Carl McColman's Blog, page 38

A Few Thoughts About Julian of Norwich (Video)

Here’s another one of the videos I filmed in the summer of 2015. Previously on this blog I posted a video on mysticism. More will be coming, on topics like silence and contemplation.

This particular video begins with a prayer by Julian of Norwich, and then I talk about who Julian was and why she matters.

What is Mysticism — and What Does it Mean for Christians?

A couple of weeks ago I posted to this blog an article called Just What is Mysticism Anyway? And Why Should Anyone Care?

But a few years ago, I made a short video that addresses pretty much the same topic, although geared specifically to Christians.

In the summer of 2015 I filmed a series of videos before a small audience where I explored several themes, such as mysticism, silence, and monasticism.

Here is the “mysticism” segment. I begin by quoting Karl Rahner, famous for saying “The...

Understanding "The Dark Night of the Soul"

A reader writes,

Carl, have you written any articles on the “dark night” or about the struggles we face on our paths?I’d be grateful if you could either link me to any articles you have written or to any books you think might be useful. I have Dark Night of the Soul by St John of the Cross but find it quite dense.

Thanks for your question. Many people find John of the Cross challenging to read. He was a brilliant poet and an astute psychologist of the contemplative life, but not the most...

I’m Wondering About the Relationship Between Mysticism and the Church. Here’s Why.

I often get asked if Christian mysticism needs the institutional church. Do you have to be a member of a church in order to be a Christian mystic? Or, to paraphrase a common way many people describe their spiritual lives: is it possible, in our day, to be “MBNR,” that is, “Mystical But Not Religious”?

Almost ten years ago, on page 30 of The Big Book of Christian Mysticism, I wrote the following:

Mysticism is often connected with religion. Here I am using religion...

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Gatekeeping and Contemplation: Is the Church Its Own Worst Enemy?

A friend of mine posted the following fascinating observation recently on Facebook:

I am easing out of parish ministry because there are too many gatekeepers and not much interest in contemplative prayer.

The writer is a Catholic lay minister — but I have heard or read similar words from Protestants as well as Catholics, from clergy as well as laypersons.

I think this points to a serious problem within the institutional form of Christianity. The church gets so wrapped up in gatekeeping — in deciding who’s in and who’s...

Let’s Go Deeper in Our Exploration of Mystical Christianity

Friends, I’m really excited about a new writing project I am launching next month through Patreon. I hope you will prayerfully consider joining me on this adventure.

Patreon is the crowdfunding website where readers like you are invited to support this blog and my other writing projects. Patrons through Patreon get early access to my current and future writing projects, including this new initiative. To learn more and to become a patron, click here.

This new project is called Contemplative Compass. It will be a monthly newsletter with...called Contemplative

A New Edition of One of My Older Books is Coming Out Next Summer!

In my book Unteachable Lessons I talk about how, before I became a Catholic in 2005, I wrote a number of books that reflected my interest in pre-Christian spirituality — books about Goddess spirituality, ancient Celtic spirituality, Druidism and Wicca. I wrote:

These days most of those old books are out of print, but anyone with an internet connection can easily find used copies for sale (usually for about a penny plus shipping) on eBay or Amazon.

If you want...

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Pictures of Rhiannon

My saving angel was… a chronically ill little girl.

If you’ve read Unteachable Lessons, you know that the “star” of the title chapter of the book is my stepdaughter Rhiannon. As I wrote the book, I mentioned several friends and memorable moments from Rhiannon’s life and our shared life as dad and daughter.

I thought it might be nice for this blog to collect some of my favorite snapshots of Rhiannon over the years. I hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed gathering them for you.

Since many...

Unteachable Hope, or, My Dream for Readers of My Latest Book

“What is your greatest hope for this book?”

This question came to me the other day from my friend Colette Lafia, a spiritual director and the author of Comfort and Joy and Seeking Surrender. She had written to me to congratulate me on the publication of my latest book, Unteachable Lessons. But then she asked that simple question, which I suppose every author should ponder as he or she writes — and then markets — a new book.

Unteachable Lessons

 

What is the hope at the heart of the book?

So w...

The Point Behind “Be Still and Know”

One of the most popular verses in the Bible is Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.” You can go into a Christian gift shop and find paperweights, wall plaques, t-shirts, and various other types of merchandise that prominently feature this verse.

But what does it mean? 

Obviously, the verse speaks to us in God’s voice: “know that I am God.” It is a proclamation that God exists, and that God can be known. Especially in our age of profound cynicism, skepticism, and nihilism, this is a...