Page 115 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 7

Challenges for Christian Psychology

reflective or contemplative stance was to read al to experiential, from understanding to awa-
poetry, with the observation that “poets who reness. Perhaps also, the response set emerges
know that certainty is really a problem, that the from the primarily more cerebral framework of
unknown and uncertain are the best lived ex- more traditionally evangelistic churches.
periences for humans to be in ... (that there is) There did not appear to be a specific distinction
no need to be in contemplative prayer if one has between other forms of prayer and contem-
eaten of the tree of knowledge of good and evil plative prayer. The meaning of contemplative
and has it all figured out.” Inherent in this ob- prayer to one was to “inform prayer through
servation is the allusion to Mystery and ‘unkno- poetry, and some (not all!) Scriptures.” Repre-
wing’, for many in evangelical circles a lost, dis- sented in the remainder of the responses here
counted, or unfamiliar abstraction. included “to be reflective before, in and after
Again, the limitations expressed in these re- prayer”, “thinking about thinking about prayer”,
sponses verify the need for opportunities to “the other half of the dialogue with God”, and
encounter and explore the gift of contempla- “in silence ... deep thought and intentional re-
tive prayer practice. And, to become more ac- flection on the meaning of walking with God.”
quainted with the meaning and experience of it, Noticeably, these responses showed an interac-
rather than merely the conceptual awareness of tivity with God, apparently in an active rather
it. Depth, mystery, being, unknowing, presence, than a passive posture of prayer. Active in the
union, etc., are concepts of great value to be sense of using means to inform prayer, or inten-
explored, experienced, comprehended, valued, tionally being thoughtful about it; passive in the
sought, and held sacred. sense of simply resting in, and being receptive
The wistful and honest responses given point to and present to the Presence.
the potential richness in communal dialogue of Proposals arising from these response inclu-
experiences and challenges in one’s prayer life, ded opening and expanding both the defini-
particularly in relationship to experiencing and tions and meanings of contemplative prayer
entering into God’s presence in a contemplative practices, through teaching, through dialogue,
way. and through shared experiences; offering con-
templative prayer experiences and introducing
4. What is the meaning of contemplative prayer practices such as lectio divina and centering
to you? prayer for entering into the experience; intro-
ducing the concepts of stillness, silence, and
Perhaps this question was not specific enough solitude as drawing one into contemplative
or was redundant to Question #1 which as- readiness and enhancing the sacredness of con-
ked for the definition of contemplative prayer. templative spaces; and broadening the fullness
Curious to the writer was that most responses of the experience through the use of prayerful
made no differentiation between ‘definition’ and visual, auditory and postural means.
‘meaning’. My intent was to have the meaning,
i.e., the more experiential aspect of contempla- 5. Have any questions, doubts, hesitations or
tive prayer, differentiated from the definition misgivings arisen for you about contemplative
or more conceptual knowledge of its form. To prayer or the practice of it? What are these?
make a distinction between a description and
an encounter, an objective practice and a subjec- Responses to this question ranged for those
tive experience, a head knowledge and a heart having no questions, “nothing comes to mind”,
knowledge. This unaddressed difference speaks to the indignant query: “seriously, how did the
perhaps to the lack of clarity of the question, the prayer train get so off the tracks?” That expressi-
limited exposure to contemplative practices, or ve remark subtly connotes the image of various
my own distinctions between the practice and tracks of prayer and one that has been ‘derailed’,
the experience. However, I see the distinction of prayer as involving a community (train) on
between definition and meaning as a journey a journey moving toward God (a destination).
from head to heart knowledge, from conceptu- How do these images enhance, inform and add

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