Customer Reviews

Four Spiritualities: Expressions of Self, Expression of Spirit

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Review of Four Spiritualities

This book was my first introduction to the idea that one's personality could be a strong indicator of one's preferred spiritual path. I found it fascinating and true to my own experience: I am the kind of person described by my Myers-Briggs type and I do have the spiritual preferences of my associated path in Four Spiritualities.

The book is thorough, well organized, and even-handed. It begins with an introduction of the MBTI which is necessarily generic rather than detailed, but it's complete, even-handed, and pretty clear, no small tasks. Richardson associates the two central letters of the MBTI type with preferred path, matching NT with the path of Unity, SF with Devotion, ST with Works, and NF with Harmony.

Chapters 2 and 3 seem like digressions at first, but provide important background into the development of one's personality and the motivations and preparations which put us on a spiritual path.

Chapters 4 through 7 present the four paths - Unity, Devotion, Works, and Harmony. They include more about the type and its characteristics and clarify the nature of the associated path. Richardson even notes the approximate percentage of the population in each type and comments on the concentration of certain types in certain religious careers. His own preferences do not show here and his breadth of coverage, examples, mentors, and references are very satisfying. The chapters have some repeated chunks, but these places easily bear repeating.

Chapter 8 departs some from the more scholarly tone of the rest of the book, pulling in less familiar references to native spirituality, new age philosophy, Celtic traditions, and even four Christian orientations derived by an Episcopal priest from four genres of literature identified by a critic. It is in this chapter and especially the final chapter, 9, that Richardson's own passions begin to show and he offers advice and reflections for society and the future.

The book concludes with footnotes from the chapters; lists of resources for more study of psychological type, scriptures, and religious traditions; a list of credits; and a substantial index.

This book is a slow read because the subject matter is dense and complex and because Richardson's writing style is rather scholarly in places (this is the only reason for 4 stars rather than 5). Do not think, though, that having read this review you can skip the book. It is rich and full and well worth the effort, for time after time the measured unpacking of a sentence brings that delicious Aha!, that Yes!

Peter Richardson uses the Jungian personality typology of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator as a guide to religious preference. The insight he offers is nothing so simple as which church to join, but an indication of the type of spiritual journey or quest that we will seek. The author's intent is to help us understand one another in our differences. "Honor the importance of each, and reflect on your home-base spirituality until you become comfortable with your version of it." (p. 39).

Richardson suggests four different "spiritual journeys" we follow, depending on two dimensions of our MBTI personality type. Intuitive Thinkers (NT) seek the path of Unity, hoping to identify the small set of unifying principles which explain and bind human experience together into a unified whole. Sensing Feelers (SF) seek the path of Devotion, relating to the personal experiences of their religious leaders and focusing on service to their fellow human beings. Sensing Thinkers (ST) seek the path of Works, with a strong sense of obedience to the law and responsibility to guide others and use resources appropriately. Intuitive Feelers (NF) seek the path of Harmony, acting authentically and forming healthy relationships with others. Readers learn about these different journeys through examples from the lives of historical religious figures, chosen to emphasize that all four journeys are found in each of the major world religions.

This is a thoughtful book and is worth reading even if the only insight is that the person sitting in the next pew sincerely pursues very different goals. It is a creative application of personality theory. Readers might also enjoy Behind the Masks: Personality Disorders in the Church for a somewhat darker view of personality differences in religious congregations.

This book tells you not only how you will use this book, it also shines some lights on the issues that seem to haunt you, gives directions to paths you seem to want to travel; It tells you how to work, what to listen to and where to improve your life, your self, and, by doing that, that of others. The book shows how different the paths we travel on are and at the same time how they're connected. The extensive knowledge of the writer of the great religious and filosophical teachings and books has been put into what i think an accurate and simple format. He shows how the great religions are different and the same, just as we people are all different and the same. The only way forward is to travel in each others company and tolerate - or accept, or use or acknowledge - the burden of differences. Everybody will find something about him- or herself in this book. For me, it showed that the best tale is the tale of your own life. It will develop itself when you live it and this book is one of the rare guidebooks. Reading it - even in bits and pieces - will be a joy and a milestone.

In his book Four Spiritualities, Peter T. Richardson tells us that, "Before history, there was generally a golden age of a perfect social order...dissolution and chaos entered in through disobedience and unfaithfulness."

It is true that the world became a better place because of the influence of a handful of wise men, prophets, and gurus, those who managed to overcome the handicap of our subjective, self-conscious state, in which we are limited to seeing only what is good for us at the moment.

Insight brings foresight, and both are the products of reasoning. Building a philosophy using Jung's theory is leaving out what Jung left out-the factors that make both introverts and extroverts see the world through distorted lenses.

The way to enlightenment is not through the methods that put us in the dark-reacting irrationally through fear (emotionally), or reacting irrationally through anger (instinctively). Nor is the way to enlightenment listening to that which keeps us in the dark-the ego.

Upon becoming enlightened what our wise men, prophets, and gurus saw was that the prevailing religions and political systems were not bringing about peace and equality. They were bringing about dissolution and chaos.

The masses were not to follow blindly, that is, aiding and abetting corrupt leaders, nor were they to pick up the sword against injustices coming from the top. They were to seek enlightenment from within.

If Jesus were to appear on the scene today he would encourage disobedience to the reigning warlords and false prophets, which would make him an enemy of both the state and the church.

It is true that our religions have passed on the words of the enlightened, but it is also true that the unenlightened, or those who have fallen back, have passed on distorted interpretations.

We know we have reached our goal when we are overcome with happiness just knowing we are alive, when following the Golden Rule is no longer a struggle but an added pleasure, and when we stop killing the messenger.

Richardson's ecumenical outlook is laudable, as it advances the cause of peace. But by failing to get to the root of the problem he offers only half-truths that lead to dead-ends.