Mark Wills - Seminar Project Final Version

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VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY

CONTEMPLATION:

FORGOTTEN SEEDS FOR A FORGOTTEN LAND

SENIOR SEMINAR PROJECT PAPER

SUBMITTED

TO DR. STACEY M. FLOYD-THOMAS

VANDERBILT DIVINITY SCHOOL

BY

MARK E. WILLS

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

7 DECEMBER 2010



Background

As a third generation Pentecostal from the mountains of East Tennessee, I was raised in

church. My youthful eyes witnessed many exotic spiritual experiences such as glossolalia,

divine healing, dancing, and ecstatic physical manifestations of euphoria, as my lips and body

learned how to join my elders in our mountain liturgy. These early years of spiritual formation

opened my awareness to other worlds, which transcended my humble surroundings and lifted me

above the sneers of outsiders.

In church, I was taught to be bold and unashamed of my faith, but I often failed my

charismatic catechism by trying to live a life incognito at school. I learned that Christian

discipleship was a private matter of adjusting desires, controlling thoughts, and developing

morality. As vague as these concepts are to others, inside our community they were very well-

defined. As a byproduct of our highly insular theology, outreach was solely for the sake of

assimilation. A hungry soul was far more precious than a hungry mouth.

Over time, I came to recognize that many other Christians from rural settings held

perceptions of outreach which were akin to my Pentecostal one. I attended several different

churches from traditional mainline denominations in my community after I returned home from

college. I saw that the main difference between our views of Christian discipleship was

predominately in relation to the volume and style of our worship experiences. I learned that our

religious heritages and missional theologies were in reality more similar than I had thought.

In 2005, I became initiated into a new dimension of Christian discipleship which

facilitated a spiritual re-awakening. It began as the result of a strong relationship with a spiritual

friend who mentored me in the contemplative practices of Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina.



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Over a period of time, through regular dialogue with this teacher and a repetitive practice of

contemplative prayer, I began to internally perceive the abstract realities of oppression which

seek to divide the human family. I knew of these social ills before entering into contemplation. I

had even worked to relieve some of them, but it was not until I became connected to the deep

mysteries of self, God, and other that I truly desired to become proactive through my faith. My

heart has been awakened to the peoples of Appalachia, I long to nurture compassion and seek

justice for the poor and undereducated members of my community while sharing my experience

with other ministers in rural contexts who are looking for ways to revitalize the soil of their

congregations and produce fruit in their communities.

Bad Soil Yields Bad Fruit

E very moment and every event of every [one¶s] life on earth plants something in [one¶s] soul. For just as

the wind carries thousands of winged seeds, so each moment brings with it germs of spiritual vitality that

come to rest imperceptibly in the minds and wills of [humans]. Most of these unnumbered seeds perish and

are lost, because [people] are not prepared to receive them: for such seeds as these as these cannot spring

up anywhere except in the good soil of freedom, spontaneity and love.1

±Thomas Merton

Any farmer knows that if you continue to plant the same crop in the same field year after

year, the soil is robbed of nutrients and you are eventually left with little to no harvest. Piety is a

valuable crop, but it needs to be rotated with another precious crop ± compassion. This project is

targeted at rural ministers, and it seeks to convince them to experiment with what Thomas

Merton calls ³new seeds of contemplation.´ The continuous, uninterrupted acts of planting

personal piety have depleted our spirituality¶s potential to yield the high quality of fruit which

Galatians 5:22 calls the church to produce, and I seek to offer a convincing argument for the re -

introduction of ancient methodologies of spiritual practice to begin the revitalization of rural

1 Thomas Merton, N ew Seeds of Contemplation (Boston: Shambhala, 2003), 16.



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congregations. This proposal is not a quick fix. It requires a dedicated, long term commitment.

I suggest that a minister unfamiliar with Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina should covenant to a

personal, daily practice for six months to one year before introducing these disciplines to his/her

church. Wendell Berry¶s observations of soil erosion and processes of land development speak

to this level of commitment. He says:

During the last 17 years . . . I have been working at the restoration of a onceexhausted hillside. Its scars are now healed over, though still visible, and this year

it has provided abundant pasture, more than in any year since we have owned it.But to make it as good as it is now has taken 17 years. If I had been a millionaire

or if my family had been starving, it would still have taken 17 years. It can be better than it is now, but that will take longer. For it to live fully in its own

responsibility, as it did before bad use ran it down, may take hundreds of years.2

Kyle Childress connects this observation with ministry claiming that most pastors ³have church

members whose lives are deeply scarred by bitterness, anger, hurt, abuse, disease and death.

Add to that the deep scarring caused by war, consumer capitalism, nationalism and racism.´ He

concludes, ³For the gospel of Jesus Christ to grow and heal such worn-out, eroded lives takes

patient, long-suffering, detailed work. It takes time to cultivate the habits of peacemaking,

forgiveness, reconciliation and love where previously violence, mistrust and fear were the norms.

It takes time to grow Christians.´3

It does take time to ³grow Christians,´ and the time to start

this growth is now.

It is my conviction that concentration on spiritual maturation is a necessary component

to revitalizing the Rural South. The planting of this vision into the soil of congregations that are

theologically rooted should result in a harvest of disciples ripened to speak to and act upon the

2Kyle Childress, ""GoodWork: Learning about Ministry fromWendell Berry."" Christian Century, March 8, 2005,

29,

http://proxy.library.vanderbilt.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a6h&AN=AT

LA0001457746&site=ehost-live&scope=site (accessed September 23, 2010).3 Ibid.



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issues of oppression that cripple many small to medium sized communities. Through disciplined

practice of Scriptural meditation, an individual may be transformed from an isolated theological

authority into a communal disciple who is connected to God, humanity, and the land which has

serviced him/her for generations. Upon realization and nurturing of this unitive phenomenon,

issues of human and ecological justice should become more important and less easily neglected.

Learning the History of Our Soil

Not only is it important to understand the present conditions of a plot of land, it is also

essential to understand its history as one prepares and dreams of its potential for production. The

Methodist land mass has a rich tradition of ministry with the poor. In a speech given to annual

conference leaders of the United Methodist Church, Rev. Ed Paup, the General Secretary of the

UMC General Board of Global Ministries, noted the strong historical connection between the

poor and Methodism. He spoke of JohnWesley noting that he was ³a keen student of the

emerging industrial economy of England in the 18th century.´ Rev. Paup observed that John and

CharlesWesley ³complained to public authorities about inadequate wages, insufficient economic

safety nets, and the contamination of water, air, and soil.´ Not only were theWesleys vocal,

they were embodied in their activism via their many rallies ³against exploitation and

dispossession of the poor.´ Paup concluded that for theWesleys, ³Concern for the poor became

a litmus test for Methodist social witness«.´4

Having laid a precedent for historical awareness, Rev. Paup asked the leaders of the

Methodist Church the following question: ³Do we have the same passion to understand the

4Ed Paup, "MinistryWith the Poor: Looking Poverty in the Face" (speech, Living the United MethodistWay:

TurningWorlds Upside Down, Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, Jacksonville, FL, January 31, 2009),

http://gbgm-umc.org/global_news/full_article.cfm?articleid=5444 (accessed September 23, 2010).



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operation of economic systems far more complex than those of Wesley's time?´ He added, ³We

need to comprehend and, at times, challenge the economic systems that perpetuate poverty if we

are to engage effectively in ministry with the poor.´5

How can Methodists in the Rural South

embrace this awareness and respond to this challenge?

Over the tenure of my Christian journey, I have heard many inspiring sermons with

mandates to engage in resolving the ills of the world. Few, if any, of them have resulted in

lasting qualitative spiritual transformation. I may have immediately engaged in responsive

action to alleviate a sense of guilt or to reinforce my subconscious sense of ironic Protestant

works righteousness. But as soon as another fire was burning or something else was presented to

capture my attention, I forsook many of my good intentions. Why? Matthew Fox attempts to

answer this question through the lens of compassion, which he sees as the beginning and the end

of spirituality.

Compassion: The Fertilizer of Social Action

" The poor do not need our sympathy and our pity.

The poor need our love and compassion" - Mother Teresa

I have come to agree with Fox based on his definition of compassion. The opening

chapter of his book A Spirituality N amed Compassion: Uniting Mystical Awareness with Social

Justice, begins by attempting to move compassion from a sentiment to a way of life.

Compassion has often been misconstrued to mean pity.6 This is the false definition with which I

came to understand compassion, and I am convinced that many rural Methodists cleave to this

same misunderstanding. Compassion as sentimentality is a cunning form of social quietism.

5Ibid.

6Matthew Fox, A Spirituality N amed Compassion: Uniting Mystical Awareness with Social Justice (Rochester, VT:

Inner Traditions, 1999), 1-2.



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Fox argues that true compassion is active, stating that it is ³about doing and relieving the pain of

others, not merely emoting about it.´7

Possessing cognitive knowledge about compassion is not enough for Christian formation.

While it is a beginning, spiritual formation seeks to infuse compassion into one's ontological

existence. This is where the pastoral work of soil preparation begins, and the mystics offer

practical solutions to foster this maturation.

On January 2, 2005, I opened my new devotional and read this excerpt from Father

Thomas Keating as I started my journey into contemplative spirituality:

Dedication to God is developed by commitment to one¶s spiritual practices for God¶s sake. Service to others is the outgoing movement of the heart prompted by

compassion. It neutralizes the deep-rooted tendency to become preoccupied withour own spiritual journey and how we are doing. The habit of service to others is

developed by trying to please God in what we do and by exercising compassionfor others, beginning with those with whom we live.

8

Almost six years later, I can attest to the validity of a deeper essence of compassion in my life

which has resulted from a dedication to the practices of Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina.

Compassion now sets the context of my sermons and my service to my two churches,

community, and family. Before incorporating these contemplative practices into my life, I

exhibited the ³deep-rooted tendency´ of personal spirituality that Keating notes. Now I have a

much more communally based perspective in regard to the role of spirituality.

Re-Visioning John Wesley

The perspective of contemplation has enabled me to examine the life and ministry of

JohnWesley in a new context. Wesley was enamored with the paradox of instantaneous and

7Ibid., 7. (Note how Fox uses 1 John 3:16-18 demonstrating Jesus' giving acts of compassion to the point of death

followed by a mandate for those who are rich to literally give from their abundance to brothers and sisters in need.) 8 Thomas Keating, The Daily Reader for Contemplative Living: E xcerpts from the Works of Father Thomas Keating ,

comp. S. Stephanie. Iachetta (New York: Continuum, 2003), 2.



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progressive grace in relation to sanctification. Randy Maddox notes that asWesley¶s theology

matured, he highlighted the progressive dimension of this doctrine. According to Maddox,

several scholars claim that Wesley¶s ³model of Christian life is best portrayed in terms of

µcharacter ethic¶ or µvirtue ethic,¶ where meaningful moral actions are grounded in nurtured

inclinations (character dispositions).´9

Thus, love was not viewed as a grace instantaneously

infused into the heart of a Christian in totality, but rather it was something which would become

a ³developing [reality], strengthened and shaped by [one¶s] responsible participation in the

empowering grace of God.´10

The end goal of Wesley¶s dedication to the concept of

sanctification was to see the people called Methodists become gradually ³perfected in love.´

Wesley¶s status of being ³perfected in love´ is analogous to Fox¶s understanding of

compassion and Father Keating¶s ³outgoing movement of the heart.´ Out of this developing

ontological locus of ³perfect love,´ Methodist theology flows into acts of social holiness.

Contemplative spirituality seeks to enrich thisWesleyan concept of sanctification by providing

methods of meditative practices. Since the Methodist understanding of sanctification is viewed

as a process of becoming closer to God and perfected in God¶s love, incorporating contemplative

disciplines should be an important component of our ministry which should result inWesley¶s

prediction of social action.

JohnWesley created a practical schema for the ³people called Methodist.´ The

Methodist Book of Discipline canonizesWesley¶s rules for membership into the historic society

as a model for United Methodist membership today. Retired Bishop Reuben Jones has provided

United Methodist a modernized interpretation of Wesley¶s ³General Rules´ which has resulted in

9 Randy L. Maddox, Responsible Grace: John Wesley's Practical Theology (Nashville, TN: Kingswood Books,

1994), 179.10 Ibid.



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a memorable mantra for current Methodists: The Three Simple Rules ± 1) Do no harm; 2) Do

good; and 3) Stay in love with God.11

When looking at the practical nature of JohnWesley¶s theology it is easy to see his

impetus on action. TheWesley¶s were responsible for taking action against poverty in England

by building schools and orphanages. Scholars are looking atWesley and developing theological

principals that relate to his conviction about economics. In a sermon entitle ³On the Use of

Money´Wesley makes the proverbial statement: Earn all you can. Save all you can. Then give

all you can. Wesley was successful at integrating his cognitive perception into active

performance. How was he able to do this? By obtaining to the Holy Ordinances or as Bishop

Job interprets it via ³staying in love with God.´

Wesley was very sacramental, and I proffer that while critiquing the mystics through the

context of the enlightenment thinking of his day, he nevertheless mimicked their patterns of

spirituality and attained the benefits of their goals. Henry D. Rack has written a book in which

he defends this assumption entitled Reasonable E nthusiast: John Wesley and the Rise of

Methodism. He states that from 1732,Wesley read many mystic writers including Thomas a

Kempis, Fenelon, De Renty, Scougal and several others. He concludes, ³there is no doubt that

they influenced his thinking.´12

While the goal of this paper is not to outline the detailed

methodology and theological developments of JohnWesley, I want to introduce awareness of his

praxis and claim that his theological reflection was so highly internalized he was aware of every

dimension of his interaction with society ± namely the poor. For many rural Methodists, a

pedagogy of guilt and shame has been used to convince (if not manipulate) them into a sense of

11 See Ruben P. Job¶s Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living, Print.12 Henry D. Rack, Reasonable E nthusiast: John Wesley and the Rise of Methodism (Nashville: Abingdon Press,

1993), 101.



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obligation and direct them toward paths of perfection which include ministry to the poor.

However, I contend that this rubric of formation should be transcended by a return to ancient

disciplines that have the goal of internal transformation at their core. In trueWesleyan

sentiment, I maintain that our head knowledge must be preceded by a heart knowledge.

The Deep Roots of Communal Spirituality

"A proper community, we should remember also, is a commonwealth: a place, a resource, an economy.

It answers the needs, practical as well as social and spiritual, of its members -among them the need to need one another.´

±Wendell Berry

Drawing historical lines of connection from our present situations to our common

Methodist heritage is an essential task for ministers. Understanding the driving forces which

were integral in the history of our movement will aid us in the creation of future visions and

works of liberating missions. Looking at our past social heritage, we see that connecting to

people, ideas, and technologies is the common denominator of our work in the world. Military

leaders have long understood the basic war principle of ³divide and conquer.´ Evil works in this

mindset seeking to divide humans from each other and from their own selves. Dr. Forrest Harris

says, ³human spirituality cannot abide in the enforced loneliness of isolation. Harris adds that it

is here where liberation takes a sociopolitical tone stating, ³Liberation seeks to expose and bring

to critique and bring to accountability systems and structures that do not and will not be

commiserate with a spirituality of communal openness and connection and interplay«.´13

Thus, liberation and spirituality live in a symbiotic relationship and feed and nourish each other

in their goals to create union, justice and love among peoples. Contemplation serves to nurture

this type of spirituality.

13 Ibid.



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The historic and modern themes of contemplation revolve around the vision of producing

a community of love, justice and peace in relationships between humans and creation.

According to Mother Teresa¶s equation contemplative silence leads to peace in her famous

wisdom saying: ³The fruit of silence is prayer; the fruit of prayer is faith; the fruit of faith is

love; the fruit of love is service; the fruit of service is peace.´14

Likewise, Howard Thurman has

noted the mandate for a communal spirituality. He says, ³I must cultivate the inner spiritual

resources of my life to such a point that I can bring you to my sanctuary, before His Presence,

until, at last, I do not know you from myself.´15

Let us now turn to the question of how this

undifferentiated knowledge of the other from the self is possible.

Contemplative Pedagogy: Learning to Become Good Neighbors

³ Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. µTeacher,¶ he said, µwhat must I do toinherit eternal life?¶ He said to him, µWhat is written in the law? What do you

read there?¶ He answered, µYou shall love the Lord your God with all your

heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind;

and your neighbor as yourself.¶ And he said to him, µYou have given the right

answer; do this, and you will live.¶´ Luke 10:25-37 (NRSV)

Probably every person in my congregation would recognize this pericope as a New

Testament teaching and would be able to locate it as Jesus¶ introduction to the parable of the

Good Samaritan. In fact, the majority of them could probably even quote it. But I am suspicious

of how influential such familiarity with this text is upon one¶s social praxis and spiritual

formation. David Kahane, a professor at the University of Alberta, designed a curriculum to test

the value of cognition in regard to social action. He developed a philosophy course around a

14 Michael Collopy and Jason Gardner, Architects of Peace: Visions of Hope in Words and Images (Novato, CA:

NewWorld Library, 2000), 33.15 Howard Thurman, The Growing E dge (New York: Harper, 1956), 28.



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³cognitive and motivational puzzle relating to global citizenship and global justice.´ The puzzle

was based on the following triad of statements:

³1 . Large numbers of our fellow humans live in abject poverty (1 .2 billion, by one recent estimate), go to bed hungry each night (an estimated 800 million

people), and die daily from poverty-related causes (perhaps 50,000 a day).

2 .We could each prevent a portion of this suffering at minimal cost: thesachet of oral rehydration salts that could save a child from fatal diarrhea costs

about fifty cents, and twenty cents buys a day¶s food rations distributed by theWorld Food Program in Sudan.

3. Almost all of us who work or study at universities in the global north

spends a significant amount on luxuries we could easily forego.´16

Assessing these facts each semester for three years with his classes has always led Kahane¶s

students to the realization that they ought to give up their daily five dollar latte¶s and help offset

the plight of those in abject poverty, and yet this knowledge and perceived obligation results in

little to no change in how they actually live.

Kahane¶s empirical observation that rhetorical persuasion in reference to a ³moral

obligation is rarely effective in motivating change´ is complementary to my own personal

observations of both myself and my congregations. For the first five years of my ministry, I

worked to convinced myself and my congregations of our need (obligation) to minister to the

poor in our community, while simultaneously ignoring our self-realized responsibility to do so.

Kahane claims ³the µknowing¶ that we achieve through exposure to rational arguments about

obligation seems disconnected from the complexity even of our moral being, and is eroded or

displaced not by desire or by conscious, countervailing goals, but by complicated dynamics of

dissociation and motivation.´17

Because of this lacking reaction to self-imposed moral

16 David Kahane, "Learning About Obligation, Compassion, and Global Justice: The Place of Contemplative

Pedagogy," N ew Directions for Teaching and Learning 2009, no. 118 (2009): 50, doi:10.1002/tl.352.17 Ibid., 51.



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obligations, Kahane argues that we must supplement our pedagogies of reason with pedagogies

of sentiment.

Until we see strangers as neighbors they do not ³seem like a part of the valued µwe.¶´18

Even within the realm of sentiment which fosters connection, an object oriented third-person

dimension of knowing which does not fully address the personal dissociation and lack of

motivation that inhibits social action, still exists. Until a first-person dynamic of knowing is

birthed, a level of superficiality continues to distance one¶s relation with her/his neighbor. It is

here that Kahane, along with a great line of Christian mystic thinkers, offers the practice of

contemplation as a means with which to bridge the gap of disassociation with the poor, by

attending to the sphere of self-awareness.

To test his theory, Kahane developed a contemplative pedagogy for his collegiate

philosophy class which sought to integrate third-person objective learning with first-person

subjective learning. The construction of his pedagogy was based on personal observations of his

own dissociation. He noticed that when presented with a charity infomercial about poverty-

stricken children, his reason and his sentiment convinced him of a personal obligation. He

observed his emotional reactions, noticing that whenever he saw these types of commercials,

waves of sensations and emotions, which were based on ³inchoate fear,´ flashed within him. He

states, ³I discover when I attend closely to my own experience«a hint of my visceral belief that

if I let this suffering in (not to mention the countless reiterations of this suffering in further

starving children), it will destroy me.´19

Thus, he theorizes, ³this recoiling from others¶

suffering has a counterpart in my relationship to my own suffering. Here too, I withdraw and

18 Ibid., 52.19 Ibid., 52.



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dissociate from emotional intensity, out of a visceral conviction that I cannot stand to experience

it unmediated.´20 He notes that he also incorporates habits of consumption to soothe and

deaden the anxiety that surfaces from the fear of experiencing suffering in both the other and

himself.

To nurture self-awareness, Kahane incorporated a brief session of meditation into each

class period. He noted his initial fears in introducing this subjective dynamic to his classroom,

but he found that it became an extremely beneficial component of the class. Surveys of his

students revealed that four primary results occurred from this experiment. The first was an

appreciation of the students for an opportunity to simply slowdown from the daily hustle of

school. Secondly, the students also appreciated the opportunity to practice contemplation with

which many were already curious but unacquainted. They valued the training which helped

them notice their in-the-moment experiences. Thirdly, they began to see connections between

meditation and the topics of their class material. Kahane noted that the ³first-person elements of

the course invited students to bring the sometimes arcane arguments of philosophers into

dialogue with their own experience, and offered them a rigorous set of techniques that supported

this.´21

And fourthly, the class members developed a more intimate community among

themselves. Kahane noted that the classes which meditated together worked much better on

group projects than classes that did not meditate together. He also added that many students

commented on year-end evaluations that they longed for more courses which ³allow them to

engage with their own experiences in rigorous and reflective ways, and to think carefully about

questions of meaning, morality, and spirituality in their lives.´22

20 Ibid. 21 Ibid., 55.22 Ibid., 56.



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While his methodology of meditation is slightly different from the type I am proposing

for the church, it nevertheless serves to demonstrate the effective potential of developing

compassion through the means of contemplative practices. Supporting this conclusion is

Kahane¶s observation of the transformation he witnessed in many of his students:

³Students tended to move away from harsh judgments of themselves and othersfor implication in global injustice ± away from a discourse of obligation and guilt

that I believe distracts from our tendency or even ability to connectcompassionately with those in need. They tended to move toward a willingness to

experiment with their own tolerance for letting in others¶ suffering, and with whatthis might feel like in action. And they tended to be increasingly open to the

possibility that their service to those who suffered, whether by giving up luxuriesfor others, or volunteering, or reorienting career and life plans, might not be a

sacrifice«, but rather a movement toward greater meaning and fulfillment in their lives.´

23

Here, Kahane has verified what the Coptic monk Matthew the Poor criticizes as one of the

primary mistakes people often make when seeking unity with others. In his work, The

Communion of Love, Father Matthew argues that while seeking unity and transformation in the

cognitive sphere, ³we are seeking it outside ourselves; that is to say, we are trying to realize it as

a matter for discussion and not within ourselves.´24

As a member of both a Christian

denominational organization and an academic community, I have witnessed many discussions

that have resulted in little action. I have also noticed that deeply spiritual people who practice

prayer and meditation tend to be innately drawn to action.

This is not meant to imply that academicians and church officials are not passionate, nor

that education is not as influential as spiritual practice, but I am suggesting that the divorce

between rationality and contemplative spirituality results in more conversation and less action

when it come to the poor, who often become the mere objectified subjects of many of our

23 Ibid., 57.24 Al-Miskn Mattá, The Communion of Love (Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1984), 227.



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discussions. When this happens, we neglect our obligations to love our neighbor by sidestepping

service through cognitive pursuits of discerning who our neighbors are, rather than moving from

silence, to prayer, to faith, to love, to service, and peace on behalf of our neighbors.

Towards a Theology of Centering Prayer

Cynthia Bourgeault tackles the task of developing a theological milieu for Centering

Prayer by beginning with the Scriptural invitation to ³die to self.´ In Matthew 16:25, Jesus

propounds the strange proverb that whoever would save his/her life will lose it, and the inverse

that whoever would lose his/her life would save it. Bourgeault notes, ³In classic Christian moral

theology dying to the self is generally interpreted as dying to the self-will .´ However, she asks if

this is the only way to understand this familiar saying. After hearing a monastic proclaim that

³Every time we meditate, we participate in the death of Christ´ she had a new epiphany. She

argues that in meditation, we die to more than will. We experience what she calls a ³mini-death´

of the ego. She believes that through meditation, ³We let go of our self-talk, our interior

dialogue, our fears, wants, needs, preferences, daydreams, and fantasies«.We simply entrust

ourselves to a deeper aliveness, gently pulling the plug on that tendency of the mind to want to

check in with itself all the time.´25

She compares this process to a rehearsal for our actual death

when this will literally become a reality, noting that this is primarily why meditation is perceived

by so many to be ³scary.´

Philippians 2:9-16 describes the self-emptying of Christ and invites Christian disciples to

do the same. Centering Prayer seeks to create a method of practice with which to emulate this

25 Cynthia Bourgeault, Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening (Cambridge, MA: Cowley Publications, 2004), 80-

81.



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biblical command. Bourgeault notes that apart from the concept of kenosis, Centering Prayer

really makes no sense.26 However, many feminist theologians are concerned about the

sociological implications of self-emptying and charge this doctrine with reinforcing patristic

hegemony.

Sarah Coakley offers a helpful feminist understanding which speaks to the empowerment

kenosis may potentially have for women. In an essay on kenosis and subversion, Coakley

critiques the dynamics of self-emptying from its classical understanding as she argues for a

redemption of it ³which does not eschew, but embraces, the spiritual paradoxes of µlosing one¶s

life in order to save it.¶´27 Coakley argues that the problem with the doctrine of kenosis

originates in an anachronistic misreading of Philippians. If the doctrine of kenosis is built

through the eyes of Orthodox Christological theology, the emphasis of self-emptying lies in the

issue of the incarnation of divinity. Her interpretation of Philippians unveils ³self-emptying´ as

an ethical issue in contrast to Adam¶s ethical decision to become like God (c.f. Genesis 3:5,22).

Thus, the focus of Christ¶s kenosis shifts from a pre-existent incarnation to a post baptismal ³

µservant-like¶ example set by Jesus¶ demeanour [ sic] throughout his life´28

Coakley notes that

the primary feminist critique is that women need power. She then argues that kenosis from this

³servant-like´ perspective is a demonstration of divine empowerment which ³occurs most

unimpededly in the context of a special form of human µvulnerability.¶´29

This vulnerability is

rooted in her view of Christic kenosis which ³involves an ascetical commitment of some

subtlety, a regular and willed practice of ceding and responding to the divine.´ She adds, ³The

rhythm of this askesis is already inscribed ritually and symbolically in the sacraments of baptism

26Ibid., 88

27 Margaret Daphne. Hampson, ed., Swallowing a Fishbone?: Feminist Theologians Debate Christianity (London:

SPCK, 1996), 83.28 Ibid., 86.29 Ibid.



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and eucharist; but in prayer (especially the defenseless prayer of silent waiting on God) it is

µinternalized¶ over time in a peculiarly demanding and transformative fashion.´30

Coakley¶s reinterpretation of kenosis demonstrates the potential for contemplative prayer

to provide divine empowerment to both men and women through the process of yielding for the

purpose of ³creating space.´ She concludes, ³By choosing to µmake space¶ « one

µpractises¶[ sic] the µpresence of God ± the subtle but enabling presence of a God who neither

shouts nor forces, let alone µobliterates.¶´ Therefore, contemplative vulnerability is not ³an

invitation to be battered; nor is its silence a silencing . (If anything, it builds one in the courage to

give prophetic voice.)´31

Also worthy of mentioning is that meditation seeks to fulfill the unitive prayer of Jesus

for his disciples: ³So that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in me, and I in you, may

they also be one in us.´ John 17:21. Becoming one with God and each other is known in

theological circles as the doctrine of theosis. The Eastern Orthodox church has been strong in

emphasizing the divinization of humanity into God and emphasizes 2 Peter 1:4 as the invitation

God presents for humanity to be a participant in God¶s very nature: ³Thus he has given us,

through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape

from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the

divine nature.´

The dialogue about self-emptying and filling with God is undoubtedly a worthy

discussion. And Centering Prayer seeks to experience and express that discussion apophatically

through silence. To be still and know that God is God is the basis of this dialogue. Centering

30 Ibid., 107.31 Ibid., 108.



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prayer seeks to place God as the center of attention and keep the mind from diverting itself with

thoughts. As I was initiated into the practice, my teacher instructed me to enter each session of

prayer with the intention of simply being present with God. When thoughts attempted to drive

my mind away from my intention, I was taught to use a prayer word to ³re-Center´ myself in my

volitional intention to be present with God. Being still, outpoured, and becoming a partner with

God¶s divine nature are strong allusions to the biblical and theological foundations of Centering

Prayer.

Taste and See: Preparing the Meal of Contemplation

How good it is to center down!To sit quietly and see one's self pass by!The streets of our minds seethe with endless traffic;Our spirits resound with clashings, with noisy silences,While something deep within hungers and thirsts for the still moment and the resting lull.

With full intensity we seek, ere the quiet passes, a fresh sense of order in our living; A direction, a strong sure purpose that will structure our confusion and bring meaning in our chaos.We look at ourselves in this waiting moment -- the kinds of people we are.The questions persist: what are we doing with our lives? -- what are the motives that order our days?What is the end of our doings? Where are we trying to go?

Where do we put the emphasis and where are our values focused? For what end do we make sacrifices? Where is my treasure and what do I love most in life?What do I hate most in life and to what am I true?Over and over the questions beat in upon the waiting moment.

A s we listen, floating up through all the jangling echoes of our turbulence, there is a sound of another kind -- A deeper note which only the stillness of the heart makes clear. It moves directly to the core of our being. Our questions are answered.Our spirits refreshed, and we move back into the traffic of our daily round With the peace of the E ternal in our step. How good it is to center down!32

± Howard Thurman

The Psalmist understands the value of experience and expresses it in the invitation ±

³Taste and see.´ For contemplative spirituality to have any potential for nurturing a

congregation and supporting a community, it must be sampled. Convincing someone to do this

32 Howard Thurman,Walter E. Fluker, and Catherine Tumber, A Strange Freedom: The Best of Howard Thurman

on Religious E xperience and Public Life (Boston: Beacon Press, 1998), 305-306.



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may be similar to getting a reluctant child to try Brussels sprouts for the first time! Using the

wisdom of parenthood, ministers must model a diet of contemplation and repeatedly provide it in

small portions to their congregations. Luke 11:1 shows us that prayer is a teachable art. As

pastors, we can be tempted to assume that our congregants want and know how to pray. Many

are well advanced in age and have been in church for more years than some of us have been

alive, but the assumption that prayer is understood and practiced may very well be the greatest

contributor to lifelessness in the church. Interestingly, this request to be taught how to pray came

after witnessing Jesus praying. The desire to pray cannot be legislated nor cognitively infused

into the passion of another. It must be witness by one and modeled by another. Jesus grants the

request of this disciple and teaches a liturgical form of prayer to the entire group. For Centering

Prayer to become a ritual practice in rural Methodist churches today, I am convinced that it must

be modeled by trusted spiritual leaders.

Five years ago, I began to realize that my faith was failing. The intimacy and purpose

that fueled my spirituality was gone. I was a burnt-out pastor simply going through the motions

of ministry. I sought the advice of a former professor who had helped me transition through

spiritual challenges fifteen years earlier as a young man in Bible college. While I did not realize

at the time what I was looking for, I have reflected on that apathetic time in my ministry and my

reaching out to Dr. Rickey Cotton as my own desperate cry to learn how to pray. Now I am

hearing and perceiving requests from my congregation to teach them how to pray. Some are

consciously asking for it, but more are unknowingly asking for it as I did.

Prayer comes in many varieties, shapes, and flavors. It is as rich as a conversation over

coffee with a dear friend, it is as inspiring as a song sung between lovers, and it is also as deep as

the silent presence of lifelong companions. It is to this last example that Centering Prayer seeks



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to aspire. Most of us who have worked or been raised in the church have probably been exposed

to the conversational prayers of petition and confession. We have likely also experienced joyful

modes of prayer through thanksgiving and praise. But I venture that far fewer of us have

developed the unspoken prayer language of union and communion.

My wife and I have been married for thirteen years, and in that span of time we have

experienced many levels of communication that are similar to the ones I have laid out in regard

to prayer. Intuitive communication is the level which has taken the longest degree of time to

mature, and it has developed in response to millions of transmissions of audible data between us

± ³How are you today? What time do I need to be home? Can you take out the trash? I forgot

to pay the light bill.´ There have also been many transmissions of passionate sweet nothings,

compliments, and platitudes exchanged between us. All of these have nurtured the unitive art of

discernment between my wife and me. We know how the other thinks (not precisely, but with a

good degree of accuracy). We can finish each other¶s sentences, and when we sit together

silently on the sofa when I return home from Vanderbilt, we enjoy our deepest communion of

simple presence. It is at this level of fellowship that Centering Prayer seeks to connect humanity

with the Divine. At this point, let us examine how to introduce this level of prayerful

communication into the life of a rural congregation.

Plowing the Garden: Modeling Silence

Before the first seed of contemplation hits the ground, the field must be plowed in

preparation to receive it. Silence is a phenomenon that is assiduously avoided at all costs in our

technological culture. The radio and television industries pejoratively refer to silence as ³dead



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air.´ Silence in our daily lives seems to make us very uncomfortable, and this psychologically

conditioned response may frustrate us greatly in the beginning of our spiritual experience with it.

While I was on a silent retreat in 2006, in Sewanee, Tennessee, I noticed that the priest who led

our retreat intentionally interjected long pauses of silence into our daily Eucharistic services.

Ironically, I was shocked to witness silence in the ³order´ of corporate worship. I remember

how profound the pauses were and how the timing accentuated my experience of the Sacrament.

Thus, I agree with Kent Groff¶s encouragement for pastors, priests, and worship leaders to

intentionally weave extended pauses of silence into their worship services.33

This is one,

inoffensive way to slowly increase empirical awareness of the value of silence.

Henri Nouwen also describes the value of silence in preaching in his book The Way of the

Heart . In this little book, he instructs preachers to consciously integrate meditative preaching

into the worship service as one way to ³practice the ministry of silence.´34

He states that such

preaching moves the attention of a listener from the pulpit to the listener¶s heart, revealing an

interior abode of silence. For example, if a preacher will read the phrase ³The Lord is My

Shepherd´ and refrain from expounding upon it, and read it again after a slight pause, then

allowing for a longer pause, something transformational can take place. Nouwen argues that the

Word will ³lead a listener to the silent pastures where [he/she] can dwell in the loving presence

of [God] in whose Name the preacher speaks.´35

Most rural congregations who use the lectionary

do not sing a Psalm response, rather they responsively read it; a lector can easily add a minute of

silence after a line the congregation echoes before reading her or his next line.

33 Kent Ira Groff, The Soul of Tomorrow's Church: Weaving Spiritual Practices in Ministry Together (Nashville,

TN: Upper Room Books, 2000), 61-62.34 Henri J. M. Nouwen, The Way of the Heart (New York: Ballantine Books, 2003), 53-54.35 Ibid., 54.



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Another point in the liturgy of the worship service that is a very natural fit for silence is

the Methodist litany of Word and Table. It is unfortunate that Communion is not as highly

esteemed in rural Methodist contexts as it is in urban ones. During the early days of Methodism

in the United States, Methodist churches were widely scattered across the frontier. This

geographical situation coupled with the low supply of ordained ministers and the economic

limitations of supporting them forced the development of traveling preachers called Circuit

Riders. This evolutionary breed of clergy traveled between Methodist parishes serving

communion when they were able to visit a community. The historical infrequency of

communion carried into the worship praxis of many rural churches.W

hile stronger urban

churches enjoyed the benefits of a full-time, ordained ministry, the rural parishes were forced to

become pragmatic and make the best of their situations. This economic/educational pattern

continues to this day and is an important reason for the development of this project on Centering

Prayer.

Many rural Methodist churches have grown up devoid of sacramental education in

communities surrounded by non-sacramental traditions. This has resulted in many Methodists

accepting non-Methodist theological frameworks. When I started preaching at Carter¶s Valley in

Greene County, the persona of my congregation was very far removed from traditional

Methodist characteristics. I am the first seminary student this small congregation has ever had,

and during the past five years of my ten year tenure, I have been working to gradually steer our

worship back to a more sacramental nature. Nurture, education, and patience are required to

make drastic changes in any congregation. Other churches in similar contexts may require a

great deal of preparation before they can even begin contemplating the idea of contemplation!



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Insertions of inoffensive intentional silence into the worship liturgy may be the most effective

entry point for preparing a congregation to reap the fruits of contemplation.

Sowing the Seeds of Lectio Divina

³ My conviction is that if people are never exposed to some kind of non-conceptual prayer,

it may never develop at all because of the overly intellectual bias of the Western culture

and the anticontemplative trend of Christian teaching in recent centuries.´

--Father Thomas Keating

After exposing the congregation to the potency of silence through meditative preaching

and responsive reading, a contemplative practice should be taught and mentored. Father

Thomas Keating suggests that the ancient practice of Lectio Divina may be one of the best ways

to familiarize someone with contemplation. Lectio is a mode of reading Scripture that seeks

transformation above information. Assuming that many rural congregations are centered in

Biblical authority, it seems reasonable to assume that this may be a very practical avenue through

which a minister can move his/her community toward Centering Prayer.

After demonstrating intentional silence for a few weeks, try holding a ³Praying the

Scripture´ Bible study. Begin this study (which is really not a study) by explaining the process

and formative purpose of Lectio Divina. Lectio has four stages: lectio, meditatio, oratio, and

contemplatio. It may be helpful to translate those words into: reading, reflecting, responding and

resting. It may also be beneficial to compare the methodology with the agricultural context of

bovine gestation. After a cow ingests its food, it later regurgitates that food as cud, chews on it

some more and re-swallows it to another stomach. This process is called ruminant digestion and

is similar to the task of mental rumination with Lectio Divina. The practice of Lectio is a



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cyclical process of reading-responding, reading-responding, reading-responding and reading-

responding. One small passage of text (usually taken from the Daily Office or the Upper Room

Devotional) is selected and slowly read four times. A period of silence and reflection is

interjected after each reading. In the Lectio/Reading Stage, the text is slowly read aloud. While

the text is read in this stage, the participants are asked to listen for a word or phrase that grabs

their attention. This will be the context for the rest of the practice. Three minutes of silence are

then given after the reading allowing the participants to internally listen for their personal

location within the text. In a group setting, the word or phrase can be shared after the silent

reflection. Then the process moves to Meditatio/Reflection. This stage begins with a rereading

of the passage followed by three to five minutes of silence for reflection on the word or phrase

each person received in stage one. Encourage the group to reflect on the word or phrase each

person gleans, and ask the participants to try to have an experience with it. For example, if the

word selected was fire, one might think about campfires, matches, or warmth. One might try to

smell smoke, or think about a song that fire inspires in his/her mind. After the period of silence,

members of the group are allowed to share briefly their experiences.

The next stage is Oratio/Response. I call this the ³SoWhat Stage.´ Here the passage is

slowly re-read and the members are asked to enter a five minute period of silence with the

question ³SoWhat?´ in their minds. Other questions such as the following may help lead one

into the responsive period of silent reflection of Oratio: ³Why am I being drawn to this

context?,´ ³Why am I thinking about these things?,´ or ³What is God inviting me to do?´ This

time of silence is crafted to inspire a dialog with the Divine. So far, we have been listening.

Now is the time to ask questions, seek guidance, petition, and/or praise. After the silence is

complete, those who would like to briefly share their experiences are invited to do so.



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Contemplatio/ Resting is the final stage of the process. After the passage is read this last

time, the period of rest which follows is a time of simple resting in the presence of God. This

five minute period of silence may be the first and longest period of time many people have been

asked to sit still without engaging any thoughts. This stage is a true sampling of what a twenty

minute session of Centering Prayer is like. Inform the group that this stage has no agenda and it

is a time to rest with God. If thoughts arise in this period of silence, assure the group that it is

normal and okay. Once you notice a thought entering your consciousness, simply allow it to

pass and return back to your period of rest. After the period of silence is complete, have the

group read a liturgical prayer, or say the Lord¶s Prayer for a dismissal.

After the group has practiced Lectio a few times, encourage the participants to practice it

at home by themselves. Journaling the responses to each stage is a powerful way to integrate the

rhythm of Lectio into a devotional practice of spiritual formation.

Sowing the Seeds of Centering Prayer

³Silence is God¶s first language.´ ² Saint John of the Cross²

After several months of Lectio, some of the participants may be ready to move into an

extended period of Contemplatio known as Centering Prayer. Father Thomas Keating, one of the

primary founders of Centering Prayer, instructs practitioners to select a sacred word that will be

used as a tool to re-center throughout the prayer. Cynthia Bourgeault describes the sacred word

as a ³spiritual equivalent of a little piece of red string tied around your finger. It helps jog your

memory, reminding you simply and promptly to let go of whatever thought you¶re thinking and



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return to that µnaked intent direct to God.¶´36

It should be a short one or two syllable word such

as God , Love, Jesus, Listen or Peace. This word will be silently spoken every time you realize

you are entertaining thoughts during your intended time to be present with God. Centering

Prayer is about intention more than anything and is demonstrated in Father Keating¶s ³Four R¶s

of Centering Prayer´ ± ³Resist no thought, retain no thought, react to no thought, and return ever

so gently to the sacred word.´37

To encourage beginners, Father Thomas Keating often shares a story about a nun who

after a session of Centering Prayer spoke of her frustration with thinking twenty thousand

thoughts. Keating reassured her saying that she had demonstrated an intense desire to be with

God showing God twenty thousand times that being in God¶s presence was her deepest intention.

He goes on to say that you cannot fail at Centering Prayer if you are willing to simply ³show

up.´38

Once a word has been chosen, the method of Centering Prayer is very simple. While

comfortably seated, have the group members take a few breaths and close their eyes. Then read

a small passage of scripture or offer a short prayer of dedication for this time before entering into

a twenty minute period of silence. At the end of twenty minutes gently bring the group back

together by inviting it to slowly recite the Lord¶s Prayer with you.

Jane Vennard says that ³Centering Prayer is simple but not easy.´ She aptly notes that

due to our cultural attachment to productivity, we may get discouraged with Centering Prayer

and feel that nothing has happened, and we may in the beginning feel more anxious after the first

36 Cynthia Bourgeault, Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening (Cambridge, MA: Cowley Publications, 2004), 25.37 Cynthia Bourgeault, "Centering Prayer as Radical Consent," in The Diversity of Centering Prayer , ed. Gustave

Reininger (CNew York: Continuum, 1999), 42. 38 Ibid.



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few sessions of Centering Prayer.39

Centering Prayer is like planting corn. When one seed is

planted, it takes time before it germinates. It must rest in the silence of the earth for some time

and the farmer must wait to see the benefits of his/her labor. Just as it takes time to develop an

ear of corn, it also takes time to develop an ear of contemplation. According to Michael Casey,

³Our contact with God is not immediately profound, but reaches profundity only after many

years¶ continuance. Therefore, our initial experience must necessarily be superficial, although at

the time we could not realize this. The full benefits of revelation are not accessible to a rapid

perusal.´40

Some pastors may wish to substitute the label Centering Prayer with another

identifier such as Silent Prayer, The Prayer of Intention, Prayer of Stillness, or some other

contextual phrase if they are fearful of strong opposition and association with Eastern

Meditation. Once people have become familiarized with the practice, the technical term may be

more readily accepted.

Advent: A Prime Planting Season

³ For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up

what is planted.«´ E cclesiastes 3:1-2 (NRSV)

Advent is a season that may be strategically beneficial to recover our sacramental and

contemplative spirituality. I began my experiment with Lectio in my congregation during the

Advent Season of 2005 after I had spent a year in practicing Lectio and Centering Prayer.

Playing on the purpose of Advent as a season of anticipation gave me an extra leg to stand on by

introducing a practice that nurtured that goal. Casey¶s comments on the season have inspired me

39 Jane E. Vennard, A Praying Congregation: The Art of Teaching Spiritual Practice (Herndon, VA: Alban Institute,

2005), 123-125. 40 Michael Casey, Sacred Reading: The Ancient Art of Lectio Divina (Liguori, MO: Triumph Books, 1996), 45.



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to offer Centering Prayer before worship during Advent this year. He states, ³In so many ancient

Christmas sermons, wonderment is expressed that theWord should have become a speechless

babe. (It helps to remember that the Latin word infans has as its literal meaning µone who does

not speak.¶)´41

During the season of Advent, focus your sermons upon awe, patience and silence

so that theWord being heard is in sync with the praxis you are introducing.

Luke 2:19 shows us a mother in awe. In the midst of the commotion and activity

surrounding the birth of Jesus, Mary is pictured in quiet reflection pondering all that has taken

place. The Christmas Season is a time when many of us lose ourselves in the chaos of the

holiday. Centering Prayer offers an opportunity to join Mary in the center of our holiday

pandemonium and contemplate what Christmas truly means and implies. A Christmas Eve

service designed around the insights of the hymn ³Silent Night´ can provide a setting for the

implementation of all the techniques of contemplation I have suggested.

After Christmas, the Church enters into the Season of Epiphany, which celebrates

enlightenment. Meet with your contemplative group during Epiphany to discuss what the

journey of Lectio Divina and/or Centering Prayer was like. If you have received positive

feedback, encourage the class to continue the road of spiritual formation and open the journey to

more participants from the congregation. The Upper Room provides an in-depth program of

spiritual formation entitled Companions in Christ . This resource contains several activities for

deepening the spiritual formation of Christians. Participation in this program promises its

members that they will grow closer to each other as they seek to know and respond to God¶s

will. It also suggests that the entire congregation will grow as a result of the small group¶s

implementation of its learning and formation. Two objectives of this resource are worth

41 Ibid., 44.



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mentioning; 1) ³Through Companions, you will explore the depths of scripture, learn to listen to

God through it, and allow your life to be shaped by theWord.´ And 2) ³Through Companions

you will reflect on Christ¶s call in your life and discover anew the gifts that God is giving you for

living out your personal ministry.´42

Centering Prayer is only one form of prayer, and it should not replace other forms of

prayer or be presented as the best way to pray. It is my belief that incorporating this type of

prayer into the life of a congregation will bring a new level of depth and appreciation to the other

forms of prayer and worship in the church. Practicing contemplation should promote an attitude

of awareness and reflection that can guide a congregation in self-reflecting upon every aspect of

its being and lead to more focused activity in worship and service. As mentioned in earlier

stages of this project, these practices are geared to develop compassion. We should begin to see

concrete evidences of Mary¶s intuitive understanding of God¶s nature recorded in The

Magnificat of Luke 1:46-55 by filling the hungry with good things.

Conclusion

Combining contemplative scholarship with my personal mystical experiences has

convinced me that the disciplines of Lectio Divina and Centering Prayer can be extremely

beneficial entry points for the process of developing Christians who will become devoted to

increasing compassion in their lives. I am also convinced of the promising likelihood rural

congregations have to thrive with this type of spiritual direction. The overwhelming majority of

rural congregants that I know have cultural contexts which are rich with potential for

42 Gerrit Scott. Dawson, Companions in Christ. A Small-group E xperience in Spiritual Formation (Nashville: Upper

Room Books, 2006), 7-8.



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contemplative practices, and they live in communities that can benefit from the compassionate

missions these practices promise.

Jane Vennard offers some practical advice to pastors and teachers of prayer which I

would like to echo. According to her, we need to be willing to accept that ³both progress and

resistance are part of the process of becoming a praying congregation.´ She reminds us of the

the principle of intention for those in the process of teaching prayer by stating, ³Know that you

will not be consistent in your attentiveness to God, and consistency is not to be expected. Your

task is to pay attention to where you have wandered, acknowledge where you are, and gently

bring yourself back to God«.live in the trust that God is waiting for you and always celebrates

your return.´43

Opening the door to contemplative practice guarantees an entry into an unknowable

future for the life of a congregation. However, this need not be a frightening endeavor. While

the specifics of what will evolve in respect to the particulars of missional praxis of one¶s church

are unknowable, looking to the missional examples of a contemplative saint such as Mother

Teresa can give us hope. We can take a step into contemplation with a hope that stems from the

realization that our often simple and small contributions to God¶s work hold the potential of a

grain of wheat. We can be encouraged by the reminder of Jesus¶ promise: ³Very truly, I tell you,

unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it

bears much fruit.´44

I would like to challenge you to join me in applying Sarah Coakley¶s

understanding of kenosis and choose to enter the vulnerability of contemplation for the

intentional purpose of creating a space for God in the soil of our congregations so that God¶s

43 Vennard, A Praying Congregation, 137.44 John 12:24 (NRSV)



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people can emerge from silence with the courage to become powerful prophetic voices for love,

peace and justice in our world.



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Nouwen, Henri J. M. The Way of the Heart . New York: Ballantine Books, 2003.

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Documents

Mark Wills - Seminar Project Final Version