What is Contemplation?
Contemplation, or the contemplative life (vita contemplativa in Latin), is the practice of attending to what is real and most true. In Christian tradition, it means fixing our attention on God. Prayer. But it is not just asking God for things. It is being with and knowing Him.
This spring, I’m taking a class in Christian Ethics. On day one, I expected to dive into moral dilemmas and ethical theories—to have my frameworks teased and challenged. Instead, my professor, Dr. Elmore—a medical, technology, and AI ethicist at Duke—began with silence, scripture, prayer, and a reading from Trappist monk Thomas Merton. (Merton, by the way, is the kind of writer who drops equally profound and fluffy lines like, “A tree gives glory to God by being a tree.”)
Though I do (unsarcastically) love sitting in silence with a room full of people, it caught me off guard. What does silent prayer have to do with ethics? Shouldn’t we be talking about action—what we should do?
But, it turns out, this was the perfect place to start. Ethics isn’t just about doing the right thing, it’s about knowing the right thing. And this isn’t just knowing information or principles, it’s knowing the Good itself.
Now, here’s the piece you can’t miss. For Christians, the Good is not an abstract ideal. The Good is a person. Jesus, the Logos. God is the Good—the source of all truth, goodness, and beauty. So, in order to do good, we must first know the Good personally and relationally.
This is what Jesus points out in the story of Mary and Martha. While Martha is anxious and distracted by her work, Mary simply sits at Jesus’ feet, listening. When Martha demands that Jesus correct Mary, he gently redirects her: “One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part.”
If we don’t take time to fix our attention on God and be shaped by His presence—in other words, if we don’t practice contemplation—then our actions will be shaped by something else: fear, control, urgency.
Does this mean action is unimportant? Not at all. But action without contemplation leads to anxiety and burnout. Contemplative prayer, however, roots our work in wisdom and peace. It shifts the aim of our productivity from efficiency to selectivity—from doing as much as possible to doing what is ours to do.
Now, I know some who think contemplation is just for monks or introverts. But it’s not about personality; it’s about posture. It’s about making space to truly know Christ, so that everything we do flows from Him—our labor, work, relationships, efforts for justice.
What would it look like for you to attend to God today? Maybe it’s silence before a meeting, a moment of prayer before making a decision, or simply taking a breath and remembering that Christ is present with you. God is waiting where you are—whether in silence, scripture, writing, walking, cooking, or picking up dog poo in the backyard.
This form of prayer is less about asking God what you should do. There is a time for that. Contemplation is more about just letting God love you. The rest will follow.
May Love move you.
The Peace of Christ,
David
Financial Update
In 2024, the total cost of seminary was $30,269 ($28,745 tuition, $1,524 travel and books). Of the total cost, $15,640 was covered by scholarships. And thanks to the Financial Support Team, 62% of the remaining cost was sponsored ($9,115).
Moving from 2024 to 2025 I experienced some transition with Financial Support Team commitments. I am pleased to report that as of January 27th, the need for an additional $100/mo of support has been met and in fact exceeded!
Many thanks for the new and ongoing generosity of the Financial Support Team. I could not do this with out you. If you would like to join and support financially, you can learn more at davidtanner.co/give or reply to this email to begin a conversation.
Current Reads & Resources
Storyworthy by Matthew Dicks (link)
I am making my way through the audio version of this book during morning workouts. Matthew Dicks challenges readers to take on “Homework for Life”—a daily 1-sentence journaling practice to identify the story of the day. He and others testify that this practice not only builds your bank of stories (for writers and communicators), but it can slow down your life and help you be more grateful and present in the everyday.
The Critical Journey by Janet O Hagberg and Robert A Guelich (link)
This book names and explores six stages of discipleship that are common among those who take the path of spiritual formation with Jesus. This book is an eye-opener and encouragement, especially for those who don’t feel like “normal” Christians, who are in a dark night experience, or are re-thinking meaning and vocation.
Life Focus Life Planning Curriculum from Michael Hyatt and Full Focus (link)
A few friends and leaders in my church community have now taken me up on this recommendation, and all have been grateful for the experience. This is again included this month. What I find especially helpful about this resource is the connection between long-term desires and short term action—between a 10-year vision and what I can do today.
“A tree gives glory to God by being a tree…
For in being what God means it to be it is obeying Him…This particular tree will give glory to God by spreading out its roots in the earth and raising its branches into the air and the light in a way that no other tree before or after it ever did or will do. ”
—Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation
