Contemplative Christianity: the union of wisdom and compassion

‘Christianity is essentially a contemplative religion, founded on the inseparability of wisdom and compassion, of kingdom (spirit) and temple (matter). It is this unity which is the essence of the Good News or Gospel preached by Christ.’

Sylvester Houédard OSB of Prinknash Abbey

In this experiential day retreat we will reflect on Christianity as a fundamentally contemplative religion, a “Way” taught by Jesus as a path to the union of wisdom and compassion which has become one of Christianity’s best kept secrets.

In 1986 my teacher, the remarkable Benedictine monk Dom Sylvester Houédard of Prinknash Abbey, gave a paper to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Abbot President of the English Benedictine Congregation and others, to support dialogue between Benedictines and a visiting Tibetan delegation, ‘to understand each other so that each will understand itself more deeply.’

Working from the striking summary of Christian contemplative wisdom and theology given in this paper, we will explore what Houédard, Maggie Ross and other contemporary teachers say about the essence of the Gospel as the union of wisdom and compassion, as a path to becoming living temples manifesting the divine truth of who we are.

“The temple of our body,” writes Houédard, “surrounds the inmost room that we enter to pray; the kingdom is manifest in the deeds that flow out from that centre. The unity of what flows out in the kingdom from the centre to which we turn (and which we enter) in prayer, is what Christ taught and is the authentic tradition of the Church – the unity between knowing God in contemplation and loving God through compassion for the whole of mankind.”

Where do we begin the journey to the unity of kingdom and temple? “Through turning to God’s presence in the heart of mind, which is his image and the living temple that we are. Through the practice of unselfish love. Through letting go of the sense that we are self-made and coming to know our utter dependence on God. Through becoming poor in spirit, which is letting God be God.”

Dom Sylvester liked to say that the cross is a symbol of the union of wisdom and compassion, that the vertical of the cross is wisdom, because God is truth, and this is knowledge of God, and the horizontal of the cross is compassion; that we might think of the four arms of the cross spreading out from the centre in compassion to all; and we that we are rooted in the centre, one with all beings within the oneness of God.

Are the wisdom practices of the contemplative tradition merely optional extras for the Christian?

Quite the opposite, says Rowan Williams: ‘Contemplation is very far from being just one kind of thing that Christians do: it is the key to prayer, liturgy, art and ethics, the key to the essence of a renewed humanity that is capable of seeing the world and other subjects in the world with freedom – freedom from self-oriented, acquisitive habits and the distorted understanding that comes from them.’

Schedule

This online event will involve a flow of short talks, periods of silent meditation practice, and time for conversation.

Price and pricing policy

Tickets cost £30. There is an option to purchase a ticket with a donation to help us maintain our core offering, including the twice weekly online meditation sessions, which are free of charge.

All our paid-for events are priced to simply cover costs (rather than make a profit) so they are as accessible as possible. However, we realise that even the most reasonably priced ticket can be difficult sometimes. If this is the case, we invite you to email us so we can help. 

Retreat Leader

Chris Whittington is the Founder of The School of Contemplative Life. The charity’s vision is to help people establish peace in themselves and become places of peace in the world. Chris was introduced to contemplative practice during several years of formation when he lived at the Benedictine monastery of Prinknash Abbey. His’ monastic teachers, including Sylvester Houedard OSB, taught meditation as a universal wisdom found within all the great spiritual traditions, a pathway to peace and solidarity with people of all faiths and none. Following an introduction by the Abbot of the Prinknash community, Chris subsequently studied at the Dalai Lama’s monastery in Dharamsala, India. Chris regularly delivers talks, workshops and retreats and has introduced meditation from the Christian wisdom tradition to thousands of people in the UK and abroad.

Words from Rev’d Dr. Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury

“I am delighted that there is a concrete opportunity for developing this new initiative in seeking to open doors into Christian wisdom for those who may have little previous awareness of its resources. This will be a chance for Christians of all traditions to discover new openings for growth in contemplative maturity.”

Words from Martin Laird OSA, Author of Into the Silent Land

”The School of Contemplative Life will surely rate among the most significant responses to the spiritual longings of the people of this nation and abroad through its well thought out programme of retreats, guidance and other opportunities to assist the Christian community to the wellspring of silence and compassion flowing within. Quite simply, there is no other centre in this country dedicated to cultivating the human discovery of its groundless Ground, that eternal Mystery ever hidden with Christ in God.”

Terms and conditions

Please refer to our website for the terms and conditions associated with this event. If you need to cancel for whatever reason after booking, please get in touch with us as soon as possible and we will try to find a solution. In the event that we cannot fill your place, the cost of your ticket may not be refundable.

For information about the School of Contemplative Life, please visit our website: www.schoolofcontemplativelife.com