The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope for, and Believe

Rohr (Falling Upward), a Franciscan priest and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, N.Mex., invitingly asks Christian readers to bring together their thinking about Jesus (the historical person) and Christ (the savior) in order to recognize God in the world around them. Rohr believes that many Christians spend too much time quibbling about the differences between denominations and the veracity of the historical record. As an alternative, he asks readers to take on an “incarnational worldview” that sees God dwelling in and through all of creation. Rohr begins by examining and appreciating Jesus’s historical identity as a religious martyr, and then explores his legacy and the notion of the Christ beyond religious, cultural, or political tribalism. Rohr focuses on Christ’s universal qualities and directs the book at Christian and non-Christian readerships, referencing parallels to Jesus in Buddhist traditions, Eastern mysticism, and analytic psychology to illustrate his points. Though Rohr provides much detail and deconstructive interpretations of scriptural passages, readers will have to work out for themselves what it means to see God’s presence in everything. Rohr’s innovative reflections will inspire believing readers to think deeply about the nature of God. (Mar.)