Speakeasy Review: 'Cosmos Reborn' by John Crowder
I knew I would enjoy this read by the end of the author's notes, page 12.
"If your current system of belief does not put a smile on your face, you may be in store for a much-needed dose of divine Prozac...By the end of it all, I hope to have you retired from your religious self-efforts...resting and relaxing in the reality of your divine sonship - and all the while bearing more fruit. Kick back and enjoy the sweet, healing balm of the Gospel as we dismantle a few dry, depressed belief systems that may have unwittingly made you a boring person."
Crowder delves into topics like the importance of embracing the mysteries of God and living a contemplative faith (something near and dear to me as a Christ-Following Yogini). He takes on atonement theory by dismantling Penal Substitution and supporting the Christus Victor viewpoint (CV is actually more in line with traditional orthodox Christianity. Penal Substitution theory - which basically makes God out to be a blood-thirsty diety that required the death of Christ to satisfy his wrath didn't come along until in the Middle Ages.
The author also bravely steps into the Hell discussion without advocating full out universalim (as in there is no judgment). In fact, in his introduction he begins with the header, 'I am not a universalist'. Like Rob Bell, Crowder does not deny that there is a hell, but he does deny the common picture painted of hell that is based more on Dante than Biblical texts.
He quotes Father Robert Capon:
"All theologians who hold Scripture to be the Word of God must inevitably include in their work a tractate on hell . But I will not - because Jesus did not - locate hell outside the realm of grace. Grace is forever sovereign, even in Jesus' parables of judgement."
From there the book gets into the merits of giving up on the striving of religious activity in an effort to earn God's favor (because we already have it!) and what it really means to be 'Born Again'.
I LOVE ,LOVE, LOVE this book. It's not a difficult read and there's some enjoyable snark and sarcasm along the way:
'Let us not vilify theology only let us see see its role...It can be a dark angel or a fun drinking partner'
'...the man who never learned to rightly divide the word may pick up a Bible, flip open to Leviticus and automatically assume God wants him to chop the tip off his private bits with a flint knife'.
John Crowder often refers to the writing of Fr. Robert Capon - an author I will be looking into! If you are interested in other titles that deal with similar ideas I also recommend:
Love Wins by Rob Bell
Supernatural Ways of Royalty by Kris Valloton and Bill Johnson
A New Kind of Christianity by Brian McLaren
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR,Part 255.
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