ABSTRACT
This chapter talks about the contemplative Christian tradition, which dates back to roughly the third century. It explores the history of contemplation, the influence that apophatic prayer has had on contemplative Christianity, and key writings on the topic. The chapter also talks about the role that divine union, or theosis, may play in deepening one's relationship with God, turning to him during instances of uncertainty, doubt, worry, and anxiety in order to surrender to his loving care. Starting around the third or fourth century, Christians began to move to the deserts of Egypt to let go of a preoccupation with worldly endeavors and to relinquish the grip that society had on them. In the fourteenth century, an anonymous monk in England wrote The Cloud of Unknowing, offering instructions on apophatic prayer as a way to help the reader understand the benefits of the contemplative life, including how to achieve them.
