Creating contemplative studies in the Southwest: theory and practice

Contemplative pedagogy, which adds direct first-person experience to traditional third-person study, addresses central goals of liberal arts education by deepening insight into and critical reflection about self and others in their social and historical contexts. The Contemplative Studies initiative at Texas Christian University illustrates how such methods give a more accurate, lived understanding of worldviews and practices. Students themselves want contemplative methods in the classroom. Religion professors should introduce students to the historical and cultural contexts of contemplative traditions, enhancing understanding with firsthand exercises from religious and secular traditions. The article closes by questioning how scholars should address the appropriation, decontextualization, and commodification of most contemplative traditions today.

Study at a glance

Abstract

In this article, I offer a brief history of the Contemplative Studies initiative at Texas Christian University, then discuss some of the theoretical underpinning for our program, indicating the value of contemplative pedagogy in academia and Religious Studies in particular. I argue that such pedagogy addresses central concerns of liberal arts education, that is, enhancing insight into and critical reflection about both self and others in their social and historical location. Contemplative learning adds “first person” direct experience to traditional “third person” objective study which gives a more accurate (and “lived”) understanding of both one’s own and others’ worldviews and practices. I will also discuss how and why students themselves want contemplative methods in the classroom. Religion professors in particular should introduce students to the importance of understanding the historical and cultural context of these (and our own) worldviews, enhancing these understandings with appropriate first-hand experience of basic exercises in various traditions (religious and modern secular) that have specialized in “first person” inquiry. I will close by raising questions about how scholars should address the high degree of appropriation, decontextualization, and commodification of most contemplative traditions today.