The Contemplative Activist

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I don’t imagine it’s a new term to all of you, or even many of you, but I honestly don’t remember hearing this descriptor before this week:

Contemplative Activist

Have you heard this phrase used before?

Used to describe someone who is BOTH spiritually in-tune with God AND committed to doing something about what they see going on in the world?

I’ll admit, the first time I heard the phrase as a descriptor of an individual I thought it sounded like an oxymoron.

I envisioned a peaceful, peace-filled desert father or mother of centuries gone by — alone, but intimately in communion with God –overlaying one of those fist-waving, megaphone blaring, passion-filled individuals who believes SO much in their cause that they are compelled to take any and every possible action.

It seemed like oil and water.  Night and day.

But the longer I sit with it, the more sense this combination of — what appears to be — two totally opposite things, really is.

In fact, I’d go so far as to say that I think these two words describe the kind of Christian — follower of Jesus — that we are indeed called to be.

On the one hand we are SO focused on God — devout in our pursuit of Jesus and our desire to grow the levels of intimacy within that relationship… that we increasingly become aware of the heart and priorities of God…

that we are then, on the other hand, compelled into action — whatever that might mean and/or look like.

And the action drives us back into more, deeper contemplation.

Engaging God — the world — God — the world — …

It seems like it should be cyclical.

Contemplative Activist.

Does that describe you?  I want it to describe me! How about our ministries?

More on this tomorrow.

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Are We Becoming/Creating Contemplative Activists? →
About the Author

Guy Chmieleski

Guy is the Founder of FaithONCampus.com. He is also the University Minister, at Belmont University, located in Nashville, TN. FaithONCampus.com is designed with campus and college ministers in mind, and is here to serve as: a resource, catalyst for conversations and encouragement for our shared work with today’s college students.

  • http://ashleylinne.wordpress.com/ Ashley

    I love this term. I was first introduced to it (or the words in the context of worship, at least) through Gary Thomas’s book “Sacred Pathways.”

    • Anonymous

      Hey Ashley! That’s funny. I’ve read that book through at least a couple of different times… but it has been a while, and I definitely don’t remember reading across that phrase.

      I wonder if I’m more sensitive to it right now because it seems that so many of our students seem to be heavy into the activism side of this — and very light on the contemplation side of it — therefore creating something very lopsided in its expression…

      • http://ashleylinne.wordpress.com/ Ashley

        Yeah, he doesn’t use it as a “term” per se, but the two worship styles are mentioned. And I agree– activism (or in some cases slacktivism) is pretty hot right now. I can definitely appreciate an emphasis on activism since in part of my past experience that aspect of discipleship was largely missing. But we really have to take care to balance and integrate it with the contemplative side.

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  • http://embracethegodlife.com Pat

    I think these terms NEED to be held together. I attempted to capture the same idea writing my dissertation on Missional Spirituality. 

    David Bosch argues that the church is always, and at the same time, called apart and sent out. These are not two separate movements, but one.

    I also reference Campollo and Darling’s book The God of Intimacy and Action.

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