Contemplation begins with Wonder.
What Are you Wondering About Today?
Latest Posts
Experience
Anyone interested in mysticism may sooner or later face questions like this: what does it mean to have an experience of God? What is the nature of such experience?
Silence
Spiritual silence is not about the kind of silence that harms relationships or inhibits communication. Rather, the silence of spirituality is the silence of listening, pondering, meditating, contemplating. It can only be freely chosen; never imposed.
Jason M. Baxter: An Introduction to Christian Mysticism
An Introduction to Christian Mysticism approaches the topic from an academic perspective. Baxter begins by suggesting that the mystics of Christian history — figures like John Ruusbroec, Meister Eckhart, Julian of Norwich, and Gregory of Nyssa — offer a healthy corrective, perhaps even an antidote, to the domesticated, “nice” spirituality that has come to characterize so much of mainstream Christianity in our time.
Verbum / Logos
Most people think of contemplation and mysticism in terms of prayer and meditation — and rightly so. But there is still an impressive body of wisdom literature to explore — what Thomas Cranmer said about the Bible applies also to mystical literature: these are teachings to “read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest.” You can take your study of the mystics so much further if you tap into a program as powerful as Verbum or Logos.
Spiritual Directors International (SDI)
SDI now is an educational nonprofit, serving over 6,000 members in 42 countries around the world. Although it began as a gathering of Christian spiritual companions, today the organization is interfaith in scope and supports spiritual guides of any faith tradition.
Get Kindle Versions of My Books for as Low as 99¢! (Limited Time Offer)
Friends, three of my books are currently on sale as Kindle e-books in the USA. Act now for a chance to get these books at a deep discount. These prices…
Why “Nobody’s Perfect” is Such Good News
Nobody’s perfect. It’s such a bit of folk wisdom that it just rolls off our tongue. But do we believe it? Do we accept the imperfections in ourselves — or…
A Dream and a Book (How I Learned About Christian Mysticism)
For episode 2 of my new podcast, Schola Mystica, I tell a brief story about how I first learned about Christian mysticism, beginning with a dream I had shortly after graduating…
Some Journal Entries from A Young Aspiring Contemplative
I’ve been refurbishing my office over the past few months, and so one of the tasks I’ve taken on is reviewing my old journals. Most of them I’m content to…
Balancing Faith in the Word with a Scholarly Understanding of the Bible
Sometimes, people grow up in conservative churches where the Bible is often read in a very literal or fundamentalist way. Such persons might go on to study at a college…