Podcast Episode Ten: Contemplative Ecumenical

SEASON TWO - EPISODE TEN: CONTEMPLATIVE ECUMENICAL

In episode ten of The Why Behind the What, I seek to introduce you to a new language that, for a long time, I did not have words for. Much of this episode is based on a three-part blog series I wrote a little over a year ago entitled, On Being an Ecumenical.

My spiritual journey, which has led me to practice the contemplative and the ancient, has led me to discover and develop a new identity:

I am a Contemplative Ecumenical.

I see more and more people who once identified as Evangelical, Protestant, Catholic, or Christian, seeking and longing for something new. So, I think it’s time we find a new term and form a new type of community. And, lucky for you, this is what I’m trying to do with turning Ecumenical into a noun and claim it as our identity. 

I think Contemplative Ecumenical might be a great term that embodies the ancient spiritual practices we’ve been talking about and what the Jesus tradition is all about.

As an adjective, ecumenical means promoting unity and oneness among the world’s Christian churches. It seeks cooperation and better understanding among different Christian traditions. It values the beauty of diversity, names and embraces our differences, sees everyone as members of the same community, all the while not letting these things bring division. A lofty goal, for sure.

I think being an Ecumenical means viewing the Christian Tradition as a diamond. We acknowledge and appreciate every facet of the diamond, rather than thinking the unpolished parts need to be removed or only one facet gets to glean the brightest. 

What I want to do is hold this diamond in my hand, move it around, look at each facet, and be in awe of the facets that catch my eye, reflect the beauty of God’s Light, and impact my soul.

I don’t know how this sounds to you, but being a Contemplative Ecumenical it gives me a little more hope, speaks deeply to my soul, and I’m all in. I think it could be so cool to see a movement of Contemplative Ecumenicals who are living an ancient faith and experiencing glimpses of the Divine and being transformed by this God today.

Maybe you’ve come to the point where you can no longer identify as Protestant, Evangelical, or Catholic. Maybe there’s something better for all of us. Maybe, we’re all Contemplative Ecumenicals reading to join this mysterious, contemplative, and transformational way of life.

A few resources I reference are The Pocket Meister Eckhart and The Pocket Thomas Merton as well as my blog series, On Being an Ecumenical. Also, please leave a review of the podcast here.

As you live as Contemplative Ecumenicals, as you practice an ancient spirituality, and as you see glimpses of the Divine all around you, may you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.

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Comparing Cows and God

Comparing cows and God. Who does that? Meister Eckhart does.

Eckhart was a German theologian and Christian mystic who focused much of his writing on seeing God in all things. He lived in the lat 1200’s to early 1300’s and became pretty popular at the time. He’s one of those writers that a lot of people qoute. So, I thought I’d qoute him here, too, since I’ve recently started reading a book of his writings and teachings.

In one passage, comparing love for cows with love for God, he says,

“Some people want to see God with their eyes as they see a cow and to love God as they love their cow- they love their cow for the milk and cheese and profit it makes them. This is how it is with people who love God for the sake of outward wealth and inward comfort. They do not rightly love God when they love God for their own advantage.”

I find this to be an interesting comment on how we often view God. Most of us, if we’re honest, probably love God in hopes of getting things from God rather than loving God to get God.

There is a big difference between loving God to get God and loving God to get things from God.

And, as Eckhart points out, you don’t rightly love God when you love God for your own advantage. Something for all of us to think about, for sure. Hopefully, we love God to get God, get the Divine One, the Ultimate Reality, the Creator of All Creation, we love God to get Love.