Online / zoom
What does contemplation have to do with the everyday life of faith? And why does it matter now?
Words like stillness, centering prayer, silence, meditation, attention, and contemplation are finding renewed resonance in Christian conversation today. But what do they actually mean—and what do they mean for the rest of us? In this interactive online event, Ron Dart will help explain how the contemplative path is not a spiritual luxury for the few, but a vital calling for the many—a way of seeing, praying, and being that Evelyn Underhillmight have called "the education of the whole person."
Join us as Ron introduces Underhill, one of Christianity’s respected guides to the inner life, and reflects on her wisdom for our anxious and noisy age. Drawing from her writings, he’ll unpack why contemplation is not only personal but communal—not withdrawal from the world, but a way to be more deeply present in it. We'll also touch on common misconceptions surrounding mysticism and why Underhill's voice remains culturally subversive in the best sense of the word.
After Ron’s presentation, there will be time for audience Q&A. Known for his clarity, depth, and kindness, Ron brings big ideas to life in ways that are refreshingly accessible.
About Ron Dart:
Ron Dart has taught in the Department of Political Science, Philosophy, and Religious Studies at the University of the Fraser Valley (BC) since 1990. A former staff member with Amnesty International, Ron has published 42 books, including The North American High Tory Tradition and The Scholar Gipsy: Thrownness, Memoricide, and the Great Tradition(2024). Other titles include The Gospel According to Hermes (2021), Myth and Meaning in Jordan Peterson (2020), and Hermann Hesse: Phoenix Arising (2019). Ron also teaches in the graduate program at St. Stephen’s University, where he will offer a course on Dante’s Commedia in summer 2025. He serves on the National Executive of the Thomas Merton Society and is Canadian contact for the Evelyn Underhill Society and the Bede Griffiths Sangha.