[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Crown Publishing/Convergent Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
Summary and Review
The full title of this book is The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope For and Believe. The title was changed after the review copy was produced, so I am not sure if that changed any of the internal content in a significant way.
Father Richard Rohr asks readers to broaden their ideas of “Christ” beyond the physical person of Jesus. As he states in one of the early chapters, “Christ” is not Jesus’ last name. Rohr’s central assertion seems to be that we recognize Christ in the Bible – and in the world – as both part of the person of Jesus but also as someone/something that pre-dates Jesus and is larger than the person of Jesus. This recognition then changes how we see not only issues of faith but also one another and all examples of creation.
The writing in this is dense and more intricate than my usual genre fiction reading. This is closer to a college text than mass-appeal genre writing. Sometimes Rohr goes over my head, or posits something that clangs against my belief systems or understanding of scripture. I didn’t agree with all of his conclusions. But there are plenty of nuggets of truth and thought-provoking ideas to chew on.
This is a deep and intricate philosophical look at theology, scripture, history, semantics/language and comparative religion. This is the sort of book that I think works best if you have a physical copy you can write in. For me this is best read in small chunks. And I’d get more out of it by writing about what I read, looking up the scriptures he uses in their context, and spending time thinking over his assertions. This has a more scholarly feel than other books I usually read for spiritual growth. There is a place for both sorts of material depending on the needs of the reader.
If you are looking for a resource that might challenge you to think outside your faith assumptions and current beliefs, or if you are a Rohr fan, I recommend you check this book out. You might not agree with all of Father Rohr’s conclusions, but this book will definitely get you thinking!