The Coming of the Cosmic Christ [Paperback]

Matthew Fox (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 23, 1988

A comprehensive description of the transformation of Christianity, by the bestselling theologian who has defined this spiritual renaissance.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The Vatican's recent disciplinary action (silencing priest/theologian Fox for one year) may increase interest in this continuation of the thinking set forth in Original Blessing ( LJ 2/1/84). Citing Meister Eckhart, among others, Fox calls for a return to mysticism (an experiential, nondualistic, "right-brain" way) and a shift in focus from the historical Jesus to a pantheistically understood "Cosmic Christ" who is continually incarnated in all creation. A New Age challenge to orthodox Christianity that makes for dense, controversial reading. EC
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Fox captures...as few theologians have ever done before, the feminine aspects of God so supperessed in traditional Christianity." -- --Bishop John Spong, author of Living In Sin?

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne; 1 edition (November 23, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060629150
• ISBN-13: 978-0060629151
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #156,046 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting and Accessible Postmodern Christian Theology!, July 20, 1999

By 

James D. Hamilton ([e-mail]) (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Coming of the Cosmic Christ (Paperback)

Uniting mysticism and spiritual development with ethical and exemplary witness, the "creation spirituality" articulated by Matthew Fox presents an inspiring vision of an alternative Christianity for the postmodern world. Freeing himself from the chains of stale Christian dogma while protesting the cold emptiness of agnostic modernism, Fox fashions a theology and spirituality that combines mysticism with a "first world" liberation theology. Fox is a panentheist, experiencing the Divine in all of nature and humanity. The Cosmic Christ is that incarnation of God in the universe and especially in Mother Earth. He develops a relevant, postmodern interpretation of the Paschal Mystery, imaging Mother Earth as Christ crucified, resurrected, and come again. Fox's union of mysticism, science, and art, and the four spiritual paths he outlined in "Original Blessing" open up individual and communal possibilities for a spirituality that is inwardly personal and contemplative, yet outwardly driven by justice and compassion. If you want to reconnect to a progressive Christianity, this book ties together ethics, myth, and theology like no other.

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fox recreates Christianity's roots in mysticism., August 13, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Coming of the Cosmic Christ (Paperback)

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 universal redemption may be ushered in via the spirit of Christ in terms of the return to mysticism, the expression of creativity as the highest spiritual value, the blessing of Mother Earth and the recovery of eros, the feminine aspect of deity. Rather than alluding to prophecy or a literal second coming as the title might suggest, Fox outlines in painstaking yet illuminating detail the conceptual contents of what that event or it's cultural revolutionary equivalent might bring to mankind at the millenium. This includes the necessity of a Christian apology towards the indigenous peoples and Earth-based spiritual cultures throughout the Christian era that have been the victims of literal and spiritual genocide, hypocritically commited by supposed followers of the Messiah of love and forgiveness. These ideas issuing from the collective unconscious signal the death of fundamentalism which must occur in order for Christianity to be "born again in the spirit" of mysticism from which it originallly issued forth. Fox has stepped away from hardened dogma and taken the heat for teaching the path of love, a path far closer to the words and actions of the Master than the path of those who label Fox a heretic. This is a must read for those who still believe that God is Love and grow weary of the abusive doctrines of vengeance

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth the read if you're interested., July 14, 2005

By 

Thomas McGuinness - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Coming of the Cosmic Christ (Paperback)

In academic, seminary thesis-style prose, Fox weaves together the insights of a variety of traditions to present a vision of today in terms of the Cosmic Christ. What this book lacks in humor it makes up for in resourcefulness, as Fox exhaustively cites mystics, scholars, theologians, saints, politicians, scientists, poets, the gospels, and Christ himself. The point, which appears with mantra-like frequency throughout the book, is that the Cosmic Christ is in everything and that everything is in the Cosmic Christ. We are to see our times as one of mother earth crucified, according to Fox- a paradigm for the religious institutions of the west and culture at large, both of which he charges at length for devouring the youth, and dismissing sexuality, creativity and feminine strength in exchange for patriarchy and its left-brained, domineering competitiveness.

On the whole, this is a valuable read for anyone who wants to understand where religion might (hopefully) be headed in the next century, as we move towards the embrace of a "living cosmology" that draws on science, mysticism, and imaginative art. Although Fox clearly describes a healthy vision of transformation for our institutions, the message lacks `bite' regarding tangible solutions, elements which are noticeably missing from his hopeful forecast. But who has solutions, anyway?

If one can get past the style of delivery, which borders on prosaic, then there is a wealth of readable insight that may or may not be news, but is certainly important for our times. Will it make you laugh or cry? Probably not. Will it enthrall readers? On occasion. It is definitely recommended- if for no other reason that it's one of those controversial works that people tend to love or hate. It's sure to have the clergy ruffled and scratching their heads.