowers
To pre-order your copy of The Lion, the Mouse and the Dawn Treader. click here.
The Lion, the Mouse and the Dawn Treader
I am honored to announce the forthcoming publication of my twelfth book: The Lion, the Mouse and the Dawn Treader: Spiritual Lessons from C. S. Lewis’s Narnia.
The Lion, the Mouse and the Dawn Treader
As the title suggests, this book is an exploration of the spiritual themes and “mystical life lessons” as found in C. S. Lewis’s The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. My book is a meditation on how the lovable and unforgettable characters like Reepicheep the Mouse, Lucy and Edmund Pevensie, King Caspian, the Dufflepuds, the Star’s Daughter, and (of course) Eustace Clarence Scrubb, all have parts to play in the greatest adventure of all: the journey into the very heart of God (or, in Narnia; the heart of Aslan the Great and Noble Lion).
The publisher is literally rushing the book to publication in order to time its release with the debut of the movie version of this particular Narnia story. So if you pre-order it now, you’ll get your copy in early December — in time for Christmas and, if all goes well, in time for the release of the movie.
You can pre-order your copy of The Lion, the Mouse and the Dawn Treader from Amazon. Just click on the book cover, the title, or on this link:
Here’s the publisher’s marketing information on the book…
From the author of The Big Book of Christian Mysticism comes an engaging look at how the principles and practices of Christian mysticism are illustrated in C. S. Lewis’s Narnia series.
The Lion, The Mouse and The Dawn Treader shows the reader how C. S. Lewis was guided by two “templates” in writing Dawn Treader: first, an ancient Celtic folktale known as the immram, or wondrous sea-voyage, in which great saints like Brendan the Navigator sought to reach paradise itself. But on another level, Lewis also built his adventure story around the traditional stages of the Christian life: from initial resistance to God’s grace, to discovering how sin enslaves us and “turns us into dragons,” to experiencing both the relief found in Christ and the cleansing waters of baptism — and, finally, the onset of mature spirituality that entails the prayer of quiet, and the increasing sense of Divine Presence as we move more deeply into silence and light.
Would you give a book to a monastery, please?
A couple of weeks ago, one of my dearest monk friends (who gets written about on this blog all the time, usually anonymously — see this post, for example) brought in to the Abbey Store a check that a friend of his had written to him. Typical of the monks, he used the money to benefit someone other than himself: he bought a copy of The Big Book of Christian Mysticism to send to the monks of Our Lady of Gethsemani — the monastery where Thomas Merton lived.
I did not put him up to this. As is so often the case with the monks, this particular father had never said “well done, Carl” or “what a great book, Carl” or anything like that. Monastic culture is not really geared toward personal praise. But in showing his conviction that this book is important enough to be sent to the mother house speaks volumes. I was deeply touched.
But it also raises another issue that I have been pondering for the last few weeks. I’d like to see that a copy of The Big Book of Christian Mysticism gets sent to every monastery and retreat house in the country (hey, in the world even, but we have to start somewhere). The monastery could place it in their library, or in their guesthouse where retreatants could read it. It’s something I’d really love to do, but frankly it’s beyond my financial means to send a book to literally hundreds of monasteries, convents and retreat centers.
Well, wouldn’t you know — after a class I taught this past weekend, a woman came to me and said, “I feel led to give you this.” She handed me a check for a significant amount of money. Humbled and honored, I told her about my desire to donate copies of the book to monasteries. She agreed that this would be a wonderful use for her funds.
I wish I could say that this generous gift is enough to cover all the monasteries in North America, but of course, it isn’t. It’s just a good start.
One of my Lay Associate sisters has graciously offered to write letters to the various monastery and retreat house bookstores to ask them to stock the book. But just because they receive the letter doesn’t mean they’ll actually order the book. I am still very much an “unknown” person, except for the folks who read this blog or who have stumbled across my writing elsewhere. So I’m kind of at a loss as to how to get books to all the various contemplative centers throughout the USA. But the blessings that came from the monk and from the generous woman have given me an idea.
I’m wondering if some of the readers of this blog would be willing to help out. If you enjoy this blog, and/or have enjoyed The Big Book of Christian Mysticism, would you consider donating a copy to a monastery? Many hands make for light work, and many wallets make for a miracle that doesn’t cost any one person too much money. Here’s what I propose: I can order copies of my book at wholesale prices — my cost for each book, delivered to me, is approximately $13.64. Add the shipping and packing cost to mail each book out to a monastery, and the total cost per book is $16.60 — to donate a book, delivered, to a monastery, convent, or retreat house library. But since I do make royalties on the book, I’ll round this down to an even $16.00.
Think you can spare $16 to help make this happen? Or $32 to get two books delivered to two contemplative centers?
Let me be clear: at this price, I do not make any money on this transaction. This is not about lining my pockets, but rather about getting this book into the hands of monks and nuns and retreatants who, hopefully, will be blessed by it.
If you don’t want to send me money, you can order the book from Amazon and have it shipped to a monastery, convent or retreat center of your choice for $18.92 (including shipping). If you do this, however, please let me know so that we don’t duplicate efforts.
You can mail me a check to Carl McColman, PO Box 1146, Clarkston GA 30021. Please mark it “Monastery Book Donation” in the memo field. If you want to request a particular monastery or convent, please do so, but that’s on a first come basis, so if someone else has already had a book donated to that particular center, I’ll use your donation to cover a different one. I’m sure you can understand that.
If you’d rather make your donation via Paypal, that’s an option, but if you are using a credit or debit card, Paypal will collect approximately 79¢ to cover bank costs. So to cover that cost, please make your Paypal donation in the amount of $16.79 per book (which means, frankly, it would be cheaper to use a stamp and just mail me a check, but of course that’s up to you).
You can also donate books to monasteries or other spiritual centers anywhere in the world. But please check with me first, because the postage costs for books sent out of the United States can be quite high. Send me the address of the monastery you wish to receive a book, and I’ll let you know what the exact cost will be.
Feel like you can’t donate $16? Then please, send what you can. For every $16 I collect, another book will be donated to a religious community or retreat center.
By the way: I hope you’ll understand that this special price of $16.00 is only for books donated to monasteries or other spiritual centers. If you want an autographed book sent to you or a loved one, I’ll be happy to do so at my regular price ($20 for books mailed to a U.S. address). Thank you for your understanding!
I hope you will prayerfully consider participating in this effort. At the end of this post is a partial list of monasteries, convents and retreat centers in the United States. This list just covers Cistercian and Benedictine monasteries in the Roman Catholic tradition. But there are also Carthusian, Franciscan, Jesuit, Dominican, Carmelite, and various other Catholic monasteries, convents or retreat centers; plus there are Anglican, Orthodox, and even some Protestant or Neo-Monastic communities. There are literally hundreds of religious communities across North America that I believe would be blessed by receiving a copy of The Big Book of Christian Mysticism. Will you help me to get the books out to these sacred centers?
When you donate a book to a monastery, please include your email address in your letter so I can send you a thank you, including telling you which monastery or center(s) received book(s) thanks to your generosity. I will also be documenting on a separate page which monasteries have received books, noting the donor’s first name and last initial (“Carl M.”). If you’d rather be anonymous, I’ll list you as such.
Cistercian Monasteries and Convents
- Assumption Abbey
- Abbey of the Genesee
- Abbey of Gethsemani
- Holy Cross Abbey
- Monastery of the Holy Spirit
- Mepkin Abbey
- Monastery of Our Lady of Jordan
- Mount Saint Mary’s Abbey
- Abbey of New Clairvaux
- New Melleray Abbey
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Trappist Abbey
- Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey
- St. Benedict’s Monastery
- St. Joseph’s Abbey
Benedictine Monasteries
- American-Cassinese Congregation
- Belmont Abbey, North Carolina
- Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration
- Blue Cloud Abbey
- Monastery of Christ in the Desert
- Monastery of Our Lady of the Annunciation of Clear Creek
- Conception Abbey
- Holy Name Monastery
- Mount Angel Abbey
- New Camaldoli Hermitage
- Portsmouth Abbey
- Abbey of Regina Laudis
- St. Andrew’s Abbey
- Saint Anselm’s Abbey
- Saint Benedict’s Monastery
- Saint Emma Monastery
- Saint John’s Abbey
- Saint Leo Abbey
- Saint Louis Abbey
- St. Meinrad Archabbey
- Saint Vincent Archabbey
- St. Joseph Benedictine Abbey
- St. Paul’s Abbey
- Subiaco Abbey and Academy
- Weston Priory
Plus: Carthusian Monasteries, Carmelite, Franciscan, Jesuit, Dominican, and various other monasteries, convents, and retreat centers; as well as Orthodox Monasteries, Episcopal/Anglican Monasteries, Neo-Monastic, Ecumenical, and Evangelical Communities.
Economy of Love
Economy of Love: Creating a Community of Enough
A Resource of Relational Tithe
Video Sessions with Shane Claiborne
Kansas City: The House Studio, 2010
Review by Carl McColman
“America thrives on a simple message — that what we currently have is not enough. Not big enough, not nice enough, not fast or hip enough.”
This is the tag line on the back of the Economy of Love box, which contains a 120 page book (that can be easily read in a single sitting) and a DVD with five short video segments, featuring that always-entertaining Shane Claiborne. Taken together these items function as a 5-week curriculum for exploring the question of how to do Christian discipleship in a world with staggering degrees of economic inequality. Each of the five sessions is built around a single word theme: “Tension,” “Enough,” “Vulnerable,” “Filled” and “Practice.”
Ironically, my immediate response to this package is that it doesn’t contain enough! It feels like it was designed for folks with attention deficit disorder (and maybe it was), for all the video segments are under five minutes long (halfway through watching the DVD my wife turned to me and said “Are all these available on Youtube?”), and the book contains large margins, and many pages with only a single paragraph of text (or even just a single word). I was left with an overall sense that, with such an important message, Economy of Love offers precious little information beyond the stark question: “are you on the bus or off the bus?”
I would have liked to hear, see or read more stories: people whose lives have been crushed by western culture (read: the empire), people who enjoy material affluence but who embody the empire’s lack of consciousness, people who have discerned and responded to a call to step out from the economy of not-enough and how their lives have been transformed and set free. And maybe such a wealth of information would be counterproductive to the focus of this slim little curriculum. But I suspect that a vibrant discussion group would face questions like that, articulated or not, from its group members.
Economy of Love is a resource of Relational Tithe, an organization and website described as “an interactive platform for connecting and meeting needs across socioeconomic and geographic barriers.” It’s not meant to replace local faith community involvement, but rather promotes a way of thinking about money (and tithing) that calls for each person to donate ten percent of income to those who are in need, with support for one’s church coming out of the remaining 90%. This, needless to say, is not a message heard from the pulpits of traditional congregations. Economy of Love functions as an introduction to the philosophical foundation for Relational Tithe: exploring the theological, spiritual, and justice-based rationale for this kind of economic redistribution. Given the profound cynicism of our age, it may be tempting to see this curriculum as an infomercial for the organization, and I suppose that it is. But since Relational Tithe is volunteer run and seeks to pass through 100% of the resources donated to those who are in need, it’s an infomercial I can live with.
Economy of Love is modestly priced and deserves to be shown widely. It might engender some push-back from Christians who feel that making a pledge to their local congregation is “enough.” But the conversation that this will inspire, difficult though it may be, will be well worth having. I just wish it were a meatier curriculum (similar to the Catholic Church’s JustFaith program). Maybe version 2.0 will provide us more insight into how we, individually and collectively, can best create and embrace the community of enough.
Books we talked about in Ulster
Here is a partial list of some of the many books we talked about, recommended to one another, read from, or otherwise consulted, during the Spirituality and Peacemaking week in Northern Ireland earlier this month. Some of these books were mentioned in our sessions; others were used to help plan the sessions; others came up in informal conversations between the retreat participants. If you weren’t on the retreat, dipping into these books might give you a sense of the breadth of the conversation we had during our week in Ulster. If you were on the retreat, perhaps this list will help you to find a book or two to read, to deepen the experience.
Mary Margaret Funk, Thoughts Matter- Seamus Heaney, Seeing Things
- Gareth Higgins, How Movies Helped Save My Soul
- Robert Kee, Ireland: A History
- Gordon Lathrop, Holy Ground
- Gordon Lathrop, Holy People
- Gordon Lathrop, Holy Things
John Paul Lederach, Building Peace- John Paul Lederach, Preparing for Peace
- John Paul Lederach, The Moral Imagination: The Art and Soul of Building Peace
- Carl McColman, The Big Book of Christian Mysticism
- Carl McColman, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Celtic Wisdom
- John O’Donohue, Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom
John O’Donohue, To Bless the Space Between Us- Seán Ó Duinn, Rites of Brigid
- Seán Ó Duinn, Where Three Streams Meet
- Walter Wink, Engaging the Powers
- Walter Wink, Naming the Powers
- Walter Wink, Unmasking the Powers
- John Howard Yoder, The Politics of Jesus
I’m sure there are others that I missed (if anyone who was on the retreat reads this and thinks of a book that was part of the retreat experience for them, please let me know and I’ll add it to this list).
The Big Book in the Book Clubs
The Big Book of Christian Mysticism has been picked up by two different book clubs. This is actually a rather interesting sign of how this book can speak to different audiences.
It is my understanding that the first book club to include The Big Book of Christian Mysticism in its catalog was the One Spirit Book Club, which could be described as the “New Age” (or “Mind/Body/Spirit”) book club. This is not terribly surprising, as I have had books in their catalog before (and, indeed, the last of my Celtic books, 366 Celt, is still listed as available on their site). Visit this link to order either of my books through One Spirit: www.onespirit.com.
But then there is the Crossings Book Club, which caters to Christian readers. Since most of my books published in 2005 or earlier would only have marginal interest to devout Christians, it’s not surprising that I’ve never had a book in the Crossings catalog — at least, not until now. This morning I received notification that The Big Book of Christian Mysticism is indeed listed on their website. So… if you want to order a copy through Crossings, visit this link: www.crossings.com.
I just think it is supremely cool to see this book accepted by both the Christian and the Mind/Body/Spirit communities.
My first Twitter review
The Big Book of Christian Mysticism has received its first (to my knowledge) review — on Twitter. It comes from the user @Tmason47 (disclosure: he’s a friend), and here it is, verbatim:
@mccolman I am enjoying the balances that you have struck with your Big Book, depth and brevity, seriousness and levity.
Anyone else care to review it on Twitter (or Amazon, or anywhere else)? I hope you’ll do so. If you do comment on the book on Twitter, please include this hashtag in your tweet: #BBOCM
Thanks!
What I’m reading to prepare for the Northern Ireland Retreat
Several books are on my bedside table right now, as I reflect on the spirituality and political history of Northern Ireland (and Ireland in general) in advance of the Contemplative Spirituality and Radical Activism immersion experience coming up in August.
First, to deepen my sense of Irish history (particularly in relation to the politics of Northern Ireland over the last 50 years), I’m reading Ireland: A History by Robert Kee. It’s a sobering look at just how troubled Eire has been, with its sad legacy of colonialism and religious persecution.
To deepen my sense of the central spiritual question of the retreat — how to integrate contemplation and activism, particularly nonviolence — I’m looking at three books. Resistance and Contemplation: The Way of Liberation by James Douglass is a Vietnam War-era classic that considers this all important relationship between silence and peacemaking: what Douglass calls “The Yin and Yang of the Non-Violent Life.” Meanwhile, William H. Shannon’s Seeds of Peace: Contemplation and Non-Violence considers this issue particularly in regard to the thought of Thomas Merton. And Una Kroll’s Vocation to Resistance: Contemplation and Change provides an Anglican and woman’s perspective to the connection not only between contemplation 
and peacemaking, but also environmentalism, reconciliation, and resisting the idolatry of our consumer culture.
Finally, just to keep things light, I’m checking in with an old friend: John O’Donohue’s Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom, which seems as relevant, and poetically luminous, as ever.
So there you go. If you aren’t coming to Northern Ireland with us, at least you can explore the same spiritual geography with these books.
It may not be big, but it’s still a “Big Book”…
July 3, 2010: My copy of "The Big Book of Christian Mysticism" arrives. I am thrilled, even though the book doesn't seem that big.
On Saturday I received my first copy of The Big Book of Christian Mysticism.
I am thrilled. Even though it’s nine months late (it originally was meant to be published in the fall of 2009), and even though it has to be the world’s smallest “big book” (!), I am just so happy. It has been a dream of mine to write an introductory book on Christian mysticism since, well, before my first book was published. So today I am pleased to stand up for daring to believe that dreams do come true. Because sometimes they do.
Now, about the book’s title. People have been teasing me about it for months now (one of the monks at the monastery where I work has taken great delight in saying, “Oh, yes, Carl wrote the book on Christian mysticism!”). I suspect that the teasing (good natured and otherwise) will only increase once people get the book in their hands. And this is for a very simple reason: my “big book” just isn’t that big.
I keep thinking about the model of Stonehenge in This is Spinal Tap.
There’s a story here. Originally my editor and I had envisioned a much bigger book than what the final product turned out to be. Indeed, my contract called for a 500 page manuscript. But as time went on — and the economy tanked — not to mention my own reservations about writing such a lengthy tome, we decided to aim for a more modest (and, therefore, less expensive) work. The final page count clocks in at just over 300 pages. So the “big book” morphed into a much more “normal sized” book.
However, we never bothered to change the title that originally was attached to the 500 page concept. The supersized title remained even after we decided to make this a book of mere mortal proportions.
So think of The Big Book of Christian Mysticism as having gone through the dryer and shrunk a little. It may be smaller than you expected. But no matter how average the book’s dimensions may be, the topic itself remains, well, magnificent.
Even if I do say so myself. 
Book suggestions from Lindisfarne
A fellow named David from the Community of Aidan and Hilda has gotten in touch with me. He shares my conviction that Christian mysticism and Celtic spirituality naturally coinhere. Visiting his community’s website stirs in me a longing to visit both Lindisfarne and Iona, neither of which I have yet to see (I always seem to end up in Ireland whenever I go to the British Isles).
David recommended three books to me:
Exploring Celtic Spirituality by Ray Simpson
Restoring the Woven Cord by Michael Mitton
Colonies of Heaven by Ian Bradley
I haven’t read any of these, and it looks like they’re not readily available in the USA. But if you live in the UK (or are willing to pay a premium price for a secondhand copy), they sure look interesting.
And what do YOU like to read?
Here’s something just for fun — that sheds some light on the reading habits of those who visit my humble website.
Scattered throughout this blog and website are links to various books — books I’ve written, books written by people I’ve interviewed (like John O’Donohue), or books that I’ve reviewed, recommended, or otherwise mentioned once or twice. These links take you to Amazon where you can purchase the book — and if you do so, I get a small commission in the form of a credit that 
I can use at Amazon (to feed my own book habit).
I thought it might be fun to see which books sell the best through the links on this site. Amazon actually has records back to the beginning of 2005 — so here is a look at over five years’ worth of books that people who like to read my blog, like to buy. The list is ranked by number of copies ordered (when different editions of the same book sold through my site, I combined the numbers to rank the work rather than the edition, but on this list I’ve only included 
the best-selling edition of each work).
The list does contain a few surprises. While I am humbled by the fact that the number one title is not by me (!), I am gratified that the second position is held by my forthcoming book, on the strength of pre-orders alone. I’m not surprised that the author aside from myself who appears most often is the aforementioned John O’Donohue, for several reasons — he would naturally appeal to both my “Celtic” and my “Christian mysticism” readers; his bestselling 
Anam Cara is, despite the Irish versus Anglicized spelling, the same as the URL of my blog; and ever since his untimely death, my interview of him (and my brief tribute) have been among the most heavily visited pages on this site.
So, here you go: the Website of Unknowing’s bestselling books, from January 2005 to June 2010:
Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom by John O’Donohue- The Big Book of Christian Mysticism: The Essential Guide to Contemplative Spirituality by Carl McColman
- The Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counseling by Anonymous
- The Aspiring Mystic: Practical Steps for Spiritual Seekers by Carl McColman
- 366 Celt: Year And A Day Of Celtic Wisdom And Lore by Carl McColman
The Revelation of Divine Love in Sixteen Showings by Julian of Norwich- The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Celtic Wisdom by Carl McColman
- The Naked Now: Learning to See as the Mystics See by Richard Rohr
- Mysticism: The Nature and Development of Spiritual Consciousness by Evelyn Underhill
- Embracing Jesus and the Goddess: A Radical Call for Spiritual Sanity by Carl
McColman - The New Jerusalem Bible : Saints Devotional Edition edited by Bert Ghezzi
- To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings by John O’Donohue
- Spirituality: A Post-Modern and Interfaith Approach to Cultivating a Relationship with God by Carl McColman
- Beauty: The Invisible Embrace by John O’Donohue
- Eternal Echoes: Celtic Reflections on Our Yearning to Belong by
John O’Donohue - Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening by Cynthia Bourgeault
- The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism edited by Bernard McGinn
- Bulletproof Faith: A Spiritual Survival Guide for Gay and Lesbian Christians by Candace Chellew-Hodge
- The Mist-Filled Path: Celtic Wisdom for Exiles, Wanderers, and Seekers by Frank MacEowen
- Beginning Contemplative Prayer: Out of Chaos, Into Quiet by Kathryn J. Hermes
Magic Of The Celtic Gods And Goddesses by Carl McColman and Kathryn Hinds- Punk Monk: New Monasticism and the Ancient Art of Breathing by Andy Freeman and Pete Greig
- The Mysticism of the Cloud of Unknowing by William Johnston
- Listening for the Heartbeat of God: A Celtic Spirituality by J. Philip Newell
- The Interior Castle by Teresa of Àvila
Contemplative Practice and… Business Books?
Sometimes, I believe, the best books we can read to support our spiritual discipline are books that do not appear to be “spiritual” at all. Here’s a case in point. I recently stumbled across a new line of business books by a fellow named Jim Randel; the series is called “the skinny on” — they’re a bit high on the cutesy quotient, using stick figures (get the “skinny” pun?) and humor to build a narrative around the topic of each book. But they’re quick reads, and present a straightforward approach to concepts that anyone seeking to get ahead in their career will find valuable — how to manage your time… how to focus your will… how to set and achieve goals… how to communicate your ideas effectively. I picked up these books thinking they would be inspirational for me on a professional level, and they were certainly worth the time I invested in them. But what I didn’t expect was how relevant each of these topics were to the challenge of fostering a sustained spiritual practice.
On one level, this may seem counterintuitive. Business books are about setting and achieving goals, cultivating ambition, striving for the prize. Contemplation — well, that’s about obedience, and humility, and self-forgetfulness. How can these two entirely different sets of goals be woven together?
A good question, but not hard to answer. Consider the old feminist joke: “Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, only backwards while wearing heels.” Contemplative Christianity operates with the clear recognition that God is in control, God calls the shots, God leads the dance. We, meanwhile, need to learn how to gracefully follow. Our sinfulness, our resistance to spiritual growth, is the mystical equivalent of being saddled with “high heels.” So we have to overc
ome our resistance, allow God to take the lead, and then put our own effort into being present and available for the joyous dance we are called to dance.
So that’s where the “skinny” books come in. When I’ve taught classes or conducted retreats, the single most common complaint I hear about a spiritual practice involves finding the time to make it happen. That’s where focusing on time management comes in. The corollary to this is the question of perseverance: how to foster the discipline to keep a spiritual practice going, once it’s been started. Here’s where willpower becomes important. Finally, having a clear sense of the “goal” (continual conversion into the love and joy and peace of Christ, etc.) and recognizing the steps necessary to reach that “goal” (participation in the sacramental life, lectio divina, contemplative prayer, spiritual direction, etc.) are all key elements to fostering a “successful” contemplative practice. Even the “art of persuasion” applies, since a contemplative must be “persuaded” of the value and importance of his or her practice.
I
couldn’t help but put words like “goal” and “successful” in quotation marks, because the tension between worldly ambition and spiritual surrender remains. I don’t suppose that business books will ever replace inspirational or mystical writing for those of us seeking to cultivate a closer relationship with God — just as it seems a bit out of kilter to think about “success” or “setting and achieving goals” when it comes to meeting and courting one’s spouse. Still, the reality of finding time every day to pray, learning to overcome resistance, dealing with setbacks (such as temporary interruptions to the routine), and establishing a positive habit of practicing the presence of God… these down-to-earth objectives of a mature and adult spiritual life just might benefit from the insights of my “skinny” friends.
Amazon’s “Click to Look Inside” Feature is Now Live…
If you’d like to take a sneak peek inside The Big Book of Christian Mysticism, or see its back cover, you now can do so, at Amazon.com. Amazon’s “Click to Look Inside” feature has now been activated for the book. Please take a look…
The Big Book of Christian Mysticism on Amazon.com
…and if you haven’t pre-ordered your copy, now’s a great time to do so! 
Into the Region of Awe
Into the Region of Awe: Mysticism in C. S. Lewis
By David C. Downing
Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005
Review by Carl McColman
In his last book, Letters to Malcolm, C. S. Lewis all but declares that he is not a mystic. Comparing mystics to those who climb mountains, Lewis tells Malcolm, “You and I are people of the foothills.” Of course, one of the paradoxes of mysticism is that the true mystic is humble, and a humble person is far less likely to think of himself or herself as a mystic. So, the less inclined a person is to think of himself or herself as a mystic, the more it is conceivable that he or she actually is one.
C. S. Lewis may well be the poster child for this line of thinking. Despite his protest to the contrary, much of Lewis’ writing — particularly his fictional works, such as The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Perelandra, and Till We Have Faces — positively shines with poetic descriptions of luminous, otherworldly beauty and the shimmering encounter with the Divine. Meanwhile, Lewis was known to be fond of many of the greatest visionaries and contemplatives of the Christian tradition, such as Julian of Norwich or Walter Hilton. Perhaps the most renowned author of popular Christian literature in English in the twentieth century really does deserve to be counted among the greatest of Christian mystics?
I think so. And I’ll tell you a little secret: I say as much in my forthcoming book. When I included Lewis in my listing of “the communion of mystics,” I thought I was going out on a limb. But that was before I discovered — and devoured — David Downing’s wonderful book about Lewis’ relationship with mysticism. Downing, a respected Lewis scholar, has put into words in this marvelously accessible book what I had merely intuited: that Lewis, beneath his natural shyness and humility, truly thought like, talked like, wrote like, and in all likelihood experienced spirituality like, a great Christian mystic.
Some readers may be wondering “What is mysticism, and why is this relevant to Lewis?” Downing does a splendid job at explaining mysticism and its uniquely Christian expression. Frankly, the first chapter, “The Mystique of Mysticism,” is alone worth the price of the book, so elegant and accessible is its treatment of this notoriously difficult subject. But from there, Downing goes on to consider the role that mysticism played in Lewis’ own spirituality, considering the mystics that Lewis read, his dealings with Evelyn Underhill (the greatest British authority on the subject during Lewis’ lifetime), and then, finally, the witness of his writings. Downing pays particular attention to Lewis’s speculative fiction, The Space Trilogy and The Chronicles of Narnia. In several characters in these novels, particular Ransom in the trilogy and Reepicheep in the Narniad, Lewis presents figures who experience the profound transformation that comes with a sustained contemplative spirituality.
Downing also devotes attention to Lewis’ criticism of mysticism, particularly the ersatz types already gaining currency in his day, including shallow forms of syncretism and narcissistic spiritualities of experience. He shows that Lewis’s concerns about mysticism really are consistent with the overall tradition, which has always had a clear understanding of the difference between authentically Christian and heterodox expressions of spirituality. In other words, when Lewis attacked mysticism, it generally was not Christian mysticism he critiqued, but one or another form of generic or secularised mysticism that for Lewis, as an orthodox Christian, simply was not good enough.
Like other figures of the recent past, Lewis ultimately stood for a kind of “democratic” mysticism that was available to all people, not just clergy or monastics, not just those who are educated or especially holy. Ordinary children as in the Narnia books, or an undistinguished layman as in the space trilogy, are fully capable of being ushered out of the ordinary confines of their lives “into the region of awe.” Lewis wrote beautifully and poetically of the ramifications of such a possibility, and our tradition is the richer for it. Then along comes David Downing, who has done a first-rate job at making Lewis’s mysticism plain for all to see.
More endorsements!
Several other folks have praised The Big Book of Christian Mysticism since I published the first round of endorsements on this blog a few days back. Here are the latest kind words:
Carl McColman has both studied and practised the Christian mystical tradition, stressing its earthiness and ‘ordinariness’. Like Thomas Merton, Michael Ramsey and others, he holds that mysticism is not an esoteric realm, reserved for the very holy, but is what all Christian life is about. I strongly commend this book.
— Kenneth Leech, author of Soul Friend:
Spiritual Direction in the Modern World
A brilliant contribution from a clear, concise and articulate author! Carl McColman’s Big Book deepens the conversation as he explores the paradoxes of the mystical/traditional approaches, outlines the bias against cultivating an interior life and illuminates the reader on practices to embrace in order to relate to a dynamic Living God.
— Lauren Artress, author of
Walking a Sacred Path
Mysticism is at the heart of faith, whatever religious or denominational flag we raise. Thoughtful, well-written doorways into these mysteries, such as this one, matter a great deal to all of us who seek communion with the Mystery Itself.
— Robert Benson, author of
In Constant Prayer
If you’d like to see what other folks (like Richard Rohr, Carolyn Myss, Brian McLaren, and Phyllis Tickle) have said, click here. And if you haven’t done so already, I hope you’ll take a moment and pre-order the book here: The Big Book of Christian Mysticism.
Is there such a thing as too many books?
I am trying to lose weight. Actually, I’m a good 15-18 pounds lighter than I was in November, when I first resolved to trim up. I’d still like to take another 20 pounds off, so I’m only about halfway to my goal. When people ask me how I’ve managed to lose the weight I’ve already taken off, I always shrug and say that I have no particular diet: my basic game plan is “eat less, move more.” In other words, I try to be mindful of my portion sizes and I try to keep exercise and physical activity as a priority.
I’m still thinking a lot about the conversation I had last week with a monk who suggested that I need to be spending less time reading and more time engaged in my spiritual practice of prayer and contemplation. I literally have a house full of books, and the vast majority of them I have not read, or only read in part. This, I know, is not unusual for educated, reasonably affluent American writers, particularly since once the publishers discover someone like me (who often blogs about books), they start sending out free books in the hopes that I’ll mention them in my blog. Even worse (as my wife likes to remind me), if I ask a publisher for a complimentary copy of a newly published book, often they’ll send it along. The moral of the story: I have a book addiction, and I acquire the things faster than I can usefully read them. I am book-fat.
If the way to lose excess flesh is to eat less and move more, then it seems that the only way to overcome the problem of book-fat is to acquire fewer books and simply set about to reading the ones I already have (which, frankly, will probably see me through to the end of my life). But instead of “moving more,” the process of abandoning compulsive book acquisitions probably will indeed require contemplating more. Engaging in the silent process of seeking and resting in the presence of God is probably the only real antidote to the rather materialistic (read: gluttonous) habit of continually buying (or begging for) still more reading material.
None of us can read our way into the presence of God. The only real point behind spiritual reading is to encourage us to, finally, put the book down and get on with the business of prayer, meditation, contemplation, and the work of loving one another. Mind you, I’m not suggesting that spiritual reading should be abandoned altogether (that would be silly, considering that I have just finished writing my own book on Christian spirituality), but I do think that reading is like eating: it’s possible to both over-do and under-do it. I suspect that book-anorexics probably are not much for reading blogs either, so I don’t imagine too many of my readers suffer from that particular problem. But if you, like me, have too much book-fat in your life (warning signs include acquiring books faster than you can read them, and rather compulsively reading pretty much every spare moment of the day), then perhaps my monastic friend’s advice would be useful for you, too. Read less, pray more. Read less, meditate more. Read less, contemplate more.
Here are a few quotations from www.quotationspage.com to ponder as we consider how to find the perfect balance between the right amount of reading and a meaningful practice of contemplation in our lives.
Reading, after a certain age, diverts the mind too much from its creative pursuits. Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.
— Albert Einstein
Books to the ceiling,
Books to the sky,
My pile of books is a mile high.
How I love them! How I need them!
I’ll have a long beard by the time I read them.
— Arnold Lobel
Readings is sometimes an ingenious device for avoiding thought.
— Arthur Helps
Never read a book through merely because you have begun it.
— John Witherspoon
The multitude of books is making us ignorant.
— Voltaire
What do Brian McLaren and Carolyn Myss have in common?
What do Brian McLaren and Carolyn Myss have in common? And, for that matter, Phyllis Tickle, Cynthia Bourgeault, and Richard Rohr? They have all endorsed The Big Book of Christian Mysticism.
Over the last few weeks, while I’ve been proofreading the manuscript, the publisher and I have sent it out to a number of authors, college professors, and clergypersons, for feedback and potential endorsements. Now, to God be the glory in all of this: to date we have received the following responses, all of which simply blow me away with their praise and enthusiasm for the book.
So please indulge me for a minute as I switch from “blogger” to “marketing” mode, and list here the wonderful things that folks are saying about the Big Book. To make this extra fun, I’m providing images and links to books written by these folks themselves.
Praise for The Big Book of Christian Mysticism:
Mysticism is not mystifying at all, but simple, always available, and utterly clarifying. Carl McColman’s much needed book will allow you to experience this for yourself. Christians and all Seekers will find both meat and dessert in such a full meal.
— Richard Rohr, author of Things Hidden:
Scripture as Spirituality
Charmingly and conversationally written, but also rich in nuance and thorough in its coverage and its attention to detail, The Big Book is, as its name suggests, a big…even an enormous…contribution to our current literature on the subject. Highly recommended.
— Phyllis Tickle, author of The Great Emergence:
How Christianity is Changing and Why
Before I heard about The Big Book of Christian Mysticism, I had been thinking about how such a book has been needed for a long time. Now, having read it, I’m glad we waited for Carl McColman to come along to write it. It’s accessible, human, well-informed, balanced, broad … just what we needed.
— Brian D. McLaren, author of A New Kind of Christianity:
Ten Questions That Are Transforming the Faith
A wise and supportive guidebook for those going deeper on the Christian mystical path, The Big Book of Christian Mysticism is grounded in sound scholarship and thoughtful reflection (often surprisingly fresh and insightful!), but what makes it sing is the authenticity of the author’s own contemplative journey.
— Cynthia Bourgeault, author of The Wisdom Jesus:
Transforming Heart and Mind — A New
Perspective on Christ and His Message
The Big Book of Christian Mysticism is truly a work of art as well as a spiritual guide for those who want to know more about Christian mysticism. Writing for a broad audience of readers, Carl wants everyone to become aware of that rich history and its potential meaning for today. He writes in a lively, engaging style, but his work comes out of deep wells of spiritual wisdom. Appealing to both head and heart, his book not only makes the history of Christian mysticism accessible, but also provides for readers guidance in prayer, contemplation, and transformation itself. For Carl, the great mystics are not just people specially gifted, but soul friends and spiritual mentors for anyone who seeks to live today with some degree of interiority, integrity, and joy. I highly recommend this book not only for general readers interested in mysticism and spirituality, but also for undergraduate or graduate students who need an introduction to what Carl himself calls “this ancient wisdom tradition.”
— Edward C. Sellner, author of
Wisdom of the Celtic Saints
In this delightfully accessible book, Carl McColman dispels the notion that Christian mysticism exists somewhere in the ether, and reveals its solid, earthy roots. If you want a rich, nourishing life of faith, and virtues that flourish like wildflowers, read The Big Book of Christian Mysticism, and let the good news in it transform you.
— Claudia Mair Burney, author of God Alone is Enough:
A Spirited Pilgrimage with St. Teresa of Avila
With his Big Book, Carl McColman has pulled off a tour de force: a work on Christian mysticism that is broadly accessible, but deep; scholarly but not pedantic; reverent, but judicious; thorough, but a good read; an excellent introduction to the subject for the general reader, but with plenty of meat for the specialist. Highly recommended for the neophyte, the informed, and the expert alike.
— Robert Davis Hughes III, author of Beloved Dust:
Tides of the Spirit in the Christian Life
In The Big Book of Christian Mysticism, Carl McColman offers us a thorough and engaging exploration of Christian mysticism, which he defines as a form of alchemy – that is, transformation through the Source of all Love. His wise and clear writing takes us on a wide journey through both classical and contemporary mystic guides. Ultimately he invites us to catch a glimpse of the heart of Mystery through concrete suggestions for mystical practice and be transformed ourselves.
— Christine Valters Paintner, author of
Water, Wind, Earth, & Fire: The Christian
Practice of Praying with the Elements
If you are looking for both a primer on Christian mysticism as well as an in-depth treatment of this oft-misunderstood aspect of the spiritual life, here is your book. Readable, useful, well-researched, Carl McColman’s book helps both the novice and those already well along on the journey toward a deeper relationship with God to see that mysticism is ultimately not at all a mysterious quest, but a human — and possible — one.
— Paul Wilkes, Author of Beyond the Walls:
Monastic Wisdom for Everyday Life
The Big Book of Christian Mysticism is a masterpiece of scholarship and wisdom. Carl McColman obviously earned his understanding of mysticism through years of research as well as his own personal spiritual journey and there is no more powerful combination for inspired writing.
— Carolyn Myss, author of Entering the Castle:
Finding the Inner Path to God
and Your Soul’ Purpose
The Big Book of Christian Mysticism is wise and wonderful, deceptively simple! Are you interested in having a relationship with something that’s ultimately unknowable? Me too. It’s not easy, but dig in, here!
— Jon M. Sweeney, author of Cloister Talks:
Learning from My Friends the Monks
Meanwhile… if you haven’t done so already, please take a moment and pre-order the book here: The Big Book of Christian Mysticism.
Suggested Reading for Protestant Mysticism and Contemplative Spirituality
If you’re going to participate in the class on the Protestant Mystics that I’ll be teaching at First Christian Church of Atlanta starting on April 6, then you might enjoy reading one or more of these books. They’re all written by Protestant authors and each one features a different dimension of Christian spirituality that is mystical and/or contemplative in its focus. None of these books are required for the class, but they are all well worth reading — so I’m listing them here for your optional consideration (and if you’re not going to be in the class, or live outside of Atlanta, reading one or more of these books can be a way for you to explore the mystical dimension of Protestant spirituality on your own. Remember, for the purposes of the class (and this book list) “Protestant” is used as an umbrella term to describe any of the western churches with roots in the Reformation or its aftermath, including the Anglican, Reformed, and Evangelical traditions.
Happy reading!
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis. Yes, this is a children’s book — but it is for “children of all ages,” and furthermore is a richly evocative allegory of the traditional understanding of the spiritual life. Conversion, reconciliation, liberation from the bondage of sin, temptation, embracing of silence, growth in holiness, the dark night of the soul, the experience of illumination and consolation, and the final dazzling experience of union are all treated in turn, under the guise of a charming story of children taking a magical sea voyage to the “End of the World.” It’s fascinating, in that C. S. Lewis, like many devout Protestants, was uncomfortable with the term “mysticism” and disavowed that he himself was a mystic. But reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader with an eye for the elements of mysticism, you might begin to think that Lewis was overly-humble.
Practical Mysticism by Evelyn Underhill. This classic book, first published in 1915, is a wonderful companion piece to Underhill’s earlier work, Mysticism: A Study in the Nature and Development of Spiritual Consciousness. In the earlier work she established herself as a scholar of Christian mysticism with a scholarly, academic treatment of her topic. Practical Mysticism, as its title implies, is not so much about the theory of mystical spirituality as it’s real-world relevance to, in Underhill’s pre-inclusive-language words, “the average man.” Assuming no knowledge of mysticism, she begins by defining her terms and explaining the value and importance of mysticism in the language of ordinary men and women, drawing her illustrations from family and professional life as much as from religion. Underhill provides step-by-step instruction for engaging in basic spiritual practices such as prayer and meditation; although her century-old language is somewhat dated, the content of her work remains relevant today.
Mystical Hope by Cynthia Bourgeault. Bourgeault is the only author in this list who is alive now; an Anglican (Episcopal) priest from British Columbia, she is a respected teacher of centering prayer and her books have been lauded as some of the best available literature on that particular spiritual practice. But Bourgeault’s contribution to Christian spirituality goes beyond merely supporting the revival of Christian meditation; she has a clear vision of Christian spirituality as transformation of consciousness and her work is based on the idea that Jesus is not only the Savior and the Son of God, but is a profound wisdom teacher whose words can literally transform our lives. Mystical Hope is Bourgeault’s shortest book, about transforming our relationship with God from fearful duty to joyous love and trust; it’s a brief and accessible introduction to the visionary nature of her teaching.
Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. This inspirational classic was written expressly for women, but I think its message is sufficiently universal that men should read it as well. While not “mystical” in the sense of dramatic or extraordinary, this gentle and unassuming book uses the metaphor of different seashells to celebrate the promise and pleasure that can be found in a contemplative, mindful approach to life. The book recounts the story of the author’s retreat on a Florida beach; reading it can be almost an “inner retreat” for those whose life circumstances may not permit a month or so spent by the shore. Written in the 1950s before the significant social changes of the following decade (including the rise of modern feminism), Gift From the Sea sometimes reads like a memo from a lost, earlier, simpler age; but the values it advocates — putting family before ambition, for example — remain, if anything, even more urgently important today than ever.
Hind’s Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard. This book is kind of a twentieth century homage to The Pilgrim’s Progress, in that it features allegorical characters with stylized names like Much-Afraid, Dismal Forebodings and Grace and Glory. Like her name indicates, Much-Afraid struggles with lack of faith, and finds her transformation by learning to trust the Shepherd, and allowing herself to be led to new heights of love, joy and victory. Moving through her fears and torments to reach the High Places, Much-Afraid receives not only a new name, but a new calling — to take her transformed life back down into the valley of Service.
So there you go — several books to read with an eye to how Christians from the Anglican and Reformed traditions have explored the call to go deeper into the Christian spiritual life. Enjoy.
Running with Expanding Heart
Running with Expanding Heart: Meeting God in Everyday Life
By Mary Reuter, OSB
Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2010
Review by Carl McColman
Just in time for Lent: here is a wonderful new addition to the literature of Benedictine wisdom.
Running with Expanding Heart (the title comes from a phrase in the prologue to the Rule of Saint Benedict) offers a vision of how Benedictine spirituality can provide inspiration and guidance for twenty-first century Christians—including the laity. Sister Mary Reuter, a member of Saint Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph, Minnesota and a theology professor at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, understands just how down-to-earth and practical Benedictine wisdom is, and uses storytelling, personal reflection, and thought-provoking, open-ended questions to illustrate just how relevant Benedict’s Rule continues to be. Beginning with an homage to her father whom she describes as an “extraordinary ordinary man,” the author goes on to show, in a variety of ways, how Benedictine wisdom can help Christians to find the extraordinary in all of life’s ordinary moments.
The chapters of the book cover the key elements of Benedictine wisdom, including hospitality, stability, obedience, the beauty of the ordinary, the spirituality of place, and the recognition that everything is holy. Although the book does not promote any sort of method or technique of prayer, the overall message will support all who seek to nurture a contemplative dimension within even the most down-to-earth corners of their lives.
This book can serve as an introduction to Benedictine spirituality for beginners, but also as a bouquet of new insights for those who have walked with Benedict for some time. It’s a slender little book (100 pages plus notes), making it ideal to read as part of an overall discipline of daily devotion. St. Benedict expected his monks to read a book for Lent; if you want to make Benedictine wisdom more integrally part of your life, this would be an ideal selection for your Lenten reading.
The Naked Now
The Naked Now: Learning to See as the Mystics See
By Richard Rohr
New York: Crossroad, 2009
Review by Carl McColman
Many of the finest studies of Christian mysticism are just that: studies. While authors as renowned as William Ralph Inge, Cuthbert Butler, Evelyn Underhill, Louis Bouyer, John Macquarrie, Bernard McGinn and Robert Davis Hughes have made splendid contributions to our knowledge and understanding of contemplative and mystical spirituality, their erudite and scholarly works are, alas, often just too challenging for the ordinary, non-theologically-educated layperson. Although perusing their work can be a dazzling journey of insight and cognition, the casual reader may well be left wondering the all-important question, largely unaddressed by the scholars: “How do I apply this wisdom to my life?”
Enter Richard Rohr and his inviting, accessible introduction to the mystical element of spirituality written for the average seeker in our time. He understands that mysticism is far more than just “experiencing God,” and he refuses to reduce contemplation to mere psychological nurture or stress management. He deftly understands that mysticism often exists in tension with established religious authority, and yet at its heart Christian mysticism is about reconciliation and relationship more so than revolution and rebellion. Rohr has a clear sense of the paradox and play at the heart of mysticism, and manages to avoid both the trap of esotericism (mysticism as a retreat into private spirituality) and devotionalism (mysticism as a metaphor for super-piety). The title, The Naked Now, evokes a range of “present-moment” spiritaul masterpieces, from Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now to Jean-Pierre de Caussade’s Abandonment to Divine Providence. Like these previous works, The Naked Now recognizes the mysticism is a gift already given, not something we achieve so much as something we, by God’s grace, simply allow: in the undefended, un-judged (hence, “naked”) here-and-now present.
The key to this book’s accessibility and usefulness lies in its subtitle. Rohr does not promise his readers that The Naked Now will make them become mystics; instead, he promises to invite them to “see” as mystics do. He uses the metaphor of seeing and even of the “third eye” to unpack not only what is wrong with religion in general, but to present mysticism as a shift into all-embracing, nondual consciousness. He grounds this fundamental truth in the Christian tradition, discussing how mysticism relates to the Christian (particularly but not exclusively Catholic) life, and especially to the teachings of Jesus. Like Cynthia Bourgeault or even Ken Wilber, Rohr’s understanding of Jesus liberates Christ from the kind of metaphysical superhero who dies to placate a wrathful God and instead celebrates him as a wisdom teacher whose death and resurrection become the archetypal pathway for the life of mystical initiation: descent into the dark night (and surrender of the ego), followed by the resurrection into the “new mind” or “mind of Christ” (metanoia, conversion) that characterizes mystical seeing — and being.
In his introduction to the book, Rohr suggests that these principles epitomize what he is trying to say: “All saying must be balanced by unsaying, and knowing must be humbled by unknowing,” and “All light must be informed by darkness, and all success by suffering.” The key to these mystical axioms, of course, is unlearning the dualistic way of seeing and thinking by relaxing into the naked now: the “sacrament of the present moment.”
The Naked Now is a gentle book, and probably will not convert anyone who is not already predisposed to its joyful and expansive message. It lacks the polemical punch of Brian McLaren’s A New Kind of Christianity or Phyllis Tickle’s The Great Emergence; but it really has a different mission than either of those books. It’s not about convincing the ego of how “right” the mystical path is, but rather simply about accepting the invitation to walk the mystic path and see for yourself. Because Rohr is not interested in oppositional consciousness, so he is not particularly interested in meeting his critics (or the critics of mysticism in general) on their level. Rather, he simply invites everyone to “come higher” to the third-eye, naked now level of contemplative seeing. Those who accept the invitation will find this book encouraging and hopeful. Those who don’t probably wouldn’t read the book to begin with.
If you like The Website of Unknowing I can confidently say that you will love The Naked Now. If you’re not particularly familiar with my website, then consider if you are drawn to centering prayer, interfaith spirituality (Christianity in dialogue with Buddhism, etc.), Benedictine/Monastic spirituality, Celtic Christianity, or the emergent conversation. If any of these are of interest to you, get this book. It will inspire you to connect to the spiritual heart of all these creative movements within the Christian community.
Two New Books
I have recently received two books that I am eagerly looking forward to reading. It will probably be a few weeks before I can write in-depth reviews of them, but I wanted to mention them now in case anyone who reads this blog would like to get copies.
A New Kind of Christianity by Brian McLaren features a series of questions that McLaren has been wresting with — questions he has had posed to him, all over the world, as he has travelled, speaking about the challenges the community of faith is facing as we enter more fully into the postmodern age. Some of the questions are very much in line with the kinds of conversations we have on this blog: “How should followers of Jesus relate to people of other religions?” “How can we translate our quest into action?” Other questions wade into areas I haven’t directly addressed here, but that every thinking Christian should be wrestling with: “Is God violent?” “Can we find a way to address human sexuality without fighting about it?” “What is the overarching story line of the Bible?” I suspect that McLaren will adress these, and the other questions he raises in this book with his customary love for scripture and Christian tradition, coupled with a keen awareness that all the old ways of “doing church” are increasingly obsolete in our day. It will be interesting to see where he goes. Incidentally, I was privileged to be part of a conference call McLaren held last night for about 60 bloggers who are engaging in the emergent conversation. Over the course of 80 minutes he responded to our questions, showing a gracious respect for those who may differ or disagree with him, and an overall sense of openness to seeing just where God may be leading us (with the humility to admit that he, or we, don’t have very much figured out).
Prayer and Prophecy: The Essential Kenneth Leech is an anthology featuring some of the best writing from Ken Leech, arguably one of the most exciting Anglican theologians living today. Leech made a name for himself in the late 1970s with Soul Friend, one of the first books on spiritual direction to reach an audience beyond just clergy and monastics. Several other books on the spiritual life ensued. But this priest is more than just a teacher of prayer, and his ministry (in the east end of London for just about the entirety of his career) has had as much to do with care for the poor, feeding the hungry, engaging in community organizing, and learning to be good neighbors with non-Christians, as it has been concerned with prayer and meditation and the discernment of spirits. Thus, Leech held a space within the Anglican world where contemplation and action naturally came together — similar to the space that Richard Rohr holds among Catholics today. But Leech is simultaneously more orthodox and more radical than folks like Rohr or Cynthia Bourgeault or Tilden Edwards. He combines a rich Anglo-Catholic love for the sacraments and for ceremonial with a clear understanding that devotion to Christ in the Blessed Sacrament is only true when it is accompanied by devotion to Christ whose real presence is found most assuredly among the hungry, the homeless, and the downtrodden. In connecting these dots, Leech does not shy away from the political implications of his radical faith, but he always remains clear that his politics are in service to his vocation as a Christian, and not the other way around.
Okay, so it’s obvious that I’m enthusiastic about Brian McLaren and Kenneth Leech as persons and as ministers of the Gospel. I’ll write more about these books after I read them — but in the meantime, follow the above links and go buy copies of your own!
The Teaching of the 12
The Teaching of the 12: Believing and Practicing the Primitive Christianity of the Ancient Didache Community
By Tony Jones
Brewster, MA: Paraclete Press, 2009
Review by Carl McColman
The Didache is one of the most ancient of Christian documents. Its name is related to the English word “didactic,” which gives a clue to its content: it is a teaching manual, offering spiritual and moral guidance to new converts to the community of faith. It’s not very long (in this book, the complete text of the Didache covers only sixteen pages) and it may very well have been several older documents patched together. It was an also-ran for inclusion in the New Testament, which means that, while the early church did not consider it sufficiently inspired to be regarded as sacred scripture, it nevertheless was respected enough to be considered. For centuries it was effectively lost, until a 1000-year-old copy of the manuscript was found in a convent library in Istanbul in 1873. Tony Jones calls the Didache “the most important book you’ve never heard of” and in The Teaching of the 12 he sets out not so much to provide a scholarly or academic introduction to this ancient writing, but rather to suggest that the Didache has immediate, practical application for Christians (both individually and within faith communities) seeking a simple, unadorned, down-to-earth vision of what it means to be a Christian — or a Christian church — in our time.
The idea of returning to the source holds powerful attraction for many Christians. Many Protestant and evangelical movements over the last five hundred years have been fueled by a desire to re-discover (or re-create) the authentic church as depicted in the New Testament (that is to say, before the accretions of history, empire, and worldly compromise slowly transformed the community of faith into the church institutional). Read the writings of Frank Viola (such as his flawed, but emblematic Pagan Christianity?) to see how this hunger for the primitive church continues to drive many seekers today. Tony Jones presents the Didache almost as a house church manifesto, interspersing his own commentary on the text with the ruminations of “Trucker Frank,” who is a member of a small faith community in Missouri called the Cymbrogi (Welsh for “Companions of the Heart”) that uses the Didache to guide their ongoing faith formation.
Because of this hunger for the primitive, which is in itself simply another point of view, some of Jones’ conclusions leave me unpersuaded: for example, his insistence that the Didache presents a pre-episcopal understanding of church governance. But overall, the enthusiasm and excitement he conveys in his appreciation for the Didache is rather infectious. Again and again, he enthuses that this ancient document calls us not to a set of propositional beliefs, but rather to Christianity as a way of life. I realize that, for Jones and the Cymbrogi and perhaps many others, the Didache has had an effect similar to what the Holy Rule of St. Benedict has had in my own faith journey: it has brought the experience of being a Christian down to earth, made it personal, and challenged the reader to actually live the gospel.
And those are good things indeed.
So, I’m not sure that the Didache is going to revolutionize the church, any more than the Rule or so many other writings of deep faith and devotion have. But I think it’s worth exploring. One aspect of Jones’ commentary that I particularly enjoyed is his explication of just how pragmatic this document is: in its discussion of Baptism, for example, the Didache says that baptisms should be performed “in flowing water.” But it goes on to say: “But if you have no running water, baptize in other water… If you have very little, pour water three times on the head…” Compare this common-sense approach to the kinds of insistence we have seen over the centuries from the various denominations that only one particular way of baptizing is valid. In fact, Jones paraphrases this entire teaching as “here’s the ideal way of baptizing, but if you can’t live up to the ideal, then do the best you can.” Ah, this is dangerous stuff: at what point does “do the best you can” slide into the ironic “whatever!” that adolescents say to annoy their parents — and that epitomizes the pervasive and center-less relativism of our age? Still, it’s a danger that I think we can all live with, for if we have no wriggle room in how we conduct our lives as Christians, contention and conflict will surely ensue (as the sad history of the church in its many divisions has shown). So perhaps the Didache does have something unique to say: strive to be perfect (Matthew 5:48), but also recognize that sometimes perfection just doesn’t happen. And in those circumstances… well, do the best we can.
So the Didache didn’t make me want to run off and join a house church, but I’ve got my Lay Cistercian community, which in many ways already does function like a house church. But for the many Christians who do not enjoy such an intimate, small-group experience of faith — and who are looking for that undefinable something-which-is-missing — this text, and Jones’ accessible commentary on it, just might illuminate the way.
