Author, speaker to share talk on Christian mysticism
Feb. 25—Carl McColman is always seeking stillness. It's there, in silence, that he is able to connect with the essence of the Lord.
It's part of both his personal spirituality, as well as his professional life. McColman is a contemplative writer, blogger, podcaster, spiritual director and retreat leader. And one of the topics he shares most frequently — Christian mysticism.
For many, especially in a conservative community, the term alone can prove off-putting. But McColman stresses that the term "mystic" is not indicative of secret rituals or occult practices. Rather, its a title derived from the traditional Greek translation of the Bible.
"It can be a term that rubs people the wrong way. Some will say, 'well, I've never heard of this spoken about in my church' or 'mysticism isn't in the Bible.' But actually St. Paul referred to the 'mystery of Christ' a number of times," he said.
"The word is derived from a Greek root word that means 'mute,' so it's really about something to do with silence ... moving into spirituality where words fail us."
There are a number of scriptural references to silence and stillness. For McColman, that's at the very heart of the Christian path. "Be still and know that I am God," from Psalm 46, is an oft-quoted line.
"There is a tradition in the Jewish faith and in Christian heritage that is about meeting God in silence, darkness and unknowing. But mysticism now has gone on to mean a lot of different things to different people. In our context and what I feel is the traditional Christian context, we are referring to a spiritual encounter in silence," he said.
It's a topic the Atlanta-based author has explored in a number of books, including "Answering the Contemplative Call," "Befriending Silence," "Eternal Heart" and "The New Big Book of Christian Mysticism." He also explores the subject on the podcast, "Encountering Silence," which he co-hosts.
But the root of all of it remains the same. It is simply about being with God.
""Mystics' understand there's a big difference between knowing about God and knowing God. Contemplation, on the other hand, is a way we get to know God. You could say contemplation is about a way of doing, while mysticism is a way of being. As such, contemplation is a doorway to mysticism," he said.
"It sounds very new age-ish, but really it's very Biblically-based. The work that I try to do is to reclaim this sense of spirituality that's been lost over the centuries."
These are some of the concepts McColman will bring to St. Simons Island when he stops in to speak at Christ Church Frederica on Sunday.
Titled "Mystical Wisdom, Contemplative Practice: Insights from the Christian Mystics for Spiritual Living Today," the presentation will be held from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in the parish hall. During the session, he will draw from a variety of sources to create the picture of modern mysticism.
"What I'm going to do is draw primarily from two great mystics, both from England since we will be in an Episcopal church," he said with a chuckle.
"The first is from an anonymous writing from 1375 called 'The Cloud of Unknowing."' It says that 'God is hidden behind a cloud of unknowing. The idea is that we hide ourselves in a 'cloud of forgetting' ... letting go of all distracting thoughts to be with God."
The second teaching McColman will visit comes from Julian of Norwich, who also lived in the late 12th century.
"She was a mystic who had visions of Jesus and Mary in Heaven and of the crucifixion. But the heart of her teaching was about unconditional love. The love that Christ had for us. That he loved us so much that he died for us," he said.
"That's what it's really about ... 'mysticism' isn't just for monks or nuns. It's for everyone. The spiritual heart of Christianity is about encountering God in love. God comes to dwell in our hearts. He doesn't just want us to obey a bunch a rules. Of course, we should all strive to lead a moral and ethical life. But God wants us to be filled with joy and compassion with wisdom and mystical spirituality."
In order to tap into that, McColman offers instruction for contemplative prayer. Through that, he hopes to help attendees cultivate a deep sense of compassion for others — and for oneself.
"I would say that the heart of any spiritual tradition Christian or otherwise is based in these questions: How do I relate to myself, to my family and friends, and to world at large? What mysticism the promises is that through contemplative prayer we can cultivate more loving relationships that are less based in duty or fear," he said.
"It's about the expression of compassion and love, which is at the heart of all of Jesus' teachings. So many people struggle, even ... or especially, in being compassionate to themselves. Expressing compassion toward oneself, to one's family, to the community, to one's enemies ... that was what Jesus taught. By going out there and being loving — that's the way the world will be transformed."
