The divisive legalistic approach to the Bible baffled mystics through the ages. It led mystics to pronounce, “Why has Christianity preferred the courtroom to the bridal chamber?”
The focal point of the Bible should be the marriage of the soul to God—the unity of Jesus’s divinity and humanity, which can be mirrored in us. The passionate romance of the Song of Songs[i] should be central, not legal deliberations.
But, of course, the problem is not the Bible. The problem is our approach to Scripture and the way it’s taught. I resonate with author Kathleen Norris: “Children . . . begin to reject both poetry and religion for similar reasons, because the way both are taught takes the life out of them.”
The unitive, compassionate mind of Christ illumines the Bible for us, not the dualistic egotistic mind (Phil. 2:5). In other words, Scripture doesn’t need to change. The way we see the Bible needs to change. This book is about reading Scripture with a mystical mind—a mind that’s open to non-dual thinking and to Mystery.
[i] The Song of Songs is the twenty-second book of the Hebrew Scriptures, found in between Ecclesiastes and Isaiah.
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#BookBeStill
Be Still and Listen by Amos Smith is now available at Contemplative Life Bookstore.
Welcome to Contemplative-Life.org. Our mission is to present the best of contemplative teachings. Through contemplative awareness, one becomes open and present to the mystery of God in the here and now—in the midst of daily life.
Amazon is offering the kindle version of Be Still and Listen for $6.99.
Also by Amos Smith, Healing the Divide: Recovering Christianity’s Mystic Roots
Contemplative U Course- Everyday Mysticism: An Introduction to the History, Theology, and the Practice of Contemplative Christianity
The Way of the Wisdom Jesus: Going Beyond the Mind to the Heart of His Teaching – If you put aside what you think you know about Jesus and approach the Gospels as though for the first time, something remarkable happens: Jesus emerges as a teacher of the transformation of consciousness. In this online course, Episcopal priest, teacher, and retreat and conference leader Cynthia Bourgeault serves as a masterful guide to Jesus’s vision and to the traditional contemplative practices you can use to experience the heart of his teaching for yourself. Based upon her book the Wisdom Jesus.
Prayer is a core Christian practice, but for many, this means “saying prayers” or asking God for various favors. In this course, we will review a variety of methods of prayer that have been used for centuries in Christianity. Whether you’re a beginner who is just learning how to pray, or a more mature Christian who has been at it awhile, this course will offer specific guidance, encouragement and support for practicing several time-tested methods of prayer. Enjoy a review of this course by Rich.
Simply Good News is a short course based on Prof. N.T. Wright’s latest book, Simply Good News. Tom Wright will guide you through the chapters of his book through videos that suggest what some of the main points are. You will instantly get into the heart of the idea of ‘good news’ as it was understood by the 1st Century writers of the New Testament. You will be brought into their world in order to make more sense of what ‘good news’ means in our world.
