The book list continues…
"Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life" by Richard Rohr
A pastor who was counseling me seven years ago recommended that I read this book by a Franciscan theologian, so I did— and didn't understand a word of it. I was baffled by the theology (what do you MEAN you don't believe in the substitutionary atonement theory of the cross?!), offended by Rohr's criticisms of how the church handles spirituality, and generally befuddled by the entire thesis of the book, which is that spiritual development generally happens in two halves: the first half constructing and defining your ego-self, and the second half learning to let the ego go in order to unearth the True Self underneath.
It all sounded very woo-woo to me, not to mention heretical. Plus, this was when I was trying to figure out tangible answers to some very practical problems in my life, and the last thing I needed was some weird spiritualizing heretic to write about how you cannot force yourself through the Necessary Suffering that leads you to the beginning of the Second Half of your journey toward discovering the True Self. And so I pretty much dismissed the book and moved on with my life.
Fast-forward to earlier this year, when I was going to an actual certified counselor who has given me tons of practical tools for dealing with my problems and learning to be emotionally healthier. But while that was going on, I found myself drawn back to this book— because suddenly it began to feel a whole lot more relevant.
Sure enough, it is. It was a huge comfort to me on my present spiritual journey as I grapple with what my faith means to me in a world where my faith has caused and continues to cause untold suffering. I listened to an interview with Rohr where he talked about being "on the inside of the edge" of a movement, arguing that this is the role of prophets, to stand within the bounds of their faith tradition— but just barely— and speak truth from the edge. I truly believe this is what he is doing. I wasn't ready to listen last time, but this time I am.
If you are spiritual, Christian or otherwise, I recommend any of Rohr's works (I've also read "The Immortal Diamond" and "Eager to Love," both of which I want to revisit soon), but this one I find particularly interesting for those of us who are in the process of deconstructing the Christianity we were taught and wondering if anything will be left when we're done. Whether you agree with everything he says or not, there is much wisdom to be found here.
"Rescuing Jesus: How People of Color, Women, and Queer Christians are Reclaiming Evangelicalism" by Deborah Jian Lee
This was another book I grabbed off the library shelf on a whim, and I have very mixed feelings about it. It's a collection of stories, woven together in alternating chapters, about the author's own experiences with her transforming faith and telling stories about queer students at a Christian university planning a campus-wide coming out event; people of color striving for racial justice and conversations; women seeking greater agency in Christian spaces; and more. The stories were well-written and fascinating to read.
Honestly, the thing that hit me hardest was that the book was published in 2015, and it's so darn HOPEFUL for evangelicals. It discusses how evangelicals are separating from the "moral majority" idea, breaking free from the political right, and generally getting over their need to have culture wars— which is just… depressing to read in light of the past several years. The stories are inspiring and remind me that many evangelicals are fighting the good fight, but 2015 feels like a LONG time ago. If anyone has recommendations for a book in this vein that's been published in the past couple years, I'd love to hear it!
What is the field of postcolonialism, and how does it intersect with a feminist framing of theology? How has colonialism impacted our interpretation of the Bible, and what do Third-World feminist theologians have to say about the way we interpret scripture? If you're looking for an easy-to-read exploration of these topics, this book is not it— it was waaaaay over my head. But! It had a lot of thought-provoking material, so if you want to dig into some deep academic exploration of the topics, this is a foundational book for learning more.
I was frustrated that I was so confused by so much of it, but it still contained a lot of interesting insights, and stretched my brain. I found it easiest to follow sections that focused on particular examples of this kind of theology, most notably an overview of how the book of Ruth can be interpreted in light of the concepts of colonization, family relationship, cultural assimilation, and feminism.
In related news, I definitely need to actually read some feminist theology that's a bit more accessible, so if anyone has recommendations, I'd love to hear them!
This is my second time reading this absolutely stunning book, but the first time reading a copy that I own (thank you, Grandma Kathy!), so I got to underline it to my heart's content! Kimmerer's insight into life, Creation, the natural world, humans, our more-than-human neighbors, and the fate of the world is indispensable. Highly recommended!
Others in this series:
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