Oboedire | April 29, 2026
In these weekly looks at big-picture spirituality, I am repeating topics I have written about previously here on Oboedire, but without looking back at previous posts. I want to make this exploration with fresh eyes.
Theologian Matthew Fox fostered the idea of creation spirituality. (Photo Courtesy of MatthewFox.org)
In this post I want to look at the spiritual person as someone who combines the life of a mystic and a prophet. Matthew Fox is the person who gave me this two-word description. [1] But through them I see that the same idea is all over the place. They are present in the contemplative and social justice streams of spirituality. [2] They are in John Wesley’s theology of personal and social holiness, and the related instituted and prudential means of grace, which were preceded by a similar view calked works of piety and works of mercy.
Thomas Merton
Thomas Merton in his study (The Merton Center: http://www.mertoncenter.org/Poetry/griffin.jpg. Reproduced under the "fair use" provision of U.S. copyright law).
Thomas Merton wrote about the mystic-prophet life coming together in what he called the point vierge—where contemplation (mystic) ignites the fire of love that moves us to action (prophet). [2] One of the oft-used metaphors to describe this is breath: breathing in (mystic), breathing out (prophet). As Christians, we see this life in Jesus’ root-fruit analogy in John 15.
We abide in him (mystic) and abound in good works for him (prophet).
No matter how we describe it, two things stand out: it is a singular (unitive, nondual) life, and it is a natural (unforced) life. Like our heartbeat, it is a life-giving combination. And like that heartbeat, each lub needs the dub. The mystic needs the prophet to avoid being subjective. The prophet needs the mystic to avoid being superficial. Together they are the intensive and extensive expressions that Jesus called abundant living (John 10:0).
[1] Matthew Fox, Prayer: A Radical Response to Life
[2] Thomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander
Steve Harper 2024
Courtesy Photo
The Rev. Dr. Steve Harper is retired seminary professor who taught for 32 years in the disciplines of Spiritual Formation and Wesley Studies. Author and co-author of more than fifty books.. He is also a retired elder in The Florida Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church.