James E. WOODS. Putting on the Mind of Christ: Contemplative Prayer and Holistic Unity. Foreword by Ruben L.F. Habito. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2021, pp. 171, $22, pb. ISBN: 978-1-62698-423-3. Reviewed by Rachelle LINNER, Spiritual Director, Medford, MA 02155

            This impressive work of scholarship and experience deserves a wide readership.  Dr. James Woods is a United Method pastor, a faculty member for the Certification in Spiritual Direction program at Perkins School of Theology, and director of the Center for Transformative Prayer.  Where many books about contemplative prayer focus solely on the individual, Dr. Woods never loses sight of the corporate, ecclesiastical dimension of this practice.

            “Contemplative prayer changes our perceptions.  It helps remove the mental clutter so that our true focus — God — becomes clear.  This form of prayer moves us toward seeing as Christ saw and as Christ wills for us to see today, beyond the delusions of divisiveness, scarcity, or injury.  It invites us into the deep unity for which Jesus pleads (John 17:21), and it is essential for the healthy functioning of the Body (Eph 4:1-6).  Given its vital nature, contemplation must be (re)introduced into the life of the church.” (115)

            Dr. Woods’s writing reflects a broad and generous ecumenism, and he has an excellent chapter (“The Witness of a Mystic”) on the Eastern contemplative Symeon the New Theologian.  “What is exceptional about Symeon’s contemplative life is the primacy of contrition, expressed in prayers for purity, tears, and impassibility.  Not seen as purely a preliminary step, constant compunction for Symeon was essential for any Christian to attain the conditions necessary to commune with God.” (63-64)  His exegesis of Symeon’s hymns conveys important themes in Orthodox spirituality: purity of heart, piety, “the Spirit’s shaping of the believer” (46) and keeping “the mind in the heart.”

            In “The Contemplative Brain,” Dr. Woods explores contemporary neuropsychological research to “examine the neurological effects of contemplative prayer, specifically the processes that are activated by these methods, and how the brain’s structures can potentially be altered by intentional practice.” (66)  This well-written chapter begins with an overview of basic brain science — and the distinction between the brain and the mind — insuring that the material is accessible to a lay audience.  He reports on the groundbreaking work of Andrew Newberg (author of Neurotheology) who used brain imaging technology while subjects engaged in Centering Prayer.  Scientific evidence supports the argument that spiritual disciplines lead to cognitive, behavioral, and psychological change.

            The book’s final chapter, “The Mind of Christ” is a theologically rich exploration of atonement.  He succinctly explains the three traditional atonement models — the Christus victor theory; the satisfaction or substitution theory and the moral influence theory — and argues that “contemplation results in a synthesis of these three historical theories.” (108)  Dr. Woods proposes a contemplative self-death/identity-resurrection theory.  “…on the cross, Jesus literally underwent a process of dying to the ego ‘self’ (self-death) that tends to falsely objectify and divide, and upon his resurrection, he emerged with a new self-identity (identity-resurrection) as one knowingly inseparable from the love of God the Father through the Spirit.  This redeeming act paved the way for all humanity; and since we are grafted into this same body of Christ, we too must undergo the same process in our lives.” (149) 

            This is a rich and rewarding book that yokes contemplative prayer to self-emptying and the acceptance of God’s will.  Contemplation is “a channel through which the human and divine come together for change.  The reality of this outcome and its full impact are tangible.” (115)  He insists that the Church, as the Body of Christ, needs to be deliberate in claiming its contemplative tradition and modeling the importance of practice through education, preaching and opportunities for experience. 

            The book concludes with a glossary and bibliography that will be invaluable to those who desire to continue their education in contemplative prayer.