Books

Into the Silent Land

A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation

The bright evangelical mind—always so active and in pursuit—must leap great hurdles of spiritual and intellectual activity to shut itself down and be still. Theologian Martin Laird offers a roadmap to this practice of silence and God-awareness with warmth and reason.

Like many trained in Christian contemplative practice, Laird is a Roman Catholic, of the Order of St. Augustine—those charged by Pope John Paul II to be “teachers of the interior life.” Laird, an associate professor in theology and religious studies at Villanova University, obeys the charge with grace and clear instruction.

In his compact primer, he charts the path leading to silent surrender and “watchfulness” before God. As such, the book’s great contribution might be its reminder that in our noisy, chaotic, thinking world, God is not somebody we need to flag down or acquire: “God is the ground of our being.”

Laird’s book defines how to sink back into God’s ground—physically with breathing, mentally with “prayer words,” and spiritually with interior surrender. Through anecdote, Scripture, and classic wisdom, Laird illuminates a Christian path into the silent land. An able guide, he makes the trip more than worth the journey.

Copyright © 2006 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

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Into the Silent Land can be purchased at Christianbook.com and at other retailers, including Amazon.com.

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

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Looking for God in Russia: Finding Jesus in Orthodox Robes and Evangelical Jeans

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Plethora of Talent

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Stopping Cultural Drift

Dreaming of Dystopia

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A Good Death

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Look at All the Lonely People

A Practical Understanding of Jesus' Life

Shoot-First Apologetics

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Theocracy, Anyone?

No Theocracy Here

Meet the Patriot Pastors

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Races to Watch: Tammy Duckworth vs. State Sen. Peter Roskam

Children of a Lesser Hope

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The Other <em>Plan B</em>

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Gallery of Accusations

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Cutting Out <em>VeggieTales</em>' Core

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Malay Melee

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Expelling InterVarsity

Clash of Churches in Lebanon

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