The Discipline of Contemplative Tradition
1) Foster defines the Contemplative Tradition as “the steady gaze of the soul upon the God who loves us”
2) Foster identifies seven fundamental characteristics and movements of the contemplative life
A) Love—a deep, strong, steady love for God
B) Peace—a real peace that passes our ability to
comprehend
C) Delight—pleasure, friendship, deep joy and fun with God
D) Emptiness—intense longing, yearning, search and no finding
E) Fire—intense love becomes a flaming passion. Disobedience toward or neglect of God is painful
F) Wisdom—knowing God intimately and allowing Him to flow through us
G) Transformation—the heart, will, mind, imagination and passions are captured by God until the entire personality is transformed into the likeness of Christ
3) The four major strengths of the Contemplative Tradition
A) It constantly fans the flames of our love for God
B) It forces Christians beyond cerebral religion to personal experience of God
C) It stresses the centrality of prayer—“a wordless and secret conversation between the soul and God which no longer ends” (Brother Lawrence)
D) It emphasizes the solitariness of life with God. Growth in grace requires solitude
4) The four potential perils of the Contemplative Tradition
A) There is a tendency to separate it from ordinary life, which is where prayer and intimacy with God most need to be developed
B) It can lead to consuming asceticism—spiritual gluttony. Disciplines are a means to an end and not an end in themselves
C) There is a tendency toward anti-intellectualism; a devaluation of intellectual efforts at articulating our faith
D) There is an tendency, due to focus on solitude and the inner conversation with God in prater, to neglect the importance of the community of faith.
5) Practicing the Contemplative Tradition
A) Try several settings for solitude (e.g. pre-dawn walk, listening to nature, not speaking, reflectively observing others engaged in life, take a retreat)
B) Pray the scriptures contemplatively by slowly, quietly, prayfully reading and pausing at words or phrases at the Spirit’s leading
C) Don’t be overly intentional about times of holy leisure—just relax
2) Foster identifies seven fundamental characteristics and movements of the contemplative life
A) Love—a deep, strong, steady love for God
B) Peace—a real peace that passes our ability to
comprehend
C) Delight—pleasure, friendship, deep joy and fun with God
D) Emptiness—intense longing, yearning, search and no finding
E) Fire—intense love becomes a flaming passion. Disobedience toward or neglect of God is painful
F) Wisdom—knowing God intimately and allowing Him to flow through us
G) Transformation—the heart, will, mind, imagination and passions are captured by God until the entire personality is transformed into the likeness of Christ
3) The four major strengths of the Contemplative Tradition
A) It constantly fans the flames of our love for God
B) It forces Christians beyond cerebral religion to personal experience of God
C) It stresses the centrality of prayer—“a wordless and secret conversation between the soul and God which no longer ends” (Brother Lawrence)
D) It emphasizes the solitariness of life with God. Growth in grace requires solitude
4) The four potential perils of the Contemplative Tradition
A) There is a tendency to separate it from ordinary life, which is where prayer and intimacy with God most need to be developed
B) It can lead to consuming asceticism—spiritual gluttony. Disciplines are a means to an end and not an end in themselves
C) There is a tendency toward anti-intellectualism; a devaluation of intellectual efforts at articulating our faith
D) There is an tendency, due to focus on solitude and the inner conversation with God in prater, to neglect the importance of the community of faith.
5) Practicing the Contemplative Tradition
A) Try several settings for solitude (e.g. pre-dawn walk, listening to nature, not speaking, reflectively observing others engaged in life, take a retreat)
B) Pray the scriptures contemplatively by slowly, quietly, prayfully reading and pausing at words or phrases at the Spirit’s leading
C) Don’t be overly intentional about times of holy leisure—just relax
posted by Pete Houpt @ 9:27 AM
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