“You do not need to name this universal manifestation “Christ,” however, to fully live inside of it and enjoy its immense fruits.”

-        Richard Rohr

Rev. David Randall-Bodman continues his 8-week worship series based on Fr. Richard Rohr’s book, The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope for, and Believe.

In the 8th and final week of the series, the focus is on the Appendixes – “The Four World Views”,  and “The Pattern of Spiritual Transformation.”

Who is Richard Rohr? Fr. Rohr is a Franciscan priest of the New Mexico Province. He is the founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation and academic dean of the CAC’s Living School. An internationally recognized author and spiritual leader, Fr. Richard teaches primarily on incarnational mysticism, nondual consciousness, and contemplation, with a particular emphasis on how these affect the social justice issues of our time.

Richard Rohr’s main point in his book is that “everything visible, without exception, is the outpouring of God.” He challenges many orthodox Christian beliefs. He wants to liberate the Christian faith from its “clannish” history. Rather than being Jesus’s last name, Christ means life in its fullness.

Fr. Rohr’s book invites us to envision Christianity in a new and different light. Rather than believing in the right things or saying the right words, at the heart of Christianity is a worldview that sees all of life as sacred. Many of us grew up believing that a “rational assent to the truth of certain mental beliefs, rather than a calm and hopeful trust that God is inherent I all things, and that this whole thing is going somewhere good.”

This worship series will stretch us. It will also provide an overview of an understanding and practice of Christianity that Fr. Rohr has been practicing for decades. The Universal Christ invites us to enter into mystery and experience God rather than trying to figure God out.

“The lone individual is far too small and insecure to carry either the ‘weight of glory’ or the ‘burden of sin’ on his or her own…it creates well-disguised religious egocentricity…we are forced to take our own isolated selves far too seriously – both our wonderfulness and our terribleness.”

-        Richard Rohr

Rev. David Randall-Bodman continues his 8-week worship series based on Fr. Richard Rohr’s book, The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope for, and Believe.

In the 6th week of the series, the focus is on Chapters 13-15 “It Can’t Be Carried Alone”, “The Resurrection Journey”, “Two Witnesses to Jesus and Christ.”

Who is Richard Rohr? Fr. Rohr is a Franciscan priest of the New Mexico Province. He is the founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation and academic dean of the CAC’s Living School. An internationally recognized author and spiritual leader, Fr. Richard teaches primarily on incarnational mysticism, nondual consciousness, and contemplation, with a particular emphasis on how these affect the social justice issues of our time.

Richard Rohr’s main point in his book is that “everything visible, without exception, is the outpouring of God.” He challenges many orthodox Christian beliefs. He wants to liberate the Christian faith from its “clannish” history. Rather than being Jesus’s last name, Christ means life in its fullness.

Fr. Rohr’s book invites us to envision Christianity in a new and different light. Rather than believing in the right things or saying the right words, at the heart of Christianity is a worldview that sees all of life as sacred. Many of us grew up believing that a “rational assent to the truth of certain mental beliefs, rather than a calm and hopeful trust that God is inherent I all things, and that this whole thing is going somewhere good.”

This worship series will stretch us. It will also provide an overview of an understanding and practice of Christianity that Fr. Rohr has been practicing for decades. The Universal Christ invites us to enter into mystery and experience God rather than trying to figure God out.

“Life is the destiny you are bound to refuse until you have consented to die”

-        W.H. Auden, “For the Time Being”

Rev. David Randall-Bodman continues his 8-week worship series based on Fr. Richard Rohr’s book, The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope for, and Believe.

In the 5th week of the series, the focus is on Chapter 11 - “This is My Body” and Chapter 12 -  “Why Did Jesus Die”

“Jesus did not come to change God’s mind about us. It did not need changing. Jesus came to change our minds about God – and about ourselves – and about where goodness and evil really lie.”

-        Richard Rohr

Points to Ponder:

·        What happens for you when you receive the sacrament of Holy Communion? A memorial service for Jesus?, a full transference of identity (you becoming the Body of Christ), something else?

·        Why do you think our culture still focuses on justice based on retribution and punishment rather than reparations and restoration?

·        How have you witnessed and experienced scapegoating?

“I believe in Jesus Christ…born of a virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate…”

-        The Apostle’s Creed

Rev. David Randall-Bodman continues his 8-week worship series based on Fr. Richard Rohr’s book, The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope for, and Believe.

In the 4th week of the series, the focus is on Chapters 8-10 “Doing and Saying”, “Things at Their Depth”, “The Feminine Incarnation” which is the beginning of Part 2 of the book “The Great Comma.” This section develops what and how the re-discovery of the Universal Christ applies to living out the Christian faith in a new way based on an ancient reality.

“If mothers were in charge of the world, it would be a very different place!” 

- Anderson Cooper

Points to Ponder:

·        The Great Comma skips over Jesus’ life. What aspect of Jesus life or teaching has taken root in you? How does it influence your daily life?

·        Rohr uses the image of an escalator going up and going down to describe the Christian path. How might going down deepen your connection with the Universal Christ?

·        Sophia and Mary open up the feminine incarnation. How have you experienced the feminine incarnation in your own life? Mother Earth, Wisdom, Eternal Yes to God, Feminine Receptivity and Gift Giver?

“Know it well, love is its meaning.

What does he reveal? Love.

Why? For Love.

Remain in this and you will know more of the same.”           

- Julian of Norwich, Showings

Rev. David Randall-Bodman continues his 8-week worship series based on Fr. Richard Rohr’s book, The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope for, and Believe.

In the 3rd week of the series, the focus is on Chapters 5-7 “Love is the Meaning”, “A Sacred Wholeness”, “Going Somewhere Good”

How will you participate in the “Divine Two-Step?”

God steps back to create a vacuum that only God can fill.

•        When God “hides his face” it gives us more space to develop trust and faith.

God rewards me for letting him reward me.

•        This is the divine two-step we call grace.

•        I am doing it, and yet I am not doing it;

•        It is being done unto me, and yet by me too.

•        Yet God always takes the lead in the dance, which we only recognize over time.”

God loves you by becoming you.

God loves you by turning your mistakes into grace,

•        By constantly giving you back to yourself in a larger shape.

Points to Ponder:

·        Pierre de Chardin and Richard Rohr both talk about love as energy that creates attraction.  Have you thought about or experienced love this way?

·        What serves as your object of adoration? What is your North Star that keeps you moving with some sense of happiness and purpose?

·        Have you experienced God moving away from you or MIA (missing in action)? Has that vacuum created suffering or growth? Both? Neither?

“To turn from everything to one face is to find oneself face to face with everything.”

- Elizabeth Bowen from “The Heat of the Day”

Rev. David Randall-Bodman continues his 8-week worship series based on Fr. Richard Rohr’s book, The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope for, and Believe.

In the 2nd week of the series, the focus is on chapter 3 – Revealed in Us – as Us and chapter 4 – Original Goodness.

“The true and essential work of all religion is to help us recognize and recover the Divine image in every thing.”  - Richard Rohr

Who is Richard Rohr? Fr. Rohr is a Franciscan priest of the New Mexico Province. He is the founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation and academic dean of the CAC’s Living School. An internationally recognized author and spiritual leader, Fr. Richard teaches primarily on incarnational mysticism, nondual consciousness, and contemplation, with a particular emphasis on how these affect the social justice issues of our time.

Richard Rohr’s main point in his book is that “everything visible, without exception, is the outpouring of God.” He challenges many orthodox Christian beliefs. He wants to liberate the Christian faith from its “clannish” history. Rather than being Jesus’s last name, Christ means life in its fullness.

Fr. Rohr’s book invites us to envision Christianity in a new and different light. Rather than believing in the right things or saying the right words, at the heart of Christianity is a worldview that sees all of life as sacred. Many of us grew up believing that a “rational assent to the truth of certain mental beliefs, rather than a calm and hopeful trust that God is inherent I all things, and that this whole thing is going somewhere good.”

This worship series will stretch us. It will also provide an overview of an understanding and practice of Christianity that Fr. Rohr has been practicing for decades. The Universal Christ invites us to enter into mystery and experience God rather than trying to figure God out.

On February 13, 2022, Rev. David Randall-Bodman will begin an extended worship series based on Fr. Richard Rohr’s book, The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope for, and Believe.

Who is Richard Rohr? Fr. Rohr is a Franciscan priest of the New Mexico Province. He is the founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation and academic dean of the CAC’s Living School. An internationally recognized author and spiritual leader, Fr. Richard teaches primarily on incarnational mysticism, nondual consciousness, and contemplation, with a particular emphasis on how these affect the social justice issues of our time.

Richard Rohr’s main point in his book is that “everything visible, without exception, is the outpouring of God.” He challenges many orthodox Christian beliefs. He wants to liberate the Christian faith from its “clannish” history. Rather than being Jesus’s last name, Christ means life in its fullness.

Fr. Rohr’s book invites us to envision Christianity in a new and different light. Rather than believing in the right things or saying the right words, at the heart of Christianity is a worldview that sees all of life as sacred.  Many of us grew up believing that a “rational assent to the truth of certain mental beliefs, rather than a calm and hopeful trust that God is inherent I all things, and that this whole thing is going somewhere good.”

This worship series will stretch us.  It will also provide an overview of an understanding and practice of Christianity that Fr. Rohr has been practicing for decades. The Universal Christ invites us to enter into mystery and experience God rather than trying to figure God out.

I am excited by the prospect that together we will develop a deeper appreciation for and practice of the religion of Jesus.