This document discusses contemporary approaches to spirituality and prayer. It covers the author's Christian tradition of Disciples of Christ and their emphasis on Bible study, community, and the Lord's Table. It also explores meditative prayer, contemplative prayer, yoga, and other related prayer practices like Lectio Divina and the Jesus Creed. Challenges with new spiritual practices like syncretism and appropriation are mentioned. The conclusion emphasizes that various prayer forms can deepen one's prayer life when grounded in scripture and Christian traditions of silence, presence, and accountability.

1. Lisa Gonzalez
S5310 – Spirituality for the New Millennium
May 6, 2013

2. Contemporary Context
My Tradition, Disciples of Christ (SCM)
 Word Based
 Bible reading and study
 Extemporaneous prayer
 Community Characteristics
 Congregational, local and democratic
 Importance of Lord’s Table
 Aversion to creeds and theological language
 Unity of all followers of Jesus

3. Meditative Prayer
 Reflection
 Imaginative
 Listen for Holy Spirit
 Example – Ignatian, Benedictine

4. Contemplative Prayer
 Wordless and imageless
 Apophatic tradition
 Space for Holy Spirit
 Example – Cappadocians, Symeon

5. Yoga
Buddhist and Hindu Christian
 Variety of underlying
theologies and techniques
 Technique not always related
to a particular theology
 Mantras, breathing, posture
 Divine in all of us – body as
micro/macrocosm
 Inculturation
 Interreligious dialogue
 Ecumenism
 Migration and immigration
 Hesychasm – Symeon the
New Theologian
 Trinitarian

6. Related Prayer Practices
Sacred Word
Lectio Divina

7. Related Prayer Practices
Sacred Word
Jesus Creed

8. Related Prayer Practices
Body Focused
Labyrinth

9. Related Pastoral Practices
Body Focused
Integrated Health Ministries

10. Marks of Spirituality
New Millenium Prayers of the Body
 Tradition – Bible,
Benedictine, Heyschasm
 Contemplative/Mysticism
 Interfaith
 Biblical basis
 Mantra/touchstone
 Habit forming

11. Scripture and Body Prayer
http://youtu.be/5zVsoslT7-k

12. Challenges
 Syncretism
 Colonization/disrespectful appropriation
 Backlash against mysticism
 Solutions?
 Accountability and authority

13. New Directions
 Develop a Biblical basis
 Focus on building community, including leadership
and need for accountability
 Integration and education
 My challenge - draw on tradition of respecting
intellectual authorities

14. Conclusion
 Many prayer forms – no highest form
 Listening, silence, and being present can be nurtured
 Biblical basis, and ecumenical tradition can contribute
to new prayer forms and a deeper prayer life