Tag Archives: encounter
To Know God
Ways of Knowing To Know God Wednesday, October 16, 2019 Today, we continue with Robert McAfee Brown, who uses an excerpt from the Book of Jeremiah to describe knowing God: What does it mean to “know God”? Who are the ones who know God? The questions seem simple and answers come immediately to mind. Those… Continue Reading To Know God
Francis and the Lepers
Francisan Way: Part Two Francis and the Lepers Monday, October 7, 2019 The Lord gave me, Brother Francis, thus to begin doing penance in this way: for when I was in sin, it seemed too bitter for me to see lepers. And the Lord . . . led me among them and I showed mercy… Continue Reading Francis and the Lepers
Beholding
The Perennial Tradition Beholding Tuesday, August 13, 2019 My friend and Christian philosopher James Danaher writes about unfiltered divine encounter as a core element in the Perennial Tradition. There is a perennial philosophy that is not relative to history, culture, or language community. It is a philosophy, or perhaps better termed an alternative epistemology, that… Continue Reading Beholding
Participation
The Perennial Tradition Participation Sunday, August 11, 2019 The Perennial Tradition includes the constant themes and truths that recur in all the world religions at their most mature and deep levels. As I mentioned last week, the Second Vatican Council teaches Catholics that indigenous religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism each reflect “a ray of… Continue Reading Participation
Interspiritual Mystics: Weekly Summary
Interspiritual Mystics Summary: Sunday, August 4—Friday, August 9, 2019 At their most mature levels, religions have a common goal: union with all beings and with God. —Beatrice Bruteau (Sunday) By allowing inward change, while at the same time simplifying our external life, spirituality serves as our greatest single resource for changing our centuries-old trajectory of… Continue Reading Interspiritual Mystics: Weekly Summary
Living Mysticism
Interspiritual Mystics Living Mysticism Wednesday, August 7, 2019 Mysticism is a special consciousness of the presence of God that by definition exceeds description and results in a transformation of the subject who receives it. —Bernard McGinn [1] It’s not enough to have wonderful theories about God. Authentic mystical encounter radically changes us and our way… Continue Reading Living Mysticism
Feast of the Transfiguration
Interspiritual Mystics Feast of the Transfiguration Tuesday, August 6, 2019 Anniversary of the Bombing of Hiroshima Dom Bede Griffiths (1906–1993) was born in Britain and lived the latter decades of his life in India. Some of our Living School students have been deeply moved by studying his work which sought to make connections between Christianity… Continue Reading Feast of the Transfiguration
Gifts of Power
Black Women Mystics Gifts of Power Thursday, August 1, 2019 Rebecca Cox Jackson (1795–1871) was born into a free family in Pennsylvania. After a mystical encounter, she divorced her husband and became an itinerant preacher. She discovered the Shakers and eventually founded the first black Shaker community in Philadelphia. Jackson’s spiritual awakening was catalyzed by… Continue Reading Gifts of Power
Gift of Heaven
Black Women Mystics Gift of Heaven Wednesday, July 31, 2019 Jarena Lee (1783–1864) was the first authorized woman preacher in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Her spiritual autobiography—the first by an African American woman published in the United States—describes her childhood and her journeys across the United States. Though born to free black parents, she… Continue Reading Gift of Heaven
All in All
Black Women Mystics All in All Tuesday, July 30, 2019 Mysticism is not all ecstatic visions. People who have endured great suffering and let it open them to a new consciousness or perspective are often mystics. They discover that they are always sustained by Love’s presence. James Finley has a beautiful image for this unceasing… Continue Reading All in All