Creation Spirituality: Liberating Gifts for the Peoples of the Earth

Creation Spirituality, now who would have ever thought that Christianity would actually be concerned with environmental issues, with native populations, with sustaining culture and the humanities? Who would have ever thought that Christianity would be a religion that encourages people to continually think outside the FOX and be very creative, using their God given talents? Not me until just here recently, when I started reading this book and another from the same author,  Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality Presented in Four Paths, Twenty-Six Themes, and Two Questions ! A mentor of mine suggested I read these two books. Though these books do not lay claim on Celtic Spirituality, there can be no doubt that it is so close to how those ancient Gaelic monks thought, taught and prayed.I cannot recommend these two books highly enough! Let's look at the starting premise shall we? Before there was sin in the garden, there was the original blessing on all of creation. G-d looked at His creation and said that "it is VERY GOOD!" Later, we read G-d blessing all of Creation. This happened before there was even a thought of a curse. This is where it all began. Why not start from here? Once we can get back to our roots, our heritage (for this is our true heritage, not the curse, but the blessing) we can see where we need to be, where we went wrong and how to correct the circumstances. Anything that doesn't start here will make us fail in our endeavors. It all starts here, in a beautiful canvas called the Garden of Eden. Our original purpose? To become caretakers of the garden and spread paradise all over the planet. Looking back, we can see how we have miserably failed, but not all is lost!When there is tension, there is growth, for growth is change and change causes tension. We can look back and learn. We progress. We see each other for who we really are, children of G-d, a part of Creation, which is all around us. What we need these days are our sons and daughters to become visionaries. This is their heritage along with ours. We need to embrace each other and see that all of us are created in the image of the Divine.Ultimately, you and I are gifts from G-d to Earth and all her inhabitants. Let us be moved in spirit and become inspired once again! Let's reclaim who we truly are and come to appreciate the beauty and love all around us! Let's no longer play the role of victim and the butt of a cosmic joke. Let us celebrate the mystery of Life and Being! Let us see beyond the veil of tears and become the solution, the original, no longer separated from our ancient past, but RESTORED!This is the journey Dr. Matthew Fox invites us to take with him. Let us all remember!Amhas Jackie L Douglas +Fayetteville, AR

I recommend reading this instead of "Original Blessing", if you want a clear explanation not only of the main elements of the paths of Creation Spirituality but also of its significance and implications, especially for "First World" peoples. It's short and easy to read. IF you enjoy carefully built arguments and analysis of doctrinal details, as well as historical Christian roots for Creation Spirituality, then also read "Original Blessing" --it's excellent AND it's a tome. It would be easier if you already are quite familiar with Christian doctrine.

I thought that a monk (doesn’t matter if he’s been expelled, especially by a rogue pope) would write something spiritually uplifting, in the same tradition as Thomas Merton, Bede Griffiths, John Main, Laurence Freeman, Richard Rohr, etc. This reads like some cheap New Age stuff. Even books by laypeople like Joanna Mach, Mirabai Starr are better.

God is love and God is life and the life force we see in all creation. Matthew Fox's vision is so helpful to the current dichotomy between "religion" and science. I loved the opening prayer. And can we not celebrate the commonality of all creatures who seek to worship and become one with a creator?Science helps us to develop the awe of creation. I love that he refers to another of my favorite books, Lives of a Cell by Lewis Thomas.

Great book making superb case for mystical spiritual world view.

Great quality book as described, but shipping was slow. Not necessarily retailers fault.

I really wanted a spirituality book that was more closely linked to the Bible. This did not happen. I was disappointed.

Matthew Fox (born 1940) is a theologian and bestselling advocate of "Creation Spirituality." He became a Catholic priest of the Dominican order, but was removed in 1992, and has subsequently become an Episcopalian priest.He wrote in the Preface to this 1991 book, "For some time now people have been asking me for an essay that would both outline the basics of creation spirituality for beginners and challenge seasoned practitioners. During my recent sabbatical, I put some effort into such an essay, and the result is this short book. While on sabbatical I traveled ... and if I was awakened to anything during those trips, it is this: The issues that creation spirituality addresses have worldwide significance."He suggests that after the Galileo affair in 1616, science and religion parted ways. "Today, however, science is once again interested in the sacred, and creation spirituality provides a bridge between the two." (Pg. 15) He endorses panentheism ("God is in all things and all things are in God"), which reminds us that "we are all beautiful, all interdependent, all necessary in a single web of life." (Pg. 104-105)He suggests that "spirituality is praxis... Thinking about God is no substitute for tasting God, and talking about God is no substitute for giving people ways of experiencing God." (Pg. 74)He summarizes, "creation spirituality can be understood as a liberation theology for 'First World' peoples... the movement to liberate the overdeveloped peoples of the northern hemisphere indeed parallels liberation theology in the south. The north... remains severely underdeveloped in our imagination and spirits and indignation. We need to get on with the task of liberating ourselves." (Pg. 87)This book is nevertheless a very accessible introduction to Fox's thinking.

His previous edition had large photos of the Illuminations while this book is smaller - though the photos are of better quality and colour.