Creation Spirituality: An Amazing Gathering Place

Today we will look at the amazing diversity that Creation Spirituality embraces. A diversity of social activists, people of different sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, economic backgrounds, and coming from many faith traditions—and even some of no traditions. My hope today is that you will find yourself here, because you are certainly welcome!

So we meditate today on these statements by Matthew:

As a movement, creation spirituality becomes an amazing gathering place, a kind of watering hole for persons whose passion has been touched by the issues of our day—deep ecologists, ecumenists, artists, native peoples, justice activists, feminists, male liberationists, gay and lesbian peoples, animal liberationists, scientists seeking to reconnect science and wisdom, people of prophetic faith traditions—all these groups find in the creation spirituality movement a common language and a common ground on which to stand.

All races, all religions, all sexes, all sexual orientations,
and all beings—
four-legged,
the winged,
the rock people and
tree people and
cloud peoples—
all are dwelling paces of the Divine.

The creation-centered tradition recognizes
passion, body, senses, and sensuality
as part of the divine gift,
that original blessing,
that touches the depths of awe and gratitude in our lives.
There is no regret for being body in the creation tradition.

The spiritual God of the Jews is also a sensuous God;
indeed, the creator of all that is sensuous, including
senses, desires, appetites, memories, sexuality, the earth.

Matter in the creation tradition
is not an enemy of spirit
but is a home for spirit,
a place of spiritual power, magic,
and elan.

See Matthew Fox, Creation Spirituality, Liberating Gifts for the Peoples of the Earth, pp. 16-17 and 103 

See also Fox, Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society, pp. 14-15

 See also Fox, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ: The Healing of Mother Earth and the Birth of a Global Renaissance, p. 39

See also Fox, Whee! We, Wee All the Way Home: A Guide to Sensual Prophetic Spirituality, p. 219

Banner Image: “The Peaceable Kingdom” woodcut by Fritz Eichenberg for The Catholic Worker, 1950. Image uploaded to Flickr by Jim Forest.

Queries for Contemplation

Would it seem to you that the Creation Spirituality Community is both passionate and compassionate, and an amazing gathering place for people of all orientations?

Recommended Reading

Creation Spirituality: Liberating Gifts for the Peoples of the Earth

Fox’s spirituality weds the healing and liberation found in North American Creation Spirituality and in South American Liberation Theology. Creation Spirituality challenges readers of every religious and political persuasion to unite in a new vision through which we learn to honor the earth and the people who inhabit it as the gift of a good and just Creator.
“A watershed theological work that offers a common ground for religious seekers and activists of all stripes.” — Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice.

Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society

Visionary theologian and best-selling author Matthew Fox offers a new theology of evil that fundamentally changes the traditional perception of good and evil and points the way to a more enlightened treatment of ourselves, one another, and all of nature. In comparing the Eastern tradition of the 7 chakras to the Western tradition of the 7 capital sins, Fox allows us to think creatively about our capacity for personal and institutional evil and what we can do about them. 
“A scholarly masterpiece embodying a better vision and depth of perception far beyond the grasp of any one single science.  A breath-taking analysis.” — Diarmuid O’Murchu, author of Quantum Theology: Spiritual Implications of the New Physics

The Coming of the Cosmic Christ: The Healing of Mother Earth and the Birth of a Global Renaissance

In what may be considered the most comprehensive outline of the Christian paradigm shift of our Age, Matthew Fox eloquently foreshadows the manner in which the spirit of Christ resurrects in terms of the return to an earth-based mysticism, the expression of creativity, mystical sexuality, the respect due the young, the rebirth of effective forms of worship—all of these mirroring the ongoing blessings of Mother Earth and the recovery of Eros, the feminine aspect of the Divine.
“The eighth wonder of the world…convincing proof that our Western religious tradition does indeed have the depth of imagination to reinvent its faith.” — Brian Swimme, author of The Universe Story and Journey of the Universe.
 “This book is a classic.” Thomas Berry, author of The Great Work and The Dream of the Earth.

Whee! We, Wee All the Way Home: A Guide to Sensual Prophetic Spirituality

Years ahead of its time when first published in 1976, this book is still bold and relevant today. Perfect for anyone who thinks mysticism needs to get out of the head and into the body. Matthew Fox begins the Preface to this book by stating, “This is a practical book about waking up and returning to a biblical, justice-oriented spirituality. Such a spirituality is a way of passion that leads to compassion. Such a way is necessarily one of coming to our senses in every meaning of that phrase.” One of Matthew Fox’s earliest books, this title explores the importance of ecstasy in the spiritual life. Fox considers the distinction between “natural” ecstasies (including nature, sex, friendship, music, art) and “tactical” ecstasies (like meditation, fasting, chanting); he goes on to consider that a truly authentic mysticism must be sensuous in its orientation, so to cultivate the maximum amount of ecstasy for the maximum amount of people.