Voices In My Head (The Rick Lee James Podcast) Voices in My Head (The Rick Lee James Podcast) Episode 615: James K. A. Smith
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Mar 4, 2026 
James K. A. Smith, philosopher and author teaching at Calvin University, reflects on Christian mystics and contemplative practice. He discusses the shift from certainty to a luminous darkness. He explores solitude, silence, art, and resisting tech distraction. He ties contemplative attention to compassionate presence and spiritual formation.
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Luminous Darkness Reshapes Knowing
- Mystical darkness is a stage where prior certainties dissolve and clarity fades.
- James K. A. Smith describes this state as anxiety-inducing yet preparatory for a new awareness of wonder and belovedness.
Calling Into Chaplaincy Came Through Being Lost
- Rick Lee James describes feeling a mysterious call to become a hospital chaplain despite initial resistance.
- He cites a Rich Mullins line about being led where you're lost enough to let yourself be led as formative to that vocational shift.
From Knowing About God To Presence In God
- Mystical knowing differs from propositional knowledge; it's less about categories and more about presence.
- Smith explains the dark journey weans us from conceptual God-knowledge toward being enveloped in God's presence.