My Advent reading for this year is The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander. A twentieth century Catholic mystic, Houselander lived from 1901 until dying from breast cancer in 1954. She wrote several books, but The Reed of God is her most enduring work; published in 1944, it explores themes of waiting, pregnancy, seeking and beauty in regard to Mary’s relationship to Christ. Insightful and earthy, it transcends the theological horizons of its time and has come to be regarded as... Read more
Recently I spoke at a church located about an hour north of where I live. As I drove to the church, I chatted on the phone with my brother who lives in Florida. We were making plans for me to come visit him on the weekend of our birthdays (his is a day later than mine). I mentioned that while I was there, I wanted to attend a training weekend at the local Shambhala Center. My brother, who is a... Read more
One of the pitfalls of contemplative practice is that we can easily get stuck in our heads. Combing through the Bible or other books for lectio divina, investing time to daily prayer and meditation, and nurturing our faith through study or devotional reading — these are all fine pursuits, but, especially when combined with the kind of white collar work so common in western society, they can result in a spirituality that is abstract, overly mental, and divorced from the messy... Read more
Julian of Norwich’s Showings shines with luminous mystical wisdom. If there is one mystic I wish everyone would read, it is Julian. But of course, the question is, “which edition should I read?” Thankfully, Mirabai Starr’s lovely and engaging new translation of this medieval masterpiece makes it more accessible than ever. Now, let me put in a bit of a disclaimer here. I’m not a purist, but I understand where purists come from and I can anticipate an objection that... Read more
True confession time: I’m a clutter bug. I always have been, with books, CDs, and other forms of media being my worst offenses when it comes to acquiring stuff that I never use or under-use. Recently I got library privileges at my local seminary, which has helped some, but I still have the addiction. “Hi, my name is Carl, and I’m a bookaholic.” Everyone in unison now: “Hi, Carl!” What’s fascinating about all the books strewn (yes, no other verb will... Read more
I picked up a copy of an old book called The Laughter of God: At Ease With Prayer by Trappistine nun Miriam Pollard from the used book tent at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit’s Fall Festival earlier this month. It’s an insightful book which seeks to foster a sense of prayer as a means of entering into intimacy with God — the God who laughs and loves, a healthy corrective to the frightening God of judgment and wrath that so... Read more
The other day when several folks gathered at a church in Atlanta to participate in the Shalem Institute’s 40th Anniversary “Circle the World in Prayer” vigil, one participant talked about a wonderful teaching she once received from Jerry May, who was a senior fellow at Shalem and the author of such classic books as Will & Spirit and Addiction & Grace. My friend shared an idea that May spoke of, called “deep listening.” As we enter into silence, we consciously... Read more
I’m not sure why the fall of 2013 belongs to Julian of Norwich (except to the extent that any time is a good time for reading and reflecting on Julian’s wisdom). What I do know is that three wonderful books about Julian have been, or soon will be, published this season. If you’re already a Julian nut (yes, that’s a pun) like me, rejoice, for these are all worthy books to add to your library. If you have not yet... Read more
In September and October 2013 I wrote a series of blog posts called “Why Contemplation is Revolutionary” that explores the spiritual wisdom of two contemporary spiritual authors, Kenneth Leech and Rowan Williams. I hope to release this series as an ebook in the near future. Please visit my web site to sign up for my email list, and I’ll let you know when the ebook is available. I’ve posted both of the following quotes in this blog before, but they... Read more
In September and October 2013 I wrote a series of blog posts called “Why Contemplation is Revolutionary” that explores the spiritual wisdom of two contemporary spiritual authors, Kenneth Leech and Rowan Williams. I hope to release this series as an ebook in the near future. Please visit my web site to sign up for my email list, and I’ll let you know when the ebook is available. I’ve posted both of the following quotes in this blog before, but they... Read more
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