meditations of the heart by howard thurman

God is the guarantor of all values, the ultimate meaning-the timeless frame of reference. The goal of life is God! The source of life is God! That out of which life comes is that into which life goes. This week I’ll share Thurman’s own writings with very little introduction or explanation. had the prophetic ability to make a connection between the silence and scrutiny of one’s inner life and the work for social justice. Thurman chose to engage in work that would serve all people and to use the contemplative experience as a path to peace, joy, and power. during the civil rights movement of the 1960s, and thus played a critical role as a “behind the scenes” leader in the development of an alternative to violence in the dismantling of racial injustice in America. An African American theologian and mystic, Thurman was reared in an African American Baptist Church. Howard Thurman contributed much to the incorporation of the contemplative in social/racial justice efforts.

Here’s an insightful description of how Thurman’s significant influence was built upon his commitment to contemplation and action: This week I’d like to reflect on a more contemporary mystic, Reverend Howard Thurman (1900–1981). I’ve previously written about some of the Christian mystics who have had a profound impact on me, such as Francis and Clare of Assisi, Julian of Norwich, Meister Eckhart, John of the Cross, and Teresa of Ávila. There are a great many theologians, saints, and laypeople who have conveyed this reality much better than I. I’d like you to recognize that it’s not just me saying these things. In spite of all seeming evidence to the contrary, mystics know that God is love, and this love is both our source and our goal. The Meaning of Life Sunday, July 21, 2019

Meditations of the heart by howard thurman