Chapter 3: The Radical Antidote: Emotional Health and Contemplative Spirituality
Bringing Transformation to the Deep Places
Getting Stuck. The church teaches us many good things about how to behave as a Christian. Yet, it is often not enough to truly change behaviors in the core of our being.
Revelation and the Beast.
- The Beast yesterday. Revelation viewed Rome as the beast because it demanded total allegiance and devotion. There were consequences for being a Christian in the Roman empire.
- The Beast Today. Today, the beast is the culture of self and consumerism and its associated issues.
Unleashing a Revolution. Combining emotional health and contemplative spirituality will dramatically change people’s lives.
Defining Emotional Health and Contemplative Spirituality. A list of characteristics of the two states.
Joining the Two Together.
The Three Gifts of Integration. Integrating emotional health and contemplative spirituality offers three primary gifts.
- Slowing down. We come by our activity levels naturally. It was the hallmark of the early evangelical Christians that they were active. But, without knowing God, activity is not good. Emotional health and contemplative spirituality call us to reflection.”The active life for God can only properly flow from a life with God. In our emotional lives, we have to slow down at home, at work, and in our personal lives as well.
- Anchoring in God’s love.
- Breaking free from illusions.
David: A Model of Emotional Health and Contemplative Integration.