There is an awesome and unconquerable
will to life
that underlies all cosmic and planetary evolution.
But we must recognize
in the spirit of all great religious teachers
that every culture
is in a massive life-denying hypnotic trance –
that’s why Jesus and Buddha
constantly say “wake up!”
The trance is to think God is gone –
“We cannot attain the presence of God
because we are already in God’s presence.
What is needed is awareness not attainment.”
– Richard Rohr
“It is by being aware of and confessing
our own miserable state
and acknowledging your mercy towards us
that we open our hearts to you
so that you may free us wholly.
Then we shall no longer be wretched in ourselves
but find true happiness in you.”
– Augustine
Blessings surround our misery
if we have eyes to see and ears to hear.
The theology of blessing
and the theology of wisdom
are key themes for Israel
and basic to creation-centered spirituality.
But blessings and wisdom are impossible
if we deny the transcendence of God
and the finitude of human existence.
This is the essence of sin.
People with dualistic minds
cannot get to God’s unconditional love
through scripture
because they focus on the regressive texts
which reinforce violence and fear.
The only true measure of spirituality
is God’s own infinite compassion –
God does not love us because we are good –
God loves us because God is good.
We are made in the image and likeness of God
but although the image is intact
we have lost the likeness.
Carl Jung’s view: the future of Christianity
lies in the realization of Christ within each person
not making us into God
but rather helping us consciously encounter
the True Self within – the Christ within.
Some philosophies teach
the more you encounter your Higher Self
the less you worry about injustices of the world.
But Ken Wilber, Thomas Merton and others say
when you connect with your Higher Self
and therefore with God
you engage the world and all its miseries
as you follow the God of Compassion.
The Cosmic Christ is the Father/Creator
of all religions and all major religious figures –
Moses, Buddha, Mohammed
therefore the gospels symbolize
a more universal narrative of faith and meaning
than mere Christianity.
The Cosmic Christ is bigger than the Church
and tries to alleviate the miseries of all people
within the Church and beyond it
in so-called secular movements
of justice and human rights.
We need a bigger Jesus
than one bound by the Church
if God’s mercy is to heal all peoples’ miseries.
Intelligent Christian Spirituality 