I really, really want Richard Rohr to be right in the end about much of his theology. I would prove suspicious of those who wouldn’t.

But I don’t know whether I can go there or not.

Richard Rohr is quite famous as a contemplative mystic. He has had much to do with the resurgence of the contemplative prayer movement and his affirmation of the Enneagram has meant much for its advancement.

In The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope For, and Believe (galley received as part of early review program, but full book read), Rohr sets out his perspective on life and faith in terms of God as having revealed Himself in Christ.

At no point does Rohr explicitly contradict orthodox Trinitarianism, but he encourages envisioning a contrast between Jesus the person and Christ as the Reality of God manifest all around the universe.

In Christ God becomes part of the creation and endures it; in Christ God is risen from the dead, and the hope of life can endure.

Through this lens the author explores the story of Jesus and the work of God in His creation. It will seem very baffling and uncomfortable for those very much wedded to the text of the Scriptures in concrete, fixed ways. At the same time, it proves challenging to say the author has completely abandoned the witness of God in Christ.

He does advocate for a form of panentheism and very much has universalist sympathies; there are good reasons to be skeptical of these positions, but I’ve always been sympathetic to universalism. I’d like for it to be true. I would like to see ultimate redemption for everyone and all things in the end so that God can be “all in all.”

But what I might want, and what might make for a good theological story, is not necessarily exactly how things will work out, or truly well reflects what God has made known in Christ according to the witness of Scripture.

The author’s goal is for everyone to focus more on how they might experience something of God in Christ in the creation around them and in people made in His image. It’s a laudable goal. And the whole work is worth reading and considering even if you, like me, cannot “go there” in all or even many respects of what he has to say. His perspective is worth considering to broaden your horizons and imaginary about what God is accomplishing in Christ. ( )

Drawing on scripture, history, and spiritual practice, Rohr articulates a transformative view of Jesus Christ as a portrait of God’s constant, unfolding work in the world. “God loves things by becoming them,” he writes, and Jesus’s life was meant to declare that humanity has never been separate from God—except by its own negative choice. When we recover this fundamental truth, faith becomes less about proving Jesus was God, and more about learning to recognize the Creator’s presence all around us, and in everyone we meet. - from book jacket

Richard's voice companioned me through the spring and summer. A few pages each morning gave me plenty to think about — the process often rearranging my ideas and nudging by beliefs in unexpected ways.

The chapter challenging and examining the long-time notion of necessary violence is worth the price of the book.

I'm still getting my head around a number of concepts, but even when I don't fully understand the perspective offered, I feel invited to sit with it and give it space for consideration. Ample hope for my heart as well as a workout for my mind.

I'll be re-reading this book, I'm sure. ( )

Excellent, thought-provoking and ultimately very encouraging. Rohr reminds us that 'Christ' is not Jesus' surname, but was involved in creation from the beginning - and, as such, is, in a sense, in all we see around us; not just people but animals, plants, nature in general.

I find Rohr's writing probing, yet ultimately he seems very sound. He's a deep thinker with a great deal of experience in counselling and understanding people, and if the writing is a bit heavy in places, it gave me a lot to ponder.

Recommended for anyone who is interested in Christian things or spirituality in general.

Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2022/06/the-universal-christ-by-richard-roh... ( )

When Christians claim that Jesus of Nazareth was also God, what do we mean? In The Universal Christ, Richard Rohr looks to answer that question, looking at scripture, tradition and experience to reveal the implications of that claim.

I listened to the audiobook twice, back to back, and I will likely read it again. It was and is an important book for my faith, and I hope to not only write a better review of the book, but explore some of the ideas more fully elsewhere.

I am saddened to hear Rohr has received more death threats than ever before with this book, which I have to say just made me want to read it more.

As an overview, Rohr soars among the clouds, looking mostly at the big picture of life and faith and scripture, which means he sometimes makes some big generalizations. He also separates Jesus and Christ in a way that still didn't quite sit right with me. Those were my two gripes, but there was much to chew on and appreciate. And -- any book written late in life by someone like Rohr (who overflows with love and joy for all!) is worth a read. ( )