CORRECTION: Yesterday I received a letter from Teresa Phillips of the Office of Justice, Peace, and Care of Creation from the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, Ohio Province,which apologized for “the confusion and incorrect information that was sent out,” re: Sister Dorothy. It seems that The Sanctuary of New Martyrs is not a “Vatican memorial” but is located at the Basilica of San Bartolomeo all’Isola and is taken care of by the Community of San Egidio. That community will install Dorothy in the Sanctuary of New Martyrs. Also the Congregation for the Cause of Saints has not issued a decree as of yet about her martyrdom.
I recently spent ten days in Italy which included a visit to two cities to speak about my book, The Reinvention of Work, newly translated by Gianluigi Gugliermetto, into Italian as Il Lavoro e Vita, “Work is Life.”
We held a workshop in Orvieto in honor of Thomas Aquinas’s 800th anniversary of his birth and 750th anniversary of his death. Following our ICCS pedagogy, I taught in the mornings and art as meditation teachers taught in the afternoon, courses on “Putting Aquinas to Movement”, “Putting Aquinas to Haiku and Circle Dancing”, and “Putting Aquinas into Imaging”. It was a very rich week for all involved.
Before leaving California, I heard from a publisher friend of mine who told me that her “favorite cathedral in all of Europe” was the Cathedral in Orvieto. Once I visited it, I understood why. The Cathedral was started just two years after Aquinas died and embodies his creation centered spirituality. He had spent considerable time in Orvieto teaching, preaching and writing poetry. It was a haven for artists in the Middle Ages as well as today and an educational center.
The Cathedral is full of creation spirituality—I would say that next to Chartres Cathedral it is the most creation-centered ecclesial place of worship I have visited.
The sculptures on its front façade tell the creation story and celebrate human arts and creativity with stories from Old Testament times along with stories and teachings of Jesus. But a plus that even Chartres Cathedral lacks is that they begin at eye height—one does not have to strain to “read” the first layers of the stories. There is humor in the sculptures and there is also an explicit acceptance of the diversity of human love and friendship. Gay couples are depicted along with straight couples both on the exterior sculptures and in 15th century paintings of heaven and purgatory.
This parallels the findings of the late Yale historian John Boswell in his iconic book, Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality: Gay People in Western Europe from the Beginning of the Christian Era to the Fourteenth Century where he tells us that in the early years of the university movement there was a 125-year window of acceptance of homosexuality in culture and church. The truth of that is explicit in this church. As is an acceptance of nudity and a celebration of the human body.
See Matthew Fox, Sheer Joy: Conversations with Thomas Aquinas on Creation Spirituality.
And Fox, The Tao of Thomas Aquinas: Fierce Wisdom for Hard Times.
And Fox, The Reinvention of Work: A New Vision of Livelihood For Our Time.
See also Fox, Essential Writings on Creation Spirituality
Banner Image: Bottom Scenes of Creation, Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, Orvieto. Photo by Matthew Fox, used with permission.
Queries for Contemplation
What lessons do you learn from studying these pictures from the Cathedral of Orvieto?
Recommended Reading
Sheer Joy: Conversations with Thomas Aquinas on Creation Spirituality
Matthew Fox renders Thomas Aquinas accessible by interviewing him and thus descholasticizing him. He also translated many of his works such as Biblical commentaries never before in English (or Italian or German of French). He gives Aquinas a forum so that he can be heard in our own time. He presents Thomas Aquinas entirely in his own words, but in a form designed to allow late 20th-century minds and hearts to hear him in a fresh way.
“The teaching of Aquinas comes through will a fullness and an insight that has never been present in English before and [with] a vital message for the world today.” ~ Fr. Bede Griffiths (Afterword).
Foreword by Rupert Sheldrake
The Tao of Thomas Aquinas: Fierce Wisdom for Hard Times
A stunning spiritual handbook drawn from the substantive teachings of Aquinas’ mystical/prophetic genius, offering a sublime roadmap for spirituality and action.
Foreword by Ilia Delio.
“What a wonderful book! Only Matt Fox could bring to life the wisdom and brilliance of Aquinas with so much creativity. The Tao of Thomas Aquinas is a masterpiece.”
–Caroline Myss, author of Anatomy of the Spirit
The Reinvention of Work: A New Vision of Livelihood For Our Time
Thomas Aquinas said, “To live well is to work well,” and in this bold call for the revitalization of daily work, Fox shares his vision of a world where our personal and professional lives are celebrated in harmony–a world where the self is not sacrificed for a job but is sanctified by authentic “soul work.”
“Fox approaches the level of poetry in describing the reciprocity that must be present between one’s inner and outer work…[A]n important road map to social change.” ~~ National Catholic Reporter
Matthew Fox: Essential Writings on Creation Spirituality
Selected with an Introduction by Charles Burack
To encapsulate the life and work of Matthew Fox would be a daunting task for any save his colleague Dr. Charles Burack, who had the full cooperation of his subject. Fox has devoted 50 years to developing and teaching the tradition of Creation Spirituality and in doing so has reinvented forms of education and worship. His more than 40 books, translated into 78 languages, are inclusive of today’s science and world spiritual traditions and have awakened millions to the much neglected earth-based mystical tradition of the West. Essential Writings begins by exploring the influences on Fox’s life and spirituality, then presents selections from all Fox’s major works in 10 sections.
“The critical insights, the creative connections, the centrality of Matthew Fox’s writings and teaching are second to none for the radical renewal of Christianity.” ~~ Richard Rohr, OFM.
6 thoughts on “Creation Spirituality Teachings at the Medieval Cathedral in Orvieto”
A Reaction Formation in Psychology is a defense mechanism in which people express the opposite of their true feelings, sometimes exaggeratedly. I find people who call themselves “traditional Catholics” argue for Latin masses, which makes no sense, and vehemently disdain homosexuality.
Comments on “Bas Relief of Genesis, Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, Orvieto.” –
It appears that 4 of the 10 sculpture / carvings depict the story of Adam, Eve, Original Sin and banishment from the Garden of Eden. Two carvings, depict Cain and Able, and Cain killing Able in one of them. Does the story of original sin depicted here at the Cathedral in Orvieto, support ‘creation spirituality’ or original blessing? It does not appear so. — BB.
Good morning Matthew. Thank you for sharing details of the Cathedral in Orvieto. Visited Orvieto last year this time and so appreciated the cathedral.m, noting the order of the figures representing the four gospels was Matthew, Mark, John and Luke. Any thoughts as to why? As one who appreciates Dr Alexander John Shaia’s work in the Four Paths, One Journey, his work follows this order rather than that commonly held – Mt, MK, Lk, John.
I greatly appreciate Matthew’s wonderful insights and words.
But I cringe at his repeated efforts to idolize Aquinas. This hagiography does NOT square with my view of Aquinas and his more destructive role in shaping the intellectual climate of the Middle Ages. He contributed to the rigid and dogmatic mindset of the period. Aquinas’ emphasis on Scholasticism and the synthesis of Christian theology with Aristotelian philosophy led to an intellectual culture that prized abstract reasoning over empirical observation and practical solutions. His work reinforced the social and political structures of the medieval period, which were hierarchical and oppressive. He provided theological justification for the existing order and thus helped to maintain these systems that contributed to the widespread suffering and injustice of the 14th century. He in my view offers the classic example of a left brain, thought-dominated individual — lost in thought and divorced from the empirical realism and emotion of his right hemisphere. IMHO
I’m reminded of the Universal Spirit of Love, Truth, Faith, Diverse Creativity, Beauty, Joy, Compassion… in human history and ongoing evolution in spite of the shadow side of humanity…
Thank you, Matthew, for your reflections on Orvieto’s Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta. I too was nearly struck dumb by Signorelli’s stunning frescoes. In answer to your question, I have much to say! So I wrote my thoughts on my website. It includes a photo I took of the that I believe is called “Resurrection.” https://www.mickishelton.com/what-i-m-reading