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Title: Lost Christianity: A Journey of Rediscovery to the Center of Christian Experience (Element Classic) by Jacob Needleman ISBN: 1-85230-132-5 Publisher: Element Books Pub. Date: 01 September, 1993 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 5 (4 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: The Start of Every Search
Comment: This book along with Putting on the Mind of Christ (Marion) and the Magus of Strovolos (Markides) is a thorough beginning in esoteric Christianity. If by reading any one of these books you are not moved with an intesne longing and ache for true religion, then you have already found your truth. If not, plunge your life into the way and find yourself.
Rating: 5
Summary: Fascinating, thoughtful
Comment: His main premise is that Christianity has lost any real means of spiritualy transforming people. That the methods that teach us the "how to" have been lost or replaced with emotional indulgance pretending to be spirituality. As Needleman says "all real religions produce results." The inability for mainstream Chrisitian chruches to do that and even keep members is a sobering reminder that something has gone wrong within western Christianity.
So professor Needleman turns to the more intact Eastern Orthodox Church and does this by using several contemporary Christian thinkers and some of the Orthodox Saints like St. Symeon the New Theologian and St. Gregory Palamas, Thomas Merton, Metropolitan Anthony Bloom, Gurdjieff, and Father Sylvan (it is debateble if Father Sylvan was real, but if he was, I sure hope Prof. Needleman publishes this man's manuscript, hint hint). To illustrate modern Christianity's plight.
Though I have a problem with his inclusion of Gurdjieff. Gurdjieff teachings were not necessarily Christian per se. Gurdjieff advocated the path of the householder not the monk nor the priest. Christianity has no path for the householder who wishes to pursue theosis.
He's right in my opinion, if you examine the Philokalia, though comments from St. Maximus the Confessor, or St. Symeon the New Theologian supports Needleman's assertion that methods once existed for transformation. Though not couched in our modern day verbage, but it's there if you can see. BTW Needlman illustrates this via St. Symeon's understanding on how to fulfill the Sermon on the Mount show just how far away we are from being Christians.
But as Needleman implies it is not a continuous or living tradition like Sufism or Buddhism where the teachings can be passed on from teacher to student. Instead it is lost and sometimes someone is able to reconstitute "lost Christianity" though it dies again with the teacher. This is still the crux of the matter.
He does'nt offer a solution to this though. He essentially puts the onus on the seeker.
This is no "new age" tract by any means nor a how-to book. It is more along the lines of a question and search. Prof. Needleman does a fine job footnoting, and referencing writings for his argument. Not to mention being a fine writer to boot. But this book is a slow read because he covers concepts that quite unfamiliar to most. If you want easy to read get Chopra.
I'd recommend this book to any Christian who's curious as to what happened to spiritual component in Christianity. He does not try to steer you to another religion as some suggested. But to re-examine it in a new light.
Sadly like so many books of this kind it is out of print and instead we get Chorpa, Redfield and the Prayer of Jabez (sigh).
I'd also recommend
Man and Nature by Hossein Nasr for overview of what's happened to the west and modern Christianity.
Waking Up by transpersonal psychologist Charles Tart on the pychology and mechanics of human perception, understanding, and waking up.
Rating: 5
Summary: A VERY GREAT BOOK - IN FACT A MASTERPIECE!
Comment: Prof. Needleman clearly outdid himself in this highly detailed account of the search for meaning and mystical experience in Christianity. Definitly a modern spiritual classic which is written with honesty and respect for the reader. A must read for anyone interested in spirituality!
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Title: The American Soul: Rediscovering the Wisdom of the Founders by Jacob Needleman ISBN: 1585422266 Publisher: Jeremy P. Tarcher Pub. Date: 29 May, 2003 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: Money and the Meaning of Life by Jacob Needleman ISBN: 0385262426 Publisher: Doubleday Books Pub. Date: 01 October, 1994 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
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