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]

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[edit] Acquired vs. infused prayer

[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".[2]

[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 John Baptist 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.[3]

[edit] See also

[edit] External links


[edit] Criticisms

[edit] References

  1. ^ Keating, Thomas. Intimacy with God. 
  2. ^ Dubay, Thomas (1989). Fire Within. Ignatius. 
  3. ^ Aumann, Jordan (1985). Christian Spirituality in the Catholic Tradition. Continuum.