Richard Rohr’s most recent book strikes me as an intimate memoir by a deeply spiritual guide. At 76, Rohr’s “memoir” provides the reader (or in my case listener) with a helpful map for seekers at all phases and levels of their lifelong journey, but especially for the later stages of life – what Rohr and others call the second half of life.
Rohr’s sharing shows him as an avid lifelong learner who seems always open to the next chapter of his own journey no matter where that truth may take him.
In this book he references tools that have helped him and continue to help him grow – from his early formation as a priest, through rich soils of self-discovery through working with scriptures, the Enneagram, suffering, the Ira Progoff Journal workshop process, contemplation, psychological inquiry, etc. He describes all these tools and sources for the reader to consider.
Rohr’s generous, vulnerable and honest sharing from his rich spiritual life serves two purposes for readers. First it confirms the value of these sometimes esoteric tools and practices that the reader may have discovered along his or her own journey (especially in the second half of life) but who may have “worried” when these sources and practices took him or her beyond the comfortable conventions he or she has held – often for most of an entire lifetime. Second, these tools and practices may be new to some readers and hence a source of inspiration for one’s beginning and continuing spiritual evolution.
Rohr shares his sense of an evolving epistemology (how we know what we think we know) – moving from intellectual ideas and concepts early in the journey, then growing in emotional knowing and finally getting increasing glimpses of more experiential presence and mystical Knowing – often through times of suffering.
Two concepts stand out for me in this book. First is Rohr’s chapter on original goodness – contrasted against the common theology of original sin. This reminds me of Matthew Fox’s work in 2000 of Original Blessing. Perhaps more relevant yet would be David Bentley Hart’s forth-coming book (September, 2019) That All Shall Be Saved: Heaven, Hell, and Universal Salvation.
The second concept that Rohr shares that is that both Christ (or God) AND humanity are not uniquely present in Jesus (the God/Man – described in theology as Jesus’s essential nature captured in the doctrine of the hypostatic union of Jesus where Jesus is said to be True God AND True Man). Rohr extends this idea of Christ (Jesus’ God-nature) being present not only uniquely in Jesus, and not even uniquely in all humanity but, but rather in ALL THINGS. This seems like a theological concept of “hypostatic union for all”! God is in everything! This deeply resonates with me and inspires me to manifest love from this essence within rather than appear to love but only as an “ought-to” act from my ego self.
“God in everything” Rohr calls panENtheism, where God is both IN everything AND transcendent to everything. PanENtheism is distinct from of pantheism in which God simply IS everything. In this panENtheism Rohr speaks of the incarnation as God, from the beginning in Genesis, coming into incarnation in everything over time.
I like Rohr’s concept of having “the religion OF Jesus” distinguished from “The religion ABOUT Jesus” – I first ran across this statement in Jacob Needleman’s Lost Christianity published in 1980 and it stood out for me there also.
Two things struck me as a distraction from the truly profound messages of this book. First is his introducing scientific understandings (e.g., the “Big Crunch” when supposedly the “Big Bang” will be reversed, or talking about the nature of neutrinos as an example of some point he was trying to make). These scientific things may be current theories that may or may not prove to be correct decades from now. I much prefer a simple statement that the more we know scientifically about the reality of the Cosmos the more we realize we don’t know (especially in such topics as the relationship between matter and consciousness}.
In our “scientific progress” we simply go from clearing up one level of mystery only to find a much more profound Mystery – a process that has no end. So a solid (pardon the oxymoron) worldview is one that simply ACCEPTS Mystery per se, the vast Unknown – all the way down and all the way up. In this regard I am helped not only by Rohr but by (atheist, philosopher) Thomas Nagel’s 2012 book Mind and Cosmos: Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature is Almost Certainly False and by (theologian, philosopher) David Bentley Hart’s 2014 book The Experience of God: Being, Consciousness, Bliss.
The second thing that distracted me from the profoundness of Rohr’s teachings in this book is the frequent quoting of scriptures. Considering the level of consciousness reflected in Rohr’s book and its emphasis on Knowing beyond the intellect, the constant references to scripture for me interrupted the flow of information. Perhaps it felt too much like a Fundamentalist throwing one “proof-text” after another as “proof” that such-and-such is true because the “Bible tells me so.”
And of course my conservative roots, while very helpful early on in my life, did not serve me well later in life. (Confession: Like Rohr, I am 76, and, unlike Rohr, was trained rigorously for eight years in my Lutheran day-school where “right doctrine” according to Martin Luther’s Small Catechism – expanded from the original to include 703 biblical “Proof Texts,” nearly all of which we would memorize, was central. I remained very active in my bible teaching and church leadership – until, in my 40s and 50s, this kind of “belief-based ‘faith’” simply would not hold all that was so alive in me. Having said that, this early bible-study was all perfect for my journey and set the stage for an explosive breaking out that would come in my fifties and beyond.)
All in all I am thrilled by this latest Rohr book – and I eagerly await the “next chapter of his life” to be revealed in his next book. I am full of gratitude for his life and willingness to share and in the process serve!
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Amazingly simple, yet profound clarification of who we are in Christ
Question: What percentage of the 2.3 billion Christians alive worldwide - both Catholic and Protestant - would you guess have been taught that they are presently living in a "sin-soaked" world in need of salvation to avoid eternal damnation? My guess: about 99%.But imagine taking a fresh look at both Scripture and history - and suddenly rediscovering the truth that every single human being on earth is living in a "Christ-soaked" world, and thanks to Christ Jesus' life, death and resurrection, hell has forever been destroyed!How's that for Good News? It's the ultimate spiritual game-changer! But, does it sound too good to be true?Richard Rohr's newest book THE UNIVERSAL CHRIST reveals a profoundly new, yet very historic understanding of how it is possible that every human being is 'in Christ' - a reality that could change our perception of the world and everything in it.Rohr brings a sorely needed healing balm to a hurting world by celebrating the things the entire human race has in common. In doing so Richard lifts the reader's spirit above petty doctrinal issues. He offers readers an invitation to join him on a journey of fresh Scriptural understanding based on a half-century of Franciscan teaching, ministry and personal spiritual experience.There's something very poetic about the release of THE UNIVERSAL CHRIST on 'Fat Tuesday' (March 5, 2019) a day which marks the beginning of Lent season - usually full of feasting and celebration - prior to a time of reflection upon the humility, suffering and death of Jesus leading up to the earth-shaking resurrection of Christ."Incarnation is the oldest Christian story. Through Christ, God is pouring God's self into all creation. To be Christian, then, is to see Christ in every thing," writes Rohr on his book's jam-packed resource collection page which is full of quotes, videos and book endorsements.THE UNIVERSAL CHRIST puts forth six major themes which all originate in Scripture, yet for many (including myself) these truths lay hidden in plain sight and require a seasoned teacher like Rohr to coax readers to reframe them in a larger perspective. The key themes include; 1) Christ is not Jesus' last name. 2) Accept being fully accepted. 3) See Christ in every thing. 4) Original goodness. 5) Love is the meaning. 6) A sacred wholeness.Rohr's style of teaching is very loving and gentle, yet transformative. He often poses thoughtful questions rather than making dogmatic or inflammatory statements. He is careful to explain this "forgotten reality" using abundant Scriptural references, starting with a reevaluation of Genesis 1, which reveals "original goodness" inherent in all of God's creation (including mankind) prior to "original sin" in Genesis 3. Thanks Richard!!
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- Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2019
- Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2019
Question: What percentage of the 2.3 billion Christians alive worldwide - both Catholic and Protestant - would you guess have been taught that they are presently living in a "sin-soaked" world in need of salvation to avoid eternal damnation? My guess: about 99%.
Amazingly simple, yet profound clarification of who we are in Christ
Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2019
But imagine taking a fresh look at both Scripture and history - and suddenly rediscovering the truth that every single human being on earth is living in a "Christ-soaked" world, and thanks to Christ Jesus' life, death and resurrection, hell has forever been destroyed!
How's that for Good News? It's the ultimate spiritual game-changer! But, does it sound too good to be true?
Richard Rohr's newest book THE UNIVERSAL CHRIST reveals a profoundly new, yet very historic understanding of how it is possible that every human being is 'in Christ' - a reality that could change our perception of the world and everything in it.
Rohr brings a sorely needed healing balm to a hurting world by celebrating the things the entire human race has in common. In doing so Richard lifts the reader's spirit above petty doctrinal issues. He offers readers an invitation to join him on a journey of fresh Scriptural understanding based on a half-century of Franciscan teaching, ministry and personal spiritual experience.
There's something very poetic about the release of THE UNIVERSAL CHRIST on 'Fat Tuesday' (March 5, 2019) a day which marks the beginning of Lent season - usually full of feasting and celebration - prior to a time of reflection upon the humility, suffering and death of Jesus leading up to the earth-shaking resurrection of Christ.
"Incarnation is the oldest Christian story. Through Christ, God is pouring God's self into all creation. To be Christian, then, is to see Christ in every thing," writes Rohr on his book's jam-packed resource collection page which is full of quotes, videos and book endorsements.
THE UNIVERSAL CHRIST puts forth six major themes which all originate in Scripture, yet for many (including myself) these truths lay hidden in plain sight and require a seasoned teacher like Rohr to coax readers to reframe them in a larger perspective. The key themes include; 1) Christ is not Jesus' last name. 2) Accept being fully accepted. 3) See Christ in every thing. 4) Original goodness. 5) Love is the meaning. 6) A sacred wholeness.
Rohr's style of teaching is very loving and gentle, yet transformative. He often poses thoughtful questions rather than making dogmatic or inflammatory statements. He is careful to explain this "forgotten reality" using abundant Scriptural references, starting with a reevaluation of Genesis 1, which reveals "original goodness" inherent in all of God's creation (including mankind) prior to "original sin" in Genesis 3. Thanks Richard!!
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- Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2024
