In the 1970’s Richard Foster’s Celebration Of Discipline was all the rage in Christian Education circles – especially at the undergraduate level.
This book was a first for many evangelicals – an attempt to expose people to spiritual disciplines. At the time, many critics called this type of approach a “works” salvation – “Do all these things and you will come to know God.” They saw the emphasis was on the doing – and not much on God’s part – his grace – in all this. Too bad many of the critics did not read Foster’s book well. For an even better explanation of the relation of spiritual disciplines to salvation by grace, a more recent tome called “The Spirit of the Disciplines” by Dallas Willard is open for examination.
Tucked in this text was an approach to prayer and spirituality that was “contemplative”. I could picutre myself like the statue of the thinker, sitting with elbow on knee and head propped on our hand. Totally engrossed in the thinking process, trying to call up something out of the nothingness in my head!
“You’re opening yourself to the devil!” was the cry of the critics. “If you empty yourselves, what fills the space.”
A very valid criticism. For years I have sought to fill my mind with the mind of Christ by reading scripture. By seeking to understand the scriptures. By asking others about the Scriptures. By seeking for the Holy Spirit to interpret and apply the scriptures.
Now, when I come to the question of contemplative prayer and spirituality, I do not fear an empty mind. I fear more that I will have decided beforehand an answer to a pryaer request, or what God should be talking to me about. I fear that I will become self-absorbed in prayer and not be open to a “still, small voice”.
