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Title: Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality Presented in Four Paths, Twenty-Six Themees, and Two Questions by Matthew Fox ISBN: 1-58542-067-0 Publisher: Putnam Pub Group (Paper) Pub. Date: 07 September, 2000 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.57 (7 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A revolutionary rediscovery of Christianity
Comment: It's been a long time since I first read this book--almost twenty years--and I'd forgotten just how brilliant it is until I recently returned to it. If anything, my admiration for it this second time around has increased. I honestly think the book is one of the most original theological reflections to come out of the twentieth century.
Like all works of genius, the thesis is simple and elegant. Fox's central claim is that Christianity in the west (not so much in the orthodox east) has focused upon the nonscriptural notion of original sin at the expense of scripture's exuberant message of joyful original blessing. Original sin, which appears to be the fifth-century contribution of Augustine, generates a worldview centering around a primordial fall salvaged by a bloody sacrifice (Christ's). From this way of approaching reality, humans are depraved, the world is fallen, and experiences such as beauty or the erotic are immediately suspect as temptations. The original blessing model, which Fox claims can be traced back to the Genesis account of God's creation of a "good" universe, argues instead for a panentheism that sees God--and God's goodness, light, beauty, and love--in (but not exhausted by) the created order, thereby opening up the possibility that humans are good because made in God's image, and that the world and all of God's gifts should be celebrated rather than condemned.
Put slightly differently: the original sin model sees fallenness as the norm and goodness (which, given our depraved nature, is possibly only by grace, which in turn becomes a kind of magic bullet) the exception. The original blessing model sees goodness and continuous grace as the norms, and fallenness as the exception.
Fox isn't naive. He recognizes that sin exists, and that it does great damage in the world. But he sees the cause of sin in dualism--the artificial splintering or fragmentation of God's reality into opposing and hence warring dyads--heaven and earth, eros and agape, man and woman, us and them, human and nature. This fragmentation not only violates the wholeness (and holiness) of creation, but sets in motion psychological and social currents that lead to violence.
How different both Christianity and the world would be today had our foremothers and fathers counted their original blessings instead of morbidly fixating on original sin! Hopefully, the Church is becoming more aware of its forgotten identity. Please, read this book and discover a new and liberating way to live and think your faith.
Rating: 5
Summary: Blessings of creation
Comment: 'Just to be is a blessing.
Just to live is holy.'
-- Abraham Heschel
I first discovered the book 'Original Blessing' by Matthew Fox about a dozen years ago; originally published in 1983, it has become a widely read and used spiritual guide for many. My first experience of this book (and I do consider it a genuine experience) coincided with my first trip to St. Gregory's Abbey, a benedictine monastery with which I've maintained a connexion over the years. This book was a wonderful accompaniment for that spiritual retreat, and has remained a favourite book to be packed for reference and review each time I go on another.
Fox has organised the book into four broad sections, or paths:
Path I: Befriending Creation--the Via Positiva
This path explores creation, activity, beauty and justice, panentheism (the idea of God in everything), a sense of realised eschatology (something akin to the saying that 'the kingdom of God is in you'), incarnation and personal freedom and worthiness.
Path II: Befriending Darkness, Letting Go and Letting Be--the Via Negativa
This path explores those things which sometimes get in the way, such as pain, emptiness, silence, negative things--however, new perspective is sought (for example, it is into the silence that God often speaks; without silence, the voice is not heard). This is perhaps the most beautiful part of the book for me at times, as it helps in times of trouble -- as Meister Eckhart states, 'Remember this: All suffering comes to an end. And whatever you suffer authentically, God has suffered from it first.'
Path III: Befriending Creativity, Befriending our Divinity--the Via Creativa
This path is perhaps the most fun part of the book, as it engages the creative flow of art, music, conversation and writing. It explores how our lives as works of art bring beauty back into the world, and how creativity is a form of birthing that which was not here before. In a unique perspective, Fox uses an analogy of creativity as being co-creators of the cosmos with God.
Path IV: Befriending New Creation--Compassion, Celebration, Erotic Justice, the Via Transformativa
This path shows the way of the future as a time that can be present, images of God in motion in the world and at work in people everywhere, and explores issues of process and liberation theologies which look for justice and loving community.
Fox attributes the Via Positiva as being part of a theology of creation and incarnation, the Via Negativa as being part of a theology of the cross, the Via Creativa as part of a theology of resurrection, and the Via Transformativa as a theology of the Holy Spirit.
Perhaps the one great theme that permeates all writing is that of life as a blessing. This is the original blessing, from which all other blessings derive. Fox calls on people to live prophetic lives, calling upon the works of historians, artists, writers, prophets, and others through the ages. These people have conversations with each other on the pages of this book, and a truly remarkable spirit comes to life through this book.
Rating: 2
Summary: A stew with mixed results
Comment: This defrocked Catholic priest Fox's work that started it all.
It starts out dealing with the Augustinian guilt complex that influenced the teachings of the Catholic Church and most Protestant denominations afterward. And how it turned Christianity into a religion of guilt and fear among other things. His assumption is correct in that most Churches would collaspe without the twin pillars of guilt and fear supporting them. Modern day churches have reduced Jesus to a afterlife fire insurance salesman and malignant thug to the unbelievers. How God became a burden to man not a joy and repsite under Augustine's theology.
Now St. Augustine's(Too bad the Catholics went with him instead of St. Maximos the Confessor - there would have been no guilt culture) manichean pessimism is fair game. Had Fox stayed with this as his main topic he'd been alright. I mean look at the popularity of that ugly "Left Behind series" that rejoices in people suffering. Fox could have had a field day dealing anti-life, nature desecration theology and general social deviancy of many protestant denominations.
Instead he uses this as a launching point for his new religion called creation spirituality which is loosely based on the Christian mysticism of Master Eckhart and many new age concepts plus a dose of political correctness. Essentially it's a movement based on a syncretic mysticism - with no real experiential basis in fact.
Does it work - doubtful. It won't outlive Fox. As a student of Eckhart he ought to remember what happened to Eckharts contemporaries like the Brethern of the Free Spirit or Suso. Mysticism without a rigourous and moral outerlife usually ends badly. There are legit reasons why the Church frowned upon it.
Though I am no fan of Fox I cannot give Fox only one star. He's seems sincere but a bad theologian and is no mystic. But compared with much of the baneful teachings and pap put out by most Christian sects it is at least positive and does not threaten you with the "bad place" as Twain would put it, nor slap you around with guilt. So use it as launching point and remeber St. John of the ladder's saying.
"Do not be surprised that you fall every day; do not give up, but stand your ground courageously.
And assuredly, the angel who guards you will honour your patience. --St John Klimakos "
After reading this examine Underhill's Mysticism and Fruits of the Spirit. Read E.F. Schumachers "Guide for the Perplexed."
Charles Tart "living the Mindful life" most of Tart's work is good for an experiential base, Anthony bloom "Beginning to Pray" - traditional but very good. Hossein Nasr's "Man and Nature" - what went wrong with Xtanity and it's relationship with nature. In fact the first book on Christianity and ecology!
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Title: Creation Spirituality : Liberating Gifts for the Peoples of the Earth by Matthew Fox ISBN: 0060629177 Publisher: Harper SanFrancisco Pub. Date: 29 March, 1991 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: Coming of the Cosmic Christ, The by Matthew Fox ISBN: 0060629150 Publisher: Harper SanFrancisco Pub. Date: 23 November, 1988 List Price(USD): $17.00 |
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Title: Creativity: Where the Divine and the Human Meet by Matthew Fox ISBN: 1585421782 Publisher: J. P. Tarcher Pub. Date: 26 September, 2002 List Price(USD): $21.95 |
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Title: Meditations With Meister Eckhart by Matthew Fox, Janet Hurlow ISBN: 0939680041 Publisher: Bear & Co Pub. Date: June, 1982 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
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Title: One River, Many Wells: Wisdom Springing from Global Faiths by Matthew Fox ISBN: 1585420476 Publisher: J. P. Tarcher Pub. Date: 07 September, 2000 List Price(USD): $29.95 |
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