Skip to main content
Center for Action and Contemplation
Honoring Dr. Barbara Holmes
Honoring Dr. Barbara Holmes

Contemplation in Community 

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Thank you to all who have donated to support the CAC and these Daily Meditations over the past week! Your generosity and partnership make all of this possible. If you haven’t donated yet and wish to do so, please consider making a contribution or monthly gift at cac.org/dm-appeal. Thank you!


Dr. Barbara Holmes’ book Joy Unspeakable explores contemplative practices in the Black church. She shows us how contemplation can be practiced through community, music, and movement. 

The soloist moves toward the center of the podium. The congregation of about 1,500 breathes with her as she moans, “Oh … oh … oh, Jesus.” Those are the only words to the song. Unless you are sitting within the sound of her voice, it is difficult to imagine how a song of two words can be a cry of anguish, balm, and celebration. In each soaring note, we participate in the unutterable spectrum of human striving. In this world, you will have trouble, but “oh, oh, oh, Jesus.” The shouts of exaltation give no indication of what is happening. Although it appears to be the usual charismatic congregational fare, in fact we are riding the stanzas through time to the hush arbors and swamp meetings, over the dangerous waters to safety. In this ordinary Sunday service, something has happened and we are changed. The worldly resistance to transcendence that we wore into the sanctuary has cracked open, and the contemplative moment carries us toward the very source of our being. 

Moments like this occur regularly in the black church, yet if you ask congregants about their “contemplative practices,” they would be confounded…. Despite numerous exceptions, black church worship is known for its heartfelt, rhythmic, and charismatic character. This depiction has become such an accepted view that contemplative practices remain a subliminal and unexamined aspect of black religious life. As a consequence, the practices are not nurtured, encouraged, or passed on to future generations. Yet, when contemplative moments occur, worship experiences seem to deepen…. 

In the midst of worship, an imperceptible shift occurred that moved the worshipping community from intentional liturgical action to transcendent indwelling. There is no way to describe this shift other than to say that “something happened.” During this sacred time, the perpetual restlessness of the human heart was stilled and transformed into abiding presence. Time shimmered and paused, slowing its relentless pace, and the order of worship no longer took precedence for those enthralled by a joy unspeakable. [1] 

Holmes considers the transcendent nature of “ecstatic singing”:  

It is anointed singing from consecrated singers … that allows access to the holy, but more specifically it is the repetition of verses that shifts perception … [and] allows individuals to fill in their own story, silently or through the cries of recognition and affirmation. This is the contemplative moment, the recognition that each and every member of the congregation shares the same angst over the troubles of the world and the need for reunion…. The “ohs” are repeated over and over again until every person remembers a time when they cried out for God’s intervention. A deep listening abides between every note and stanza. Those who listen know that the Holy Spirit is in control. [2] 

Honoring Dr. Barbara Holmes 

In honoring Dr. B, may we continue the struggle she so passionately embraced—the struggle for justice, the healing of the human spirit, and the call to radical creativity. Watch her speak about how death does not have the last word. 

References: 
[1] Barbara A. Holmes, introduction to Joy Unspeakable: Contemplative Practices of the Black Church, 2nd ed. (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2017), xix–xx. 

[2] Holmes, Joy Unspeakable, 84.    

Image credit and inspiration: Unknown, Dr. Barbara Holmes Headshot (detail), photo, United States. Click here to enlarge image.

Story from Our Community:  

In this time of loss, I am reflecting on a conversation I had with Dr. B at the Sojourners Summit in 2019. One morning, we found ourselves eating breakfast together, and she shared more intimately about her spiritual journey, experiences, and professional pivots. Dr. B. spoke about the importance of embracing the spirituality offered by our cultural heritage and shared about her spiritual experiences in the Caribbean. As a contemplative, artist, and a Dominican-American woman who had also pivoted from a professional career, Dr. B’s insights and life experiences were affirming and offered me a spiritual framework large enough for the totality of my lived experience. Dr. B, thank you for your tremendous legacy and wisdom and compassion. May your teachings continue to offer refuge and encouragement, particularly in today’s America.  
—CAC Community Member

Navigate by Date

This year’s theme

A photo of a potter's hands, that invites reflection on the 2025 Daily Meditations theme of Being Salt and Light.

Being Salt and Light

How can we be a transformative presence in our communities? This year, our Daily Meditations theme is Being Salt and Light. In 2025, we invite you to reimagine Jesus’ timeless metaphors, exploring how to live deeply and with trust amid life’s unknowns — join us! 

The archives

Explore the Daily Meditations

Explore past meditations and annual themes by browsing the Daily Meditations archive. Explore by topic or use the search bar to find wisdom from specific teachers.

Join our email community

Sign-up to receive the Daily Meditations, featuring reflections on the wisdom and practices of the Christian contemplative tradition.


Hidden Fields

Find out about upcoming courses, registration dates, and new online courses.
Our theme this year is Radical Resilience. How do we tend our inner flame so we can stand in solidarity with the world without burning up or out? Meditations are emailed every day of the week, including the Weekly Summary on Saturday. Each week builds on previous topics, but you can join at any time.
In a world of fault lines and fractures, how do we expand our sense of self to include love, healing, and forgiveness—not just for ourselves or those like us, but for all? This monthly email features wisdom and stories from the emerging Christian contemplative movement. Join spiritual seekers from around the world and discover your place in the Great Story Line connecting us all in the One Great Life. Conspirare. Breathe with us.