[A talk by Beth Adams given on Tuesday, May 12, 2015, to introduce Contemplative Prayer at Christ Church Cathedral] This spring, the cathedral community is grappling with questions about war and peace during a special series of presentations and discussions. War and violence are present throughout the Bible and our liturgy:...

In Louisville, Kentucky, at the corner of Fourth and Walnut, a tall tourist information plaque… exactly the kind you see in cities and by roadsides describing famous battles and birthplaces… marks the spot where the monk and author Thomas Merton was swept up into a fresh experience of God’s own life...

[Beth Adams’ introduction to Contemplative Prayer on April 14, 2015]  During Lent we’ve been hearing advice and wisdom from important teachers of contemplation, and I plan to continue with that, but today I’d like to talk about learning from real life: the great teacher who is available to us all...

[Beth Adams’ talk on March 10, 2015]  We recently discussed the Benedictine contemplative John Main, for whom the practice of meditation is, first of all, a way for us to become acquainted with ourselves. In his book Word into Silence, I was struck by this simple phrase: “In order to enter into...