Page 114 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 7

Challenges for Christian Psychology

wing about God and knowing God? It raised a ces in many forms of prayer and to open possi-
question about the perhaps now less used but bilities to do so. Supportive and shared explo-
familiar phrase of relationship with Jesus being ration and experiences of various prayer forms
about asking ‘Jesus into your heart.’ Once there, would surely lead to a more vibrant, soulful,
what happens? Does the relationship then beco- and transformed prayer life, and would meet
me more one of ‘God in your mind?’ Does this the individual preferences and needs to engage
potential distinction point to the need on the in a prayer-full relationship with Trinity.
part of spiritual leaders to speak to the variant
yet equally worthy preferences of congregants 3. What is your personal experience of contem-
for both head and heart knowledge? For doc- plative prayer, e.g., if you practice it, how long
trine as well as experience? To bring the fullness you have practiced it, how often you engage
and wholeness of the Godhead through both in it, how you use contemplative prayer, what
heart and head awareness? The Godhead itself challenges you experience, do you have any
representing fullness, completeness, wholeness. personal experiences in contemplative prayer
you wish to share, etc.?
2. How did you learn about contemplative pray-
er? Are you involved in ongoing learning expe- The responses to this question validated the ori-
riences, or connected with others who practice ginal intent of the study - to explore the under-
it? standing and experience of contemplative pray-
er in an evangelical setting. The major theme
The path to learning about contemplative pray- arising from the responses was one of limited
er took many routes: returning to “my roots and experience, limited practice, and disappoint-
traditions” of the Catholic church; having “va- ment in the experience which in itself limited
rious Catholic friends”; “reading” - again from the practice.
primarily a Catholic tradition but also from an Knowledge of and some experience with other
article in an evangelical journal; and an “intro- forms of prayer practice were offered, including
duction to lectio divina in a Sunday adult elec- “praying the Scripture text”, awareness of “cen-
tive class.” One spoke of her experiences while tering prayer” although not engaging in it, lec-
traveling as a young adult, and “randomly” ar- tio divina, use of the Lectionary and liturgy, as
riving at an ashram led by Bede Griffiths, where well as acknowledgment that “just as there are
she sat under his teaching and participated in various forms of prayer, God can also speak to
a form of contemplative prayer. On her further you in various ways - through scripture, music,
travels, she lived at L’Arche Switzerland, whe- nature and people.”
re she became part of a contemplative prayer No one recounted a personal experience in con-
group led by Mrs. Vanier. In hindsight she re- templative prayer. Challenges to it were descri-
cognized the profound effect these unique ex- bed as a “long struggle with a personal prayer
periences had on her prayer life at the time, but life ... in part because I always felt the conversa-
ruefully stated that only recently has she once tion was one way - me talking to God; there was
again recognized their significance and begun seldom any listening”; “lives that are busy, noisy
to use contemplative practices. and chaotic ... so it is challenging to quiet your
Sadly, the majority of participants were not in- mind and simply be open to God”; the (ever
volved in any ongoing practice of contemplative present) “stumbling blocks of setting aside time
prayer, nor were they connected to others who and finding a quiet place to be with God ... I
did. One stated that he did not practice much haven’t made it the priority I should”; and that,
prayer with others because he found prayer “at first it is difficult because all you feel you are
within evangelical prayer times typically consi- doing is constantly quieting your mind”, with
sted or petitional prayer rather than “prayer for the hope that, “as with any discipline, the more
it’s own sake ... i.e. to be in prayer.” you do it, the easier it should become to be still
From these responses there appears to be a need and quiet before God.”
to encourage individual and communal practi- A suggestion for a “catalyst to set in motion” a

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