When one listens to Meister Eckhart extoll our “nobility” or “royal personhood” drawing from the biblical tradition, one senses an uplifting that can challenge the growing despair and pessimism of our times. A pessimism that can drive people to crazy thinking and crazed actions including but not limited to burning down democracy. His emphasis on our creativity is part of that optimism, that uplifting in a time of uncertainty and struggle.
An example of creativity in our time is the role technology can contribute to slowing down carbon damage to the environment and thus slowing down climate change. Investments in electric powered transportation and in creating much more successful storage apparatus for clean energy is an example of that creativity at work.
So too is the commitment to plant trees as well as decisions to alter our diets so that far less land is dedicated to grazing of animals and that newly liberated land might be returned to the planting of trees which in turn will process the carbon for us.
We underestimate the power of our creativity, of our deep nobility, to our peril. Let imagination roll!
See Matthew Fox, Creativity: Where the Divine and the Human Meet.
And Matthew Fox, Passion for Creation: The Earth-Honoring Spirituality of Meister Eckhart, pp. 291-413.
Banner Image: Montana farming co-op’s sunken greenhouse with cobb raised beds passively holds geothermal warmth, enveloping a community home and reducing heating expenses while providing year-round food. Photo by Nicolás Boullosa on Flickr; see story HERE.
For a transcript of today’s video teaching, click HERE.
Queries for Contemplation
Meditations: What other examples of imagination can you recognize that can be applied to the pressing issues of eco-justice, social justice, racial justice, economic justice of our time?
Creativity: Where the Divine and Human Meet
Because creativity is the key to both our genius and beauty as a species but also to our capacity for evil, we need to teach creativity and to teach ways of steering this God-like power in directions that promote love of life (biophilia) and not love of death (necrophilia). Pushing well beyond the bounds of conventional Christian doctrine, Fox’s focus on creativity attempts nothing less than to shape a new ethic.
“Matt Fox is a pilgrim who seeks a path into the church of tomorrow. Countless numbers will be happy to follow his lead.” –Bishop John Shelby Spong, author, Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism, Living in Sin
Upcoming Events
Join us for a Virtual Teach-in with Isa Gucciardi and Matthew Fox, hosted by Rev. Cameron Trimble.
August 13-14, 2021 (Fri-Sat)
Shamanism in Buddhism and Christianity
Session 1: Friday, August 13 at 4pm-6pm PT
Session 2: Saturday, August 14 at 9am-12pm PT
Session 3: Saturday, August 14 at 12:30pm-2:30pm PT
5 thoughts on “How Imagination Heals and Empowers in Hard Times”
Thank you for responding to my request for a transcript of the daily video! I found the link and was pleased to have the reading to start my day.
🙏🏽♥️👍🏽
Karen, and thank you for your vote of confidence !!!
We are indeed a “noble” species. The problem is that far too many have abdicated their heritage, their nobility. }:- a.m.
Thank you, Matthew Fox, for this far-reaching message of nobility and creativity in our lives. We need to be reminded occasionally.