One of the most beautiful passages in the New Testament — perhaps even one of the most beautiful passages in all the wisdom literature of the world — comes from the 8th chapter of Paul’s letter to the Romans. I think anyone interested in Christian mysticism and contemplative spirituality needs to be familiar with this passage. It affirms who God is, how God loves us, how inseparable God’s love is from us, and really sets the stage for how Christian… Read more
October 11, 2019
Romans 8:28-39: Basic Instructions for A Mystical Worldview
October 11, 2019 By Carl McColman
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October 4, 2019
Promises of the Heart: New E-Course Starts on October 28
October 4, 2019 By Carl McColman
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“Follow your heart.” It’s a classic phrase of advice and encouragement, for we know that true wisdom is not just a matter of thinking logical thoughts. It emerges most assuredly from the intuition and insight that only our hearts provide. But what does it really mean to “follow your heart,” and how can the wisdom of the heart truly make a difference in our day-to-day lives? Fortunately, each of the world’s great spiritual traditions has much to say about the… Read more
September 27, 2019
Practice, Practice, Practice
September 27, 2019 By Guest Contributor
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Today’s post is by a guest author, Dr. David Rensberger, author of Johannine Faith and Liberating Community. I’m a fan of the Atlanta Braves, and one day this summer I watched a pregame interview with two Braves players. They weren’t starters, but guys who sit on the bench and may go two or three games without playing. Nevertheless, they perform at a high level when called on. The interviewer asked them how they manage to be ready to play so well… Read more
September 24, 2019
Unteachable Hope, or, My Dream for Readers of My Latest Book
September 24, 2019 By Carl McColman
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“What is your greatest hope for this book?” This question came to me the other day from my friend Colette Lafia, a spiritual director and the author of Comfort and Joy and Seeking Surrender. She had written to me to congratulate me on the publication of my latest book, Unteachable Lessons. But then she asked that simple question, which I suppose every author should ponder as he or she writes — and then markets — a new book. What is the hopeat the heart… Read more
September 20, 2019
The Point Behind “Be Still and Know”
September 20, 2019 By Carl McColman
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One of the most popular verses in the Bible is Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.” You can go into a Christian gift shop and find paperweights, wall plaques, t-shirts, and various other types of merchandise that prominently feature this verse. But what does it mean? Obviously, the verse speaks to us in God’s voice: “know that I am God.” It is a proclamation that God exists, and that God can be known. Especially in our… Read more
September 10, 2019
An Unlikely Lesson in Contemplation and Parish Leadership
September 10, 2019 By Guest Contributor
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Stuart Higginbotham tells how being the target of protests by Westboro Baptist Church during last February’s Super Bowl helped his parish to grow in their commitment to contemplative spirituality. Read more
September 4, 2019
A Reason Why Liturgy Matters: “Like Staring Out Into Eternity”
September 4, 2019 By Carl McColman
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So often, it seems to me, that people who are drawn to the Christian tradition of mysticism and contemplation are eager to learn practices like Centering Prayer or the Jesus Prayer — but they are far less enthusiastic about some of the less “glamorous” Christian practices, like participating in the Mass or the Liturgy of the Hours (also known as the Divine Office or the Daily Office). I confess that this has been true for me. If you invite me… Read more
August 20, 2019
The Characteristics of a Mystic
August 20, 2019 By Carl McColman
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What are the characteristics of a mystic? I know two elderly monks at the local monastery near where I live, both of whom have reputations as “real mystics.” Indeed, I would agree with this assessment — they both strike me as genuine contemplatives, true living mystics. But they are very different from one another in some key ways. One is something of a theologian, who spent most of his life reading dense, academic works on topics like the Holy Trinity… Read more
August 14, 2019
Advance Praise for “Unteachable Lessons”
August 14, 2019 By Carl McColman
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One of the scariest moments for me, as an author, is when my editor and I have finished working on a book, and we then send the manuscript out to a number of people for reviews and/or endorsements. It’s always a bit nerve-wracking. What if no one likes it? Eek! Fortunately, my forthcoming book Unteachable Lessons: Why Wisdom Can’t Be Taught (and Why That’s Okay) has received some very warm words of praise from a number of early readers. Forgive me… Read more
August 2, 2019
The Paradox of Radical Trust
August 2, 2019 By Carl McColman
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On his live album Precious Friend, Arlo Guthrie cracked a joke: “You can’t have a light without a dark to stick it in.” Seekers of holy nonduality recognize this: in the economy of grace, the words of the author of Ecclesiastes ring true as ever: “There is a season for everything, a time for every occupation under heaven: … a time for loving, a time for hating; a time for war, a time for peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 8) When I… Read more
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