Everyday Contemplative: The Way of Prayerful Living

by L. Roger Owens

Overview

Many of us carry around stereotypical pictures of contemplative types-people who seem so unlike us that there is no way we could ever be contemplatives. But what if the word contemplative doesn't just name a narrowly defined kind of prayer but also an approach to all prayer? And what if the same word doesn't denote a specific way of life-extreme, alone, with lots of somber sitting- but can describe any life that seeks to be more open, available, and responsive to God? In other words, most contemplatives are everyday contemplatives-people living common, ordinary lives, responding to a call of divine love from God who speaks in the depths of their being. This book is an invitation to approach prayer and life differently. It explores a contemplative approach you can take to all spiritual practices-indeed, to life itself. Each chapter explores a particular characteristic of contemplative living: longing, attention, patience, playfulness, vulnerability, nonjudgment, and freedom. Everyday Contemplative includes "Consider This" questions and "Try This" suggestions in the margins, and there are ideas for the spiritual exercises of sacred reading, practicing awareness, and journaling at the end of each chapter.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780835819916
Publisher:	Upper Room Books
Publication date:	11/12/2021
Pages:	162
Sales rank:	244,699
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.35(d)

About the Author

L. Roger Owens is professor of Christian spirituality and ministry at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. An ordained United Methodist minister, Roger has pastored urban and rural congregations in North Carolina. He is the author of several books on the spiritual life, including What We Need Is Here: Practicing the Heart of Christian Spirituality. Connect with Roger at Irogerowens.com.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 7

Introduction: An Invitation 9

1 Practicing Spirituality in the Passive Voice: Posture 21

2 Following Our Ultimate Desire: Longing 35

3 Savoring Each Sip of Life: Attention 51

4 Trading Willfulness for Willingness: Patience 67

5 Dropping Our Seriousness: Playfulness 85

6 Lowering Our Defenses: Vulnerability 101

7 Saying Goodbye to Goldilocks: Nonjudgment 117

8 Raising Our Anchors: Freedom 133

Conclusion 149

Directions for Sacred Reading 155

Notes 156