Let's Contemplate "Contemplation"

A current theme, popular among the new evangelicals today, is a return, of sorts, to practices and disciplines used for many years among the religious, mainly in Monasteries and Convents across Europe. It was, perhaps, Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline that set so many on paths of spiritual formation via the ancient practices. Who knows the span of influence that this work has had? Though first published in 1978, this book continues to gain new readers and to enjoy very good reviews among those new readers. It is not uncommon to find these kinds of assessments when looking to buy a copy of Celebration of Discipline:

• "Amazing book; it inspires me to continue on the journey. Very helpful in so many ways."
• "An excellent book. It helped to clear up some things that I learned over the years. One in particular, the discipline of meditation and the difference between Eastern meditation and Western meditation."
• "While other religions emphasize meditation, fasting, or simplicity, you will understand and be able to use these disciplines in your life as God intended with His people."
• "A must read for anyone who is ready to deepen their relationship with God."
• "Insightful, thought-provoking, concise and very practical. A marvelous guide for personal spiritual growth. Even more relevant in today's rushed, materialistic culture than when written 20 years ago."

Without question, there are tens of thousands who see the practice of the spiritual disciplines as a new way of being committed to their devotional life and as a tangible way of increasing their sincerity for God's rule in their lives. These persons would testify to being more spiritually attuned to the leadership of the Holy Spirit and more assured of their discernment skills.

Information on the spiritual disciplines of abstinence and the disciplines of engagement is most helpful for Wesleyans, especially those called Nazarenes. Our context for existence is to preserve and propagate the faith once delivered to the saints, including the doctrine and experience of entire sanctification. This act of God, subsequent to regeneration, includes the impulse to grow in grace. "However, this impulse must be consciously nurtured, and careful attention give to the requisites and processes of spiritual development and improvement in Christlikeness of character and personality." Plainly speaking, what are the ways a hungering Christian consciously nurtures and give careful attention to spiritual development? What are the processes of spiritual development? To whom do I turn to find that out?  What is a requisite of spiritual growth and development?

Among evangelicals, however, the benefits of the spiritual disciplines are not universally held; not by any stretch of the imagination. Some see Foster's work as contributing to spiritual confusion by which the influence of Celebration has helped to saturate the church with mystical contemplative prayer and the New Age. I have received, as Chaplain of the University (read Campus Pastor) books sent to me under the guise of helping to warn me of the dangers of the excesses of the spiritual disciplines. The books however were on demonology or New Age.

One website goes so far as to list those who endorse Celebration of Discipline and even suggests boycotting some. Among the list: Willow Creek, Dallas Willard, Youth Specialties-National Pastor's Convention, Eugene Peterson, Focus on the Family, National Center for Leadership, Randy Alcorn-Eternal Perspectives, Youth Ministry & Spirituality Project, Abilene Christian University, and Regent University.

What's a good Wesleyan-Arminian theologian and pastor to do? Are there practices beyond Sunday Services and Sunday School which I can recommend to those under my charge which will not label "heretic"? There are common fallacies in this negative view of the spiritual disciplines. Among those fallacies is the construction of a straw man (If you practice spiritiual disciplines you will practice them in a negative or excessive way) and the fallacy of guilt by association (Because Buddhist monks contemplate, we should not contemplate). Buddhist monks also give offerings and cut their hair. Are we going to give that up for fear that we might become excessive?

At stake here is the issue of equivocation-when the same term is used with different meanings. Terminology must be clear, even or especially when terms are shared by evangelical Christians and other religions, if we are going to avoid equivocating. An example of this is the spiritual discipline of contemplation. Understanding and practicing contemplative prayer is essential for us if we are going to walk this balance.

There is a kind of contemplative prayer that uses ancient mystical practices, during which the state of consciousness is induced. This type is rooted in mysticism and the occult. While it might be wrapped in Christian terminology, the premise of contemplative spirituality is pantheistic (God is all) and panentheistic (God is in all). Under this type of contemplative prayer, one would be just as comfortable worshipping the creation, as she or he would be worshipping the Creator.

I think nature is beautiful. I want to worship the God who created nature, not worship the nature He created. After all, when the scriptures admonish us to "think on these things", how are we to do that if we do not focus on that which is beautiful, right, just, etc. "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable,-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things (Phil 4:3).  When I use the term "contemplation" it is this kind of "spiritual thinking" that I have in mind. I am reminded of a sentence by J. I. Packer in his book Knowing God which points me to the "activity of calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows and the works and ways and purposes and promises of God." In an information rich age, a land of the thirty-second sound bite text messaging, I need the quiet reminder that I need to focus on the glory of God. If I am not careful, I will find myself where the drive of and the end results of capitalism will have infected my thinking. I am prone to ask what the end result is, what is the bottom line, and what is in it for me?