Description on Christian Contemplation

1. Contemplation in gospel meditation, using the five senses

Gospel Contemplation is to immerse into the scene of a Bible passage (a full division) taken from the Four Gospels (preferably the Synoptic Gospels), to see/hear/smell/taste/touch (sense) in there, and then pray about it, reflect and listen to God. (Note: One can imagine on becoming one of the characters in the passage, but not becoming Jesus.)

2. Contemplative spirituality

Having the posture of poor in spirit (cf. The Beatitudes/humility/Matthew 5:3), with faith in God, being loved by God, being cleansed/healed by Jesus, followed by the transformation/formation of becoming more Christ-like through the power of the Holy Spirit, and to live among people while continue on having a conversational relationship with the Heaven Father. It is all grace - God's grace, because Jesus has already carried all our sins - guilt and condemnation.

3. Contemplative prayer

Having a honest dialogue (including thoughts & feelings) with God after Lectio/Visio Divina or Gospel Contemplation while dwelling in God’s love (His grace): becoming self-aware, letting the Holy Spirit to work on (heal/purify/transform/form) us, and entering into (not forcefully) contemplation (rest in Jesus - "be still and know that He is God" Psalm 46:10).

4. Contemplation 

Contemplation is humbly becoming like little children (Matthew 18:3), resting in Jesus' arms, yet “fully awake, active, aware & alive” ("New Seeds of Contemplation" by Thomas Merton (p.1)) to the Triune God and among people.

Reading Christian Spirituality Books

When reading Christian Spirituality books, broadness with variety yet oriented towards the Triune God is essential.

“SpiritualClassics” edited by Richard J. Foster and Emilie Griffin gives readers a taste of twelve different focuses on inward and outward Spiritual disciplines, each from a variety of Christian voices: Catholic, Quaker, Methodist, Anglican, Baptist, and Presbyterian. “Devotional Classics” edited by Richard J. Foster and JamesBryan Smith is similar in nature, but it categorized by a variety of Christian traditions: contemplative, holiness, charismatic, social justice, evangelical, and incarnational.

For books authored by Eugene Peterson, Dallas Willard, J. Oswald Sanders, Gordon Smith, Richard Foster, Simon Chan, Tim Keller, they are usually safe to read selective chapters. However, for books authored by Henri Nouwen, Jean Vanier, Thomas Merton, David Benner, Richard Rohr, Barbara Brown Taylor, Frederick Buechner, Parker Palmer, Thomas Green, Teresa of Avila, it would be healthier for the readers to read the entire book, or at least a series of prescribed chapters. The laziness of just reading selective chapters on those books would lead to misinterpretations, which might fall into the temptation of being judgmental, rather than entering the realm of discernment. For books authored by Walter Brueggemann, Jonathan R. Wilson (more of theology in a holistic perspective), one needs to read the entire book in order to appreciate. 

To my knowledge, there are not too many Christian Spirituality books authored/edited by Chinese descendants. Books that I read were authored/edited by 楊牧谷, 黃志學, 鄺炳釗, 鄭彼得, 蔡貴恆, 崔妙姍, Simon Chan (his publications were written in English). Of course, some English Christian Spirituality books were translated into Chinese.

For those who don’t have too much time to read, a recent publication of “Dictionary of ChristianSpirituality” edited by Glen G. Scorgie and Simon Chan is a healthy start.

Having said that, personally I think Spiritual Formation and Bible Study go hand in hand.