In his latest On the Square column, Peter J. Leithart on the complementarity of mysticism and activism:
Both sides can make a good case. Activists point out that true religion and undefiled is to visit orphans and widows in distress. They stress that faith without works is dead. Activists emphasize that the First Great Commandment to love God is worthless without the Second. Contemplatives point out that true religion also involves keeping ourselves unstained by the world. They emphasize that we are justified by faith apart from works. Contemplatives point out that Jesus didn’t call it the First Great Commandment for nothing.
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