Contemplative prayer

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In Christian mysticism, Contemplative prayer can refer to:

• infused contemplation, for many writers, including St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila, the sole sense of the term;
• acquired contemplation, also known as prayer of simplicity; or
• Centering prayer, which is sometimes called contemplative prayer, although "It is not contemplation in the strict sense, which in Catholic tradition has always been regarded as a pure gift of the Spirit, but rather it is a preparation for contemplation."^[1]

Contents 1 Acquired vs. infused prayer 2 Infused contemplation 3 Ordinary or extraordinary? 4 External links 4.1 Criticisms 5 References

[edit] Acquired vs. infused prayer

Spiritual writers have divided up the development of the Christian life of prayer in various ways, the most commonly used one being that of St. Teresa of Avila:

• vocal prayer;
• meditation;
• affective prayer;
• acquired contemplation or prayer of simplicity;
• infused recollection;
• prayer of quiet;
• prayer of union;
• prayer of conforming union;
• prayer of transforming union.

The first four belong to the ascetical life, and the last five belong to the mystical life; the former are also called acquired, and the latter, infused, because the former are produced by human effort (with the help of God's grace), whereas the latter are supernaturally given by God: one can prepare for it but not produce it. For many spiritual writers including St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila, it is the latter, infused prayer, that is contemplative prayer properly so-called.^[2]

[edit] Infused contemplation

According to Dubay, infused contemplation is "a divinely originated, general, nonconceptual, loving awareness of God"; it is "the normal, ordinary development of discursive prayer".^[3]

[edit] Ordinary or extraordinary?

One question that has surfaced at various times in history is whether contemplative prayer is given only to select people or whether everyone is called towards it. Generally, the latter view has prevailed. In the 17th century, however, several writers, most notably Scaramelli, taught, in reaction to Quietism, that ascetism and mysticism are two distinct paths to perfection; the former was the normal, ordinary end of the Christian life, and the latter, to which contemplative prayer belongs, is something extraordinary. The controversy was more or less resolved in the early 20th century with Arintero and Garrigou-Lagrange exonerating the view that infused contemplation is a normal development of the spiritual life. This is now the generally accepted position.^[4]

[edit] External links

[edit] Criticisms

• Contemplative Prayer, the heart of Mysticism in Think On These Things by Gary Gilley
• The Dangers of the Emerging Church by Take Back Canada

[edit] References

1. ^ Keating, Thomas. Intimacy with God. 
2. ^ Aumann, Jordan (1980). Spiritual Theology. Sheed and Ward. 
3. ^ Dubay, Thomas (1989). Fire Within. Ignatius. 
4. ^ Aumann, Jordan (1985). Christian Spirituality in the Catholic Tradition. Ignatius.