“Dr. B was passionate about expanding our understanding of the Christian contemplative tradition, reminding us that contemplation isn’t the sole domain of those who can retreat to quiet places. She understood, from her own life and from the traditions she carried forward, that contemplative practices must also arise in the midst of struggle, in the heart of communities pressed against the weight of history and oppression. She helped us see that the Christian contemplative tradition, too often framed through a narrow, Eurocentric lens, was far richer and more diverse than we had realized. It’s a tradition that belongs to all of us—and she called us to honor it fully by embracing its breadth and depth”
— Brian McLaren, posted on Center for Action and Contemplation’s website
Dr. Barbara Holmes served as president of United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, as well as professor of ethics and African American religious studies. She was ordained in the Latter Rain Apostolic Holiness Church in Dallas, Texas, and has privilege of call in the United Church of Christ and recognition of ministerial standing in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). In addition to her work with law firms, Holmes has worked with homeless missions, HIV/AIDS ministries, and international ministries in Kenya (the Presbyterian Church of East Africa) and Japan. The author of numerous books including Joy Unspeakable: Contemplative Practices of the Black Church, Race and the Cosmos, and Crisis Contemplation: Healing the Wounded Village. Holmes earned an MS from Southern Connecticut University, an MDiv from Columbia Theological Seminary, a PhD from Vanderbilt University, and a JD from Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. Dr. B was a Core Faculty member at the Center for Action and Contemplation.
In this 2016 episode, Barbara shares about her own contemplative lineage, reflections on the contemplative aspects of the Black Lives Matter movement, the contemplative and social impact of Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé, and her sense of hope in the next generation.
Visit Dr. Barbara Holmes’s work at drbarbaraholmes.com and her podcast The Cosmic We.
Visit Dr. B’s obituary is here.
Episode Show Notes
Works by Barbara A. Holmes
- Joy Unspeakable: Contemplative Practices of the Black Church
- Race and the Cosmos
- Crisis Contemplation: Healing the Wounded Village
- Liberation and the Cosmos: Conversations with the Elders
- See full list of Dr. B’s books here
Resources & People Mentioned
- President Obama
- Brian Swimme
- Howard Thurman
- Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church
- Henry Louis Gates
- AJ Jacobs
- Thomas Merton
- Martin Luther King
- Black Lives Matter
- Beyonce
- Kendrick Lamar
- Kirk Whalum
- Tupac Shakur
Drink Recommended
- Sparkling Coconut Lemon Water
Photo pulled from drbarbaraholmes.com
Links to book purchases give a kickback to a local New Mexican bookstore and Contemplify
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