cover image Writing in the Sand: Jesus & the Soul of the Gospels

Writing in the Sand: Jesus & the Soul of the Gospels

Thomas Moore, . . Hay House, $22.95 (168pp) ISBN 978-1-4019-2413-3

Drawing on his background in theology, world religions, art history, psychology and mythology, author and psychotherapist Moore (Care of the Soul ) proposes a fresh way of looking at the Christian gospels for those who once loved the texts, but no longer find them challenging. Moore believes the Jesus of the gospels was calling people to be open to life rather than attach themselves to a fixed teaching. He reframes the wedding feast at Cana—said to be the scene of Christ's first miracle—as “the first lesson in Jesus spirituality: Be human, understand the importance of play and simple sensual pleasures and listen to your family. Then go deeper.” In Moore's reading of the gospels, Jesus himself is earthy and spiritual—a man clearly on the side of moderate sensual delight. Fans of Moore's previous books and readers who share his view that Jesus was not concerned with creating a religion or a plan for self-improvement, but was instead interested in a restructuring of the human imagination, will find plenty to ponder. (May 1)