Book Review: Embracing Contemplation: Reclaiming a Christian Spiritual Practice

Embracing Contemplation: Reclaiming a Christian Spiritual Practice

Embracing Contemplation: Reclaiming a Christian Spiritual Practice is an edited Christian spirituality book from IVP Academic, compiled by John H. Coe and Kyle C. Strobel. It explores how contemplative spirituality fits within evangelical theology and practice, arguing that contemplation is a deeply biblical, historically Protestant way of life with God rather than an exotic or suspect import.

Key Facts:

• Editors: John H. Coe and Kyle C. Strobel

• Publisher: IVP Academic (InterVarsity Press)

• Publication year: 2019

• Focus: Biblical and Protestant foundations for Christian contemplation

• Form: Multi-author essay collection (theology and spiritual formation)

Background and purpose

The book arises from concerns that many evangelicals either ignore contemplative practices or view them with suspicion, associating them only with medieval Catholic mysticism or non-Christian traditions. Coe and Strobel gather Protestant theologians, historians, and practitioners to show that contemplation—attentive, loving awareness of God—is rooted in Scripture and present in figures like John Calvin, Richard Baxter, Jonathan Edwards, and John Wesley.

Themes and contents

Essays explore the biblical basis for “setting the mind on things above” (e.g., Colossians 3), the relationship between contemplation and life in the Spirit, and how wordless or “silent” prayer fits alongside more familiar forms of petition and intercession. Historically oriented chapters trace how various Protestant traditions have understood contemplation, while constructive essays propose ways contemporary churches can integrate contemplation without abandoning evangelical commitments to Scripture, the gospel, and mission.

Significance for Christian spirituality

The volume’s core claim is that contemplation is not an optional add-on for a spiritual elite but part of ordinary Christian discipleship—learning to attend to God with mind and heart in the midst of ordinary life. It aims to clear away confusion around terms like “contemplative prayer,” invite evangelicals into a deeper, more reflective prayer life, and reclaim contemplation as a practice that shapes worship, ethics, and pastoral ministry.