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Jesus' Prayer as a Contemplative Practice: Inner Transformation and Encounter with the Divine

Imel Yovita Sapatandekan, Hendi Hendi, Sugianto Halim, Y. Handoko

Journal of theology March 2, 2025 DOI: 10.53674/pjt.v1i2.207 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Qualitative literature review Peer reviewed
Topics Meditation
Key findings The Jesus Prayer serves as a pathway to transformation, enabling believers to transcend distractions, cultivate inner peace, and center their hearts on Christ.

Abstract

This article delves into the profound significance of the Jesus Prayer, as presented by Kallistos Ware, and its role in nurturing spiritual growth and leading believers toward a deeper union with God. By employing a qualitative literature review, this study engages with Ware’s theological perspectives and other relevant insights. The findings highlight how this simple yet powerful prayer—“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”—serves as a tool for believers to transcend distractions, cultivate inner peace, and center their hearts on Christ. The research affirms that the Jesus Prayer is not just a repetitive phrase but a pathway to transformation, offering believers a way to experience God’s grace in their everyday lives.

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists Western Buddhist meditation practitioners and experts in Theravāda, Zen, and Tibetan... 2017 Qualitative study with mixed-methods
The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout Nurses in a hospital system 2004 Implementation study with mixed methods
An exploratory mixed methods study of the acceptability and effectiveness of mindfulness -based cognitive therapy for patients with active depression and anxiety in primary care Primary care patients with recurrent depression or recurrent depression and anxiety 2006 Exploratory mixed methods study n = 13
A qualitative study of mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy for depression Participants in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in a mental-health context 2001 Qualitative study n = 7
Effortless awareness: using real time neurofeedback to investigate correlates of posterior cingulate cortex activity in meditators' self-report Meditators 2013 Qualitative study using grounded theory methodology

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