IT'S Time by Michael Morwood

This book,IT\'S TIME, is meant to put forth ideas which are Challenges to the Doctrine of the Faith.

        As an adult faith educator, Michael Morwood brings many years\'experience to bear on the crisis of faith confronting Christianity in general and Roman Catholicism in particular. His proposal is radical; discard doctrine shaped in the imagination of a heavenly deity who denied access to himself, replace it with a twenty-first century understanding of the Divine Presence premeating the universe,,and focus on Jesus as the human expression  of that Presence.

       IT\'S TIME challenges the outmodeled notion of God in scripture and Paul\'s transformation of Jesus into a cosmic figure, \"the Christ\",who gained access to the heavenly realms.

        Morwood maintains that doctrine  is used as a controlling mechanism to safeguard institutional claims of unique access  to a heavenly God,and the authority to speak on behalf of that God on important issues. This insistence that doctrine is certain, unchangeable knowledge doess not stand up to reasonable, open,scholarly examination.

        I know that many people will find the content of this book very challenging and may become fearful and back away, others who are clinging to the past will likely try to refute or deny some of it, however for those who come seeking, with acurious and opoen mind may find here a new way of looking at Jesus, the Good News, and find a credible way to follow Jesus in the tweny first century.

I highly recommend this to those who are seeking for a way to shape a faith and way of lofe that gives meaning and purpose to life and to participation in Church life.

 

Mystics Matter by Frederick Bauerschmidt

The author brings to light the writings of several mystice:Thomas Merton, Theresa Of Lissssieux Hildegard of Bingen, Julian of Norwich, Meister Echhart, Ignatious Of Loyola, and Catherine of Siena. Althouhg the autjhor references serveral mystics it is not a larg book howeveer he does  bring forward in a very simple and readable style the spirituality of each mystic.

If you have ever wondered about the mystical writers, but found their writing too difficult, then Why the Mystics Matter Now is for you.

This inviting guidebook for contemporary readers serves as a primer to a body of wisdom that is often viewed  as to difficult to understand, but, is still revelant to the problems we face today.

With an unconvential, engaging, and oftenplayful style, Bauerschmidt stips away the barriers. making them ystics less intimidating and more accessible.

Teilhard\'s Mass on the world by Thomas M. King, SJ

Pierre teilhard de Chardin once wrote \"I thank you, my God, in that you have made me a priest.........\"The Priest. Teilhard writing in July 1918.

 

\"The mass of the world\" is a lengthy prayer written by the great theologian Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. Rich with imagery and passion and suggesting more than it states, it remains Teilhard\'s most popular essay. In Teilhard\'s Mass, Thomas King explores the heart and mind of the man as no other approach has done.
    Furthermore,Teilhard\'s Mess shows how a Christian can transform one\'s life and death into an all embracing Mass on the Altar of the World. The recent encyclical on the Eucharist speaks of every Mess having \"a cosmic dimension\". This will enables those interested in the liturgy to understand the claim.

 

A quote from \"The Priest\".    As far as my strength will allow me, because I am a priest, I would henceforth be the first to become aware about what the world loves, pursues, suffers. I would be the first to seek, to sympathize, to toil, the first in self-fulfillment, the first in self denial----I would be more widely human in my sympathies and more terrestrial in my ambitions than any of the world\'s servants....
   this is why I have taken on my vows and my priesthood (and it is this that gives me strength and my happiness) in a determination to accept and divinize the powers of the earth....
  

father Leo.... I have read many of de Chardin\'s works. As a matter of fact his writings have made a great impact on my life especially coming to appreciate the everywhere God, the God embodied in all of creation, and to understand the word he used \"panentheism\" as a way of speaking about God\'s indwelling presence in the human heart, and all live forms, and in the universe. I am deeply grateful for the manner in which my mind and heart has been transformed by his works.

Wisdom of the Celtic Saints by Edward C Sellner

Wisdom of the Celtic saints is a straightforward description of Celtic spirituality that has ever been my pleasure to read. The stories are delightful and Sellners introduction is an elegant little masterpiece.
Andrew Greeley

 

Wisdom of the Celtic Saints should be required reading for  Celts and nonCelts alike! Using all the scholarly tools at his command, Sellner now makes the richness of this tradition available with wit and grace.
Brother Patrick Hart

 

Sellner awakens us to the strength and wisdom of the men and women who lead the Celtic Church and founded it\'s monastic colleges. I am delighted to find here that their supportive spiritual guidance can penetrate the veil of time and space.
Shirley Toulson

 

Edward Sellner writes, \"listen with your hearts to the stories and sayings of the Celtic Saints. Allow them to become spiritual mentors again, teaching contemporary Christians about soul friendship and about ancient spiritual heritage\".

Introducing Meister Eckhart..... Mystic

Meister Eckhart was a German Dominican born around 1260. It is time, he was famous as a theologian and a mystic. Then, for centuries, he was largely forgotten. Now he is a spiritual teacher who is appreciated by Christians, Buddhists, and other believers, by scholars and people who just wish to draw nearer to God, or discover the God who is already at the center of their lives. Eckhart is a figure of the Middle Ages who can be difficult to understand and yet his images are often so starkly at the reach across the centuries and grab our heart and minds. Here in this book, is a short introduction to Eckhart,s thoughts that helps us to find our way to its vital center.

 

Author: Michael Demkovich OP

Speaking Christian by Marcus Borg

Marcus Borg is Canon theologian at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, Oregon. Borg is the author of many books including the best-selling ,the Heart of Christianity, Meeting Jesus again for the first time, putting away childish things. He was an active member of the Jesus seminar when it focused on the historical Jesus, and he has been chair of the historical Jesus section of the Society of Biblical literature.

The book, Speaking Christian, represents New Testament scholar Marcus Borg's attempt at cultural linguistic theology. Borg writes that in America,"for many, an increasing number, Christianity has become an unfamiliar language."Even for those who speak Christian fluently, they often misunderstood much of the language. In Speaking Christian, Borg provides a primer to help correct misunderstandings and help those unfamiliar with Christian language to become fluent.

Borg critiques two understandings of Christian language and seeks to correct them. First, he takes the "heaven and hell framework," which boils Christian language down to issues concerning "the afterlife, and forgiveness, Jesus died for our sins and believing" Borg Borg writes that this heaven and hell framework has become a stumbling block for many in the modern world. Instead of replacing the language of Christian faith, Borg seeks to redeem it, helping people understand "their Bibical and traditional meanings."

Secondly, Borg critiques a literal understanding of language. He also critiques those who insist upon an inerent infallible Bible, but also those who hold to a soft literalism. The writer calls for a historical/metaphorical approach to the Bible..The writers of the Bible use multiple metaphors to discuss salvation, and to a liberation from economic, political, and religious bondage, returning from exile, rescue, and healing. The writers also discusses salvation not only in individual terms, but also in political/communal terms.

Borg writes that taking the Bible literally often leads to fundamentalism and rigidity in matters of religion. He writes that much of the Scripture is not factual but rather metaphorical and is to open it up to a more and deeper and richer meaning of the Scripture. For some time now much of the Scripture has been taken literally and as factual in order to make it fit into the heaven and hell Christianity. However, as more and more people question and doubt the heaven and hell Christianity, this book offers a wonderful new way to understand religious language like Savior, salvation, redemption, liberation, sin, Jesus and atonement, and many other religious terms and words. He gives the original meaning of these words which opens up our minds and hearts to a whole new understanding of religious language.

Borg teaches us how to read, hear, and reflect on Christian language without preconceived ideas getting in the way. In Speaking Christian, Borg redeems the language of Christianity by restoring its power to enlighten us and transform the world.

I highly recommend this book to people who rely on Scripture and commonly used Christian words in order to gain new insight for living out biblical faith.

Eternal Life: a New Vision by John Shelby Spong

Over the centuries people have frequently asked question, after this life what is there? Is there life after life? Do we have any reason to hold to life eternal? Again, many answers have been given to this particular question. There's some who say that death is the end of all, that there is no life after life. However, Spong in his book eternal life a new vision gives us reason to hope and believe that there is indeed life after life, there is such a thing as eternal life. In this book the author does not hold many other authors in order to make a point. Rather he talks about his own evolution over many years of his life which included study, Ministry, and all the experiences which he is head which has led him to believe and to hold that there is life after life. Some of this material may be rather shocking to some readers especially when he writes about his ideas about God and religion. I particularly liked the notion that we live in God and we die in God. It reminds me of the Scripture which says; ”in God we did it and move and have our being.”

If you are wondering about the possibility or the reality of life after life, which he called eternal life, then I think this is a great book for you to read. For me, it has confirmed what I've held for a long time that since I am. an energy field, and since energy cannot be destroyed but only transform, that death I will be transformed into some other way of being. The content of this book reinforces what I've held for myself for many many years. If you're questioning if there's life after life than I would highly recommend this book to you.

Jesus Today. A spirituality of radical freedom.

Jesus TodayA spirituality of radical freedom.

By: Albert Nolan

Albert Nolan  a Dominican priest from South Africa, played a significant role in the church struggle against apartheid. His first book, “Jesus before Christianity,” has sold 150,000 copies.

In this book “Jesus Today” the author is not looking so much at the historical Jesus, nor the message of Jesus, or rather the spirituality of Jesus. His theme seems to be that it was Jesus spirituality that gave him a radical freedom to stand against and teaching and the forces that oppressed the people of his time. Jesus was first and foremost a contemplative. His busy public life seems to have started about the age of 30 and perhaps lasting for about three years. The time before this is referred to as he hidden life.This means we really don't know where and how Jesus lived those years. However the author feels that those years were filled with prayer, contemplation, and agonizing discernment. How else would he be able to act with such clarity and competence during a short public life? He was fully human and therefore he had grow and develop over time like any other human being. As Luke puts it,” Jesus grew in wisdom and stature.” Luke 2:52

Chapter 13 is a very challenging chapter. The title is “One with God.” The author states that Jesus took God seriously and he challenges people to do that today. Then he goes on  to write that believers today have to outgrow their images of God and enter into the great mystery known as “God” The spirituality of Jesus led him into ever deeper connection to the Divine Mystery and the same thing holds true for believers today. He quotes St. Thomas Aquinas who wrote  that “we do not know what God is, we only don't know what God is not.” However, the author goes on to delve into the mystery of God and how we in turn, like Jesus, may enter into an ever deeper oneness with the Divine Mystery.

Down through the centuries it would seem that Jesus has been domesticated and to a great extent his real message has not been adequately proclaimed or known. However, Jesus spirituality set him free to be true to himself, to be true to his understanding of God, and to the people of his time. The same thing holds true for us today. When we include spiritual practices in our life we to enter ever more deeply into the mystery of God and come to experience radical freedom. This radical freedom enables people to act without fear in living in proclaiming the message of Jesus.

Some readers may find some content of this book very challenging and in fact hard for comprehend. Yet, I found it to be a very enlightening read especially the chapter on Oneness with God. For those who are in touch with their own longing for spirituality this book would be excellent read.

The Dream of the Earth by Thomas Berry

The Dream of the Earth by Thomas Berry

Thomas Berry has for many years been a writer and a spokesperson for the dream of the Earth. One of the most important points that Berry makes is that all of creation is an Earth community. All other communities fit into this one big Earth Community. For a long time cosmology saw creation as a three-tier universe, flat earth, heaven above, and the underworld. This view creation as a three-tier universe, religions shaped themselves to make sense out of creation and humankind's place in creation. With the notion of the Earth Community then the priority of relationships becomes self-evident. The Earth is a vibrant living organism and in fact gives birth to all other life forms so that all are interconnected and in a related. All is one.

About 10,000 years ago humankind came to see the Earth as a commodity. A commodity that could be bought and sold and very often, as even in our day, a place for war and violence. The new cosmology makes it very clear at the Earth is not a commodity of living dynamic reality. And it is within the Earth Community people are to discover the presence of the Divine Mystery.

Given the amount of pollution of soil, water and air, the author sets an agenda for the ecological age.
First, human technologies should function in an integral relationship with Earth technologies, not a despotic disturbing matter or under the metaphor of conquest.

Second, we must be clear concerning the order of magnitude of the changes that are needed. Probably the biggest change is people to change their mind and come to realize that all of creation is a living organism. all is sacred.

Third, sustainable progress must be progress for the entire Earth community. Not just for humans.

Fourth, our technologies need to be integral. They need to take care of their waste products in order to avoid polluting the earth, water and air.

Fifth, there is a need for a functional cosmology, a cosmology that will provide a mystique needed for this interval earth human presence.

Sixth, nature is violent as well as benign and our technologies have a defensive role to play.

Seventh, our new and healing technologies need to function within a bioregional context, not simply on a national and global scale.

These seven points for his agenda are well-developed in the book and certainly they giving us a greater understanding what it means to be fully human and to realize our place of this Earth community.

The secret message of Jesus: by Brian D. McLaren

The secret message of Jesus: by Brian D. McLaren
W. Publishing group

The author of this book writes about the many over-layers that ha happened to the basic message of Jesus. As a result, while we often speak about Jesus, there is a lack of clarity about the actual message and the vision that he shared with the people of his time. This lack of clarity of clarity can be attributed to the fact that there have been so many interpretations and theories about the message of Jesus. The author peels back all of those overlays and very clearly presents the message of Jesus. He also shows how that message is applicable today in the postmodern world. In the past theology has been defined as faith seeking understanding. But clarity gives a new understanding, which is faith seeking liberation. Thus we're able to see the one of the most important messages of Jesus was liberation, liberation from oppression, liberation from domination and manipulation, liberation from poverty and exaggerated attachment to wealth and power. He also shows that the basic message of Jesus was in many ways revolutionary in his day and can be in our day when we understand clearly the secret message of Jesus. Of course, when we read this book we find that the message of Jesus is no secret at all and as a matter of fact Jesus told his friends then, and his friends today, to proclaim his message to the whole world and by so doing bring liberation and freedom to all.

I found this a very refreshing book to read and moved me to re-read the Gospels again in order to clarify in my mind the real message of Jesus. I would recommend this book to anyone who is searching and seeking to have a better understanding of Jesus’ vision and his message

ANCESTRAL GRACE , Meeting God in Our Human Story, by Dairmuid O'Murchu publisher: Orbis Press

Book: ANCESTRAL GRACE , Meeting God in Our Human Story, by Dairmuid O'Murchu publisher: Orbis Press

If it is accurate that the human race, as a species, is seven million years old,what was God doing during that seven million years?

Ancestral Grace is definted as Divine creativity and the Divine creativity has been an ongoing evolutionary process for many years.The wonderful story of the human species , from our beginnings in Africa seven million years ago up to the present time and into the future mingles history, anthropogy, and spirituality to show that God has always been with us and has been active. The author has married science and religion in a way that makes a lot of sense and certainly broadens one's world view. Also, the author shows us that we are active participants is the evolutionary process, that we co-create with God. 

I found this book to be a very informative and inspiring read and highly recommend it.

The Shack by Wm Paul Young published by windblown Media ,Los Angeles, California

The Shack by Wm Paul Young published by windblown Media ,Los Angeles, California

The Shack is a novel. Having said that ,it is a powerful story of loss, healing, reconciliation and the lifting of the burden of guilt. In a sense the shack is a good example of the embodiment of God in all of creation including humans. In the face of tragedy there is asked the question why? The answer to that question is very, very interesting. I found this book to be a very good read and the content certanly spoke to me but the reality of the divine mystery .I recommend it to you.

Let Your Life Speak; subtitle, Listening to the Voice of Vocation

Book: Let Your Life Speak; subtitle, Listening to the Voice of Vocation

By: Parker J. Palmer

In this book Parker Palmer writes about his own struggle with identity and with the question of how he should be living his life. On the surface, he ha a very successful career however he does experience a deep depression. This depression becomes a blessing for him because he takes the time to listen to his inner voice and discover what it is he really and truly wants to do with his life. Referring to this depression he wrote; “once I understood that the problem was in here as well as out there the solution seemed clear”. By” inhere here” he meant that he was not really living out of his true self but rather his false self and the book describes how once he got in touch with his true self and the desires of his true self he found not only is true vocations but he also rediscovered the joy of living.

I suppose it's true to say that some people get caught up in a career that of itself may be very noble and very worthwhile and pay a good salary. But at the same time, there's a kind of an inner uneasiness, a questioning, wondering if this is all there is. The author of this book is able to tell us how important it is to stop, get off the treadmill, and be still ,be silent, and listen to the inner voice and  the inner will voice tell us what is our true vocation.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is seeking or searching for their true vocation.

From Sand to Solid Ground by Michael Morwood

Book: From Sand to Solid Ground by Michael Morwood

Subtitle: Questions of Faith for Modern Catholics

Michael is a well known writer and Catholic educator. He has written several books which shed a fresh light on the belief and practices of Catholics..He has lectured n Australia and in North America.

It is clear from this book that the author is an excellent listener. He has listened to Catholics and has responded clearly and straight forward to their questions. In fact, a reader may find some personal questions in this book and the answer may be of help to you.

He writes about the question of the God shift, a God shift from a male God in the sky to the everywhere God, all around us and dwelling within us. He confronts the notion of God as an interventionist, a God who sometimes answers prayers and sometimes doesn’t.

Michael writes about Martin Luther and the issues he brought forward, especially the sale of indulgences, and his excommunication and the beginning of the Lutheran religions. This was followed by the Council of Trent in the 16th century at which time the hierarchy attempted to reform the Church.

Michael writes to show how theology, doctrine, layer after layer has hidden the basic message of Jesus and there needs to be a rolling back of this doctrine in order to focus on the teachings of Jesus.

This book is a good read and will enable you to understand how we arrived at where we are today and some of the changes that need to be made to help Christians live a more authentic life.

Eternal Life: a New vision by John Shelby Spong

Book: Eternal Life: a New vision by John Shelby Spong

beyond religion, beyond theism, beyond heaven and hell

Down through the centuries people have often asked the question; is there life after life? When they die is that it? It seems that people have been searching for the answer to this question for centuries. Many world religions have come up with answers for this question. John Shelby Spong in this book, eternal life a new vision, gives his own answer to the question of life after life, or eternal life. The author is well qualified to write about this topic. He has done his research, his many years of pastoral ministry, his own lived experience, have all led him to write about the topic of eternal life. In this book, the author will write about some ideas that some people may find unsettling, and these ideas will certainly be challenging to people who carry a traditional belief system. However, I think it's well worth while to read the whole book with an open mind and then decide for oneself what you want to hold as your own personal belief system.

For myself, it was it was as a student of physics that I came to believe in life after life. We were studying energy, and I heard the teacher say, that energy can never be destroyed but only transform. I knew I was an energy field, and of energy can only be transformed, then a death I will be transformed into some new form which I cannot imagine in the here and now.

For those who are questing and searching for some food for thought around the topic of life eternal and I would highly recommend this book to you. You will find it challenging, informative, and perhaps it will help you to come to your own idea about your own death and the death of others.

Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life by Karen Armstrong

Book: Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life by Karen Armstrong

Karen Armstrong is a well known and well respected religious scholar who has written many books. She's a former Roman Catholic nun and has written often around the topic of religion and the unknowable nature of God. Christians are often told that Jesus was compassionate and taught His disciples to be compassionate. Yet, we know that in many instances friends of Jesus are not compassionate, and many others, courageously, struggle to be compassionate. This book, “12 Steps to a Compassionate Life “arises out of her 2009 Charter for Compassion in which she called on people around the world to follow the Golden Rule. Not only does the author write well about compassion but she also provides various exercises which enable people to live a more compassionate life. In the Gospel, we read that Jesus said not only to love as he loved but also to love your enemies. To live a compassionate life is truly challenging for anyone, and the content of this book, along with the various exercises, can't be very helpful enabling a person to become very mature and capable of living a compassionate life. I think we all agree that our world is in need of people who live a compassionate life.

Field of Compassion

Book review: Field of Compassion

How the New Cosmology Is Transforming Spiritual Life

by: Judy Canato

Judy Canato is a well respected author and facilitates retreats and also acts as spiritual director to many people. In this book she examines the connection between science, spirituality, practice of compassion. She does a masterful job of linking together the universe story, the traditional faith story, and the kingdom of God. For a long time science has not been very receptive to the faith story. Many of those who hold the faith story are suspicious of science. Canato shows how those three stories are not really in conflict or in opposition to each other but rather can be brought together in such a creative and beautiful way that they are truly inspiring. All this leads to a new consciousness which is able to see the unifying dimension of all of creation. She makes generous use of the theology of Karl Rainer and his take on salvation. Salvation is not seen as an individual and private enterprise with the intention of saving one's soul and going to heaven. Rather salvation is understood as being co-creative in the evolutionary process. Cannato wrote;” salvation is not about” me” or “we” but about the cosmos as a whole. The author brings to light the important role of meditation in order to help people experience a whole new consciousness with the ability to see all of creation as one, that all is sacred, and where there is unity and diversity.

I have found this book to be a rich and informative read. It is help me in my own efforts to bring together the universe story, the traditional faith story, and the kingdom of God. It is a very hopeful story which requires those who respond to do so with courage and intention. I highly recommend this book to you if you feel that you are a searcher or a seeker on a journey.