Coming in April 2018: The Little Book of Christian Mysticism! (Pre-Order Your Copy Today)

Last updated on: November 14, 2017 at 8:30 am By Carl McColman

I have a new book coming in April 2018: The Little Book of Christian Mysticism! Click on the title to pre-order your copy today. The Little Book of Christian Mysticism invites you to delve into the writings of the great contemplatives and mystics of the past two thousand years. Featuring over three hundred quotations from great mystics from Biblical times to the present day, The Little Book of Christian Mysticism provides a user-friendly, insightful, and potentially life-changing introduction to the essential teachings... Read more

Can Practices from Multiple Faith Traditions Help Us to Live More Faithful Lives?

Last updated on: December 20, 2018 at 1:27 am By Carl McColman

Spirituality — at least, the kind of spirituality that is anchored in a relationship with God — has two essential movements: God’s initiative, and our response. As the 1st letter of John puts it, “We love because God first loved us.” God’s “first love” is the first movement of the spiritual life, and our responsive love — not only toward God, but toward our fellow human beings — is the second movement of the spiritual life. In the monastic world,... Read more

Why Experience Is Not the Foundation of (All) Spirituality

Last updated on: October 6, 2017 at 3:00 pm By Carl McColman

Why it's dangerous to say that experience should be the necessary foundation for spiritual growth. Read more

“No Moment of Silence” — Why Boycotting Silence is A Mistake

Last updated on: October 2, 2017 at 11:12 pm By Carl McColman

We are all reeling from the horrific events in Las Vegas Sunday night. May God have mercy on us all, and especially on the families whose lives have been shattered, or ended, because of the violence. As can be expected, today people on both sides of the gun control debate are speaking loudly, trying to promote their point of view in the midst of the horror. And in the middle of all that, we hear of a member of congress,... Read more

How Meister Eckhart Inspires Letting Go for Love

Last updated on: July 8, 2018 at 5:57 pm By Guest Contributor

Today’s post is by a guest contributor: Mark S. Burrows, who along with Jon M. Sweeney, is co-author of Meister Eckhart’s Book of the Heart: Meditations for a Restless Soul. In one of his characteristically witty remarks, G. K. Chesterton reminded us that each generation is converted by the saint who contradicts it the most. This might be a salutary reminder in times like ours, when many among us seem driven to follow some crowd or other, and the ensuring cultural friction... Read more

Listen to a Trailer for a New Podcast on… Silence!!!

Last updated on: September 28, 2017 at 1:39 pm By Carl McColman

Friends, I am so pleased to announce that I will be one of the co-hosts of a new podcast — debuting later this fall — called Encountering Silence. I’m collaborating with Cassidy Hall, co-producer of the documentary film In Pursuit of Silence, and Kevin Johnson, Catholic theologian and director of the Inner Room, a contemplative community based in Connecticut. Kevin and I have been friends via social media for a number of years, finding each on Twitter I believe, when we first realized... Read more

When the Pope Talked to the Trappists

Last updated on: October 4, 2017 at 1:11 pm By Carl McColman

You don't have to be a monk to learn from the monks, and I think we can all begin simply by paying attention to those very qualities that Pope Francis himself affirmed. Read more

Is It Okay for Catholics to Read Richard Rohr?

Last updated on: October 2, 2017 at 10:16 am By Carl McColman

A reader of this blog, who is currently the member of a Protestant church but is considering becoming a Catholic, asked me to recommend a few books to him. One of the ones I suggested was Richard Rohr’s Why Be Catholic? Apparently, he decided to check out Richard’s online reputation, because he wrote back to me and asked me this: What’s the Catholic Church’s view on Richard Rohr? When you Google him there’s a lot of controversy. This is a wonderful question,... Read more

Seven “Ingredients” for Cultivating a Truly Mystical Life

Last updated on: September 23, 2017 at 11:23 pm By Carl McColman

Last night I gave a talk at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Philip, here in Atlanta, on one of my favorite topics: “The Christian of the Future Will Be a Mystic.” It was this year’s installment of an annual lecture series, and the organizers told me last night’s audience was the largest this lecture series had ever seen. Approximately 175 people attended. I assured the organizers that the topic, not the speaker, was responsible for the turnout! I do believe... Read more

Celtic Spirituality Online Course Begins October 2

Last updated on: December 20, 2018 at 6:52 pm By Carl McColman

Friends, sign up now for a new e-course starting on October 2, sponsored by Spirituality and Practice. Shrouded in legend and imbued with romance, the Celtic lands such as Ireland, Scotland, and Wales have produced a surprising number of saints and spiritual guides, both ancient and contemporary. From the mythic stories of goddesses and heroes, to the holistic mysticism of the earliest Celtic Christians, to the wisdom of modern visionaries like John O’Donohue, Celtic spirituality has ancient roots yet remains... Read more