Christianity and
Contemplative Practice
The purpose of this reflection is to provide a context for understanding
the place of contemplative practice in the Christian life. A good starting
point, here, would be to acknowledge that the kinds of disciplines which
will be emphasized in this forum can be used in a non-Christian context just
as easily as in a Christian one--some moreso than others, of course. But
one need not be a Christian to practice awareness, for example, nor to make
more room for silence and solitude in one's life. Every world religion recognizes
the value of these disciplines, and emphasizes their value, especially in
their own contemplative traditions.
What we are doing in this forum is encouraging and supporting contemplative
practice in the context of Christian spirituality, which is understood, here,
as essentially synonymous with the Christian journey of faith. Christian
spirituality is nothing more nor less (in my view, of course) than entering
more and more fully into the Christian mysteries, experiecing their truths
interiorly and in the context of relationships and overall lifestyle.
Christian spirituality receives its orientation from the teachings of the
Christian Church; these teachings provide a formative influence which help
to make the spirituality a distincitvely Christian one.
Most of you already know all about the teachings of the Christianity, and so there is no need to go over all that (feel free to ask in the Miscellaneous Questions forum if there's a need). Suffice it to say that contemplative practice--as it is being taught in this forum--is considered in the context of the Christian life, and is not intended to relieve one of the duties and commitments which are part and parcel of the life of Christian faith. E.g., it would be inappropriate for one to conclude that contemplative practice provides an excuse from membership in a Church, attending the Sunday liturgy, being faithful to one's spouse, responding to the call to service, etc. Contemplative practice may well have a strong influence on the way we participate in these matters, but it is not meant to be a substitute for them.
Types of Christian Spirituality
Within the very large context of Christianity, a wisdom about spirituality
has developed through the ages. It has long been recognized that different
individuals are drawn to different ways of responding to the two great commandments
to love God above all and one's neighbor as oneself. Some Catholic religious
orders, for example, seem to emphasize ministries appropriate for extraverted,
outgoing, sociable types; others attract more introverted, introspective
types. Neither is better or more valuable in the overall life of the Church,
however. All do emphasize the same kinds of values and disciplines, only
to different degrees.
In his work on Ignatian Spirituality and the Directed Retreat, George
Schemel, SJ has provided a helpful way of understanding different types of
Christian spirituality by identifying three broad pathways in Christianity.
I shall summarize them below, then conclude with a few remarks about contemplative
practice:
A. Monastic Spirituality. This is the highly structured and contemplative-oriented
lifestyle of those who live in monasteries: Carthusians, Trappists, etc.
Non-monks who live mostly solitary lives that are structured to emphasize
spiritual practice might also be considered in this group. Their primary
service to the Church is through prayer, and they witness to the joy and
peace of the contemplative life through their writings and hospitality to
visitors.
B. Psychological-Contemplative Spirituality. Includes religious
orders like the Carmelites and Dominicans, and also Charismatics and anyone
drawn to deep and regular prayer. This spirituality might well be summarized
by the Dominican idea of "action proceeding from contemplation." Those who
travel this highway are more active in the world than monastic types.
C. Apostolic Spirituality. Includes most lay people, diocesan priests,
Jesuits, Franciscans, and most of Protestantism. Although prayer and spiritual
disciplines are encouraged, equal emphasis is given to finding God breaking
through in the everyday affairs of lite. Very involved in what's going on
in the world. Service is emphasized.
Those familiar with Hinduism might recognize in these pathways some similarities
with the different types of yoga (see http://www.duke.edu/web/hsc/yoga.html. )
A visual depiction of these spiritual
highways can be presented as follows:
. . Introversion <------------------------------------------------------------------------------->
Extraversion
. . .. . Monastic Way .
. . . . Contemplative/Psychological
Way . . . . . Apostolic Way
. . . . .Raja Yoga . .. . . . Jnana Yoga .
.. . . . . Bhakti Yoga . . .. . . . . . Karma Yoga
Obviously, contemplative disciplines
would seem to be highly relevant to people in the Monastic and Psychological-Contemplative
pathways. But what about the majority who travel the broad, Apostolic pathway?
These are generally more extraverted types; are contemplative practices helpful
to them as well?
Absolutely! While the more introverted types seem more
naturally drawn to contemplative spirituality to attend to their inner life
and find God there, where their gaze is more naturally disposed, we need
to recognize that all extraverts have an introverted side as well. For them,
contemplative practice can help to round out their spirituality, and deepen
their sensitivity to finding God in all things. Without givine at least
minimal attention to these practices, extraverts can get so caught up in
the outer affairs of life as to lose perspective--even Self! Contemplative
practices help one become more in touch with the True Self, and, hence, more
authentic in one’s involvements. They also enable better discernment of
the leadings of the Holy Spirit--a goal which every Christian spirituality
considers primary.
For Further Study
Contemplative Spirituality, by Gerald
May, M.D.
The Christian contemplative approach always winds up putting
primary emphasis on God’s initiative and action in life. We will not finally
come to love God, our neighbors, our planet or ourselves by means of what
we learn to do or accomplish on our own. Instead, we must receive the truth
that will set us free, be guided in the good actions that truly serve our
neighbors and world, and be given an appreciation of the beauty within and
around us. Only as this happens, only as we let God lead the divine dance,
can we more fully participate in God’s loving presence in and for the world.
Dr. May
takes a slightly different approach to identifying broad spiritual pathways,
but he does a masterful job of relating the relevance of contemplative practice
to each.
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Reflect and Discuss