Eastern Christianity and Meditation
The Oxford Handbook of Meditation October 4, 2019 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198808640.013.8
Summary
Eastern Orthodox Christianity includes various meditation practices such as contemplating sins, reciting the Jesus prayer, practicing hesychasm, and contemplating Divine Light. The revelation of God's uncreated Light is crucial for individuals seeking divinization, which is a significant theological concept in this tradition. The chapter also discusses the current interest in these meditation practices.
Study at a glance
| Key finding | The contemplation of Divine Light is vital for achieving divinization in Eastern Orthodox Christianity. |
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Abstract
Abstract Eastern Orthodox Christianity has developed a wide variety of theories and practices of meditation. Among these, this chapter covers the contemplation of sins, the recitation of the Jesus prayer, hesychasm, and the contemplation of Divine Light. This latter form of meditation, where God’s uncreated Light is revealed to the individual, is particularly important in the Eastern Christian tradition, as it is linked to theosis, the human capacity to seek and reach divinization. This is not only important as an individual goal but also a key theological notion in Eastern Christianity. The chapter ends by considering the present interest in meditation practices within this tradition.