How Do Contemplative Christians (and Other Contemplatives) Make a Difference?

Consider these teachings from Jesus, all taken from just one Gospel (Matthew — See verses 5:44, 7:12, 19:21, 22:39 and 25:40):

• “Whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me.”
• “Sell your possessions, and give (the money) to the poor, and follow me.”
• “Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them.”
• “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
• “Love your enemies.”

Couple this with a strong theme running throughout the Jewish and Christian scriptures that God is a God of justice and righteousness, and it is apparent that part of any meaningful spiritual life — at least for Christians — is a commitment to making the world a better place by caring for those in need and by working for peace and justice.

Indeed, while I am not crazy about labels like “conservative” and “progressive,” one of the easiest markers that distinguishes so-called “conservative” Christians from “progressive” Christians is typically whether they emphasize salvation or justice as the heart of their faith. Speaking very broadly and generally of course, conservative Christians seem to place greater emphasis on answering the question “What must I do to be saved?” while…