Contemplative Activism
What does the word "peace" mean to you? It's a very common word in the New Testament, spoken or written by Jesus, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, James, Peter, Jude, and the author of Hebrews. In fact, it appears in every New Testament book except one (1 John).
There are two streams of Christian tradition that make peace (i.e. shalom, wholeness, wellness) a central part of their ethos. One is the contemplative tradition, which leans toward the desire for inner peace. The other is the activist tradition, which leans toward the desire for outer peace in the world.
Neither stream focus exclusively on one type of peace or the other - they seek peace in both worlds - but contemplation tends to look at the inner world first, while activism tends to look at the outer world first. Further, it should be noted both traditions require action, and both also require reflection.
However, the Bible is clear that both these types of peace are best discovered and experienced in and through Jesus.
First, the purpose of Jesus' coming was, in part, to guide us to the path of peace.
"Because of God’s tender mercy,
the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
and to guide us to the path of peace.”~ Luke 1:78-79
Second, Jesus himself says the peace he offers cannot be found in the world.
"I give you peace, the kind of peace only I can give. It isn't like the peace this world can give. So don't be worried or afraid."
~ Jesus, in John 14:27
Third, Paul prays multiple times for the peace that comes from God.
" May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace."
~ these exact words appear in Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2; Philippians 1:2; Colossians 1:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:2; Philemon 1:3
It's not that one type of peace is more important than the other - both the inner world and outer world must be affected if we are to live in God's peace. Further, Jesus himself was both contemplative and activist, so if we are to model our lives after him we too shall work for peace in both worlds.
That said, there tends to be a directional momentum to this peace, from the inside out. When the chaotic outer world invades our contemplative inner world (outside in), it can cause anxiety and worry about things outside of our control and destroy our sense of peace. Further, if we need outer peace in order to experience inner peace, our peace is always within someone else's control.
However, when we are inwardly rooted and centred in God's peace, our outward activism becomes stable and powerful. In other words, our outward circumstances do not need to affect our inner peace, but our inner peace can have a positive effect on our outward circumstances. When we ourselves are at peace, we are more likely to be at peace with others.
We are not to be a frenzied activist. Nor are we to be a lethargic contemplative. Rather, we are invited to experience and work for God's peace in both worlds as a contemplative activist.
PAUSE and REFLECT: On what world do you tend to focus - your inner world or your outer world? Do your outer circumstances affect your inward peace? Does your search for inner peace overflow into also being a peacemaker in the world?
Sometimes we get so focused on making the world around us good, fair, and equitable we run ourselves ragged, burn out, and become frustrated or cynical with people. Conversely, we can also get so focused on our inner world that we forget people around us are experiencing injustice, hunger, or racism.
Jesus offers us a different path - the path of contemplative activism - that links these two worlds and offers his peace in both realms. Contemplative activism is an inward reality that has outward ramifications which positively affect the world.
Where might God be inviting you to move toward inner peace in your life? Where might he be inviting you work for outer peace in the world? What is one thing you can do this week to take a step toward God's peace?
"May the Lord of peace himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with all of you."
~ 2 Thessalonians 3:16