Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Contemplative

Christianity

Select a Category Activism Announcements Art Books Catholicism Celtic Christianity Christian mysticism Christianity Contemplation Current events Etc. Family humor interfaith dialogue Interfaith Wisdom Interspirituality Lay Cistercians Living the Faith Meditation movies Mysticism Mystics nature Poetry Reviews Scripture silence Spirituality Uncategorized Writing

Select a Month February 2025 January 2025 November 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 March 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 August 2023 June 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 October 2013 September 2013 July 2013 May 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 March 2012 December 2011 September 2011 October 2010 August 2010 March 2010 September 2009 July 2008 January 2008 December 2007 September 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2004

July 2024

July 04, 2024

If You Worship an Angry God, You’ll Be An Angry Person

A reader named Paul wrote to me with the following question: Why is there more...

January 2023

January 05, 2023

Discover the Three Forms of Contemplation, according to Evelyn Underhill! (Free Online Event: Sign Up Now)

Hi friends! Join me on Thursday, January 19 for a special Zoom call in which...

November 2021

November 04, 2021

Putting the “Christian” into “Christian Mysticism”

Mysticism crosses all religious and spiritual boundaries. In other words, mysticism — like prayer or...

August 2021

August 08, 2021

The Problem with Christianity in a Nutshell

We all know that so many people today prefer to remain spiritually independent, intentional about...

November 2020

November 13, 2020

Video: Mysticism and the Bible — Three Contemplative Verses

"Is mysticism in the Bible?" It's a question I get asked from time to...

February 2020

February 21, 2020

What’s the Best Church for Contemplative Christians?

A reader writes: Carl, do you think the Catholic Church has more scope to welcome...

February 03, 2020

Less than 12% of the Catholic Catechism is devoted to spirituality. That, in a nutshell, is what’s wrong with the church today.

Over the years I have discovered that there are three types of people interested in...

November 2019

November 02, 2019

Gatekeeping and Contemplation: Is the Church Its Own Worst Enemy?

A friend of mine posted the following fascinating observation recently on Facebook: I am easing...

April 2019

April 14, 2019

The Royal Donkey and the Reign of Humble Peace

A Meditation for Palm Sunday, April 14, 2019 Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud,...

February 2019

February 20, 2019

Nondual Christianity and the Problem of Evil

A reader of one of my previous blog posts sent me this question via Facebook...

January 2019

January 26, 2019

Navigating through the Bible’s Shadow

One of this blog's patrons named Aaron asked, in response to my post Nonduality...

January 14, 2019

Twelve Contemplative Books for Spiritual Transformation

A reader named Andrew wrote to me and asked this question: What do you think...

December 2018

December 07, 2018

Christianity is a Myth — and I say that as a faithful Catholic

I lost a follower on Facebook today. I'm sure it happens all the time, but...

October 2018

October 12, 2018

Remaining at the Cross: On Being a Contemplative Christian in a Church That Has Forgotten Its Mystical Heritage

This is turning out to be "James Ishmael Ford" week at my blog. Earlier this...

March 2018

March 15, 2018

God’s Guidance, Engraved on Our Hearts (Lectio Divina Diligens for the Fifth Sunday of Lent)

Our Lenten journey continues with a twist on Lectio Divina I'm calling Lectio Divina Diligens. Click...

February 2018

February 13, 2018

How Lent is All About Love (Lectio Divina Diligens for Ash Wednesday)

I am using the Ash Wednesday Gospel reading (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18) for my Lectio Divina Diligens...

August 2017

August 10, 2017

How do Contemplatives Share the Gospel with Others?

In my recent book, Christian Mystics: 108 Seers, Saints and Sages, I made a comment that...

August 08, 2017

Can We Measure the Scientific Benefits of Christian Contemplation?

A recent article on the UK-based website Christian Today (not to be confused with Christianity Today) poses the...

April 2017

April 19, 2017

How to be a Contemplative in a “Toxic” Community (Part Two)

This is a continuation of a post I began yesterday — click here to read...

February 2017

February 15, 2017

Seven Important Bible Verses About Silence

Catholics (and other Christians) can be a noisy bunch. I'm always a bit surprised when I...

February 08, 2017

Seven Tips for Returning to Church (After Being Away for Awhile)

Have you been away from parish life for a while, but now feel like returning?...

January 2017

January 01, 2017

A Christian Mystics Bibliography

In my books The Big Book of Christian Mysticism and Christian Mystics: 108 Seers, Saints and Sages, I suggest...

December 2016

December 01, 2016

“You Wrote Books About Paganism?!?”

The late Kenneth Leech used to tell the story about giving a lecture at a...

May 2016

May 31, 2016

Remembering the Monks of Tibhirine

May 31, 2016 marks a grim anniversary in the history of the Cistercian Order. It's been...

September 2015

September 13, 2015

In Memoriam: Kenneth Leech

I have learned of the passing of Father Kenneth Leech, who died on Saturday after...

February 2015

February 13, 2015

Concerning Emergence, Contemplation, and the Faith of the Future

It's been fifty years since Karl Rahner wrote his important book "The Christian of the Future."...

June 2012

June 12, 2012

The Mystic Way of Evangelism

...there are other, deeper indicators of a loss of vitality in the American church. The...