The Sacred Universe

A leading scholar, cultural historian, and Catholic priest who spent more than fifty years writing about our engagement with the Earth, Thomas Berry possessed prophetic insight into the rampant destruction of ecosystems and the extinction of species. In this book he makes a persuasive case for an interreligious dialogue that can better confront the environmental problems of the twenty-first century. These erudite and keenly sympathetic essays represent Berry's best work, covering such issues as human beings' modern alienation from nature and the possibilities of future, regenerative forms of religious experience. Asking that we create a new story of the universe and the emergence of the Earth within it, Berry resituates the human spirit within a sacred totality.

From the flat earth to the sun's chariot - traditional spiritual texts seem wedded to outmoded cosmologies that show, at best, the scientific limitations of their authors. The Bhagavata Purana, one of the classical scriptures of Hinduism, seems, at first glance, to be no exception. However, a closer examination of this text reveals unexpected depths of knowledge in ancient cosmology. Mysteries of the Sacred Universe shows that the cosmology of the Bhagavata Purana is a sophisticated system, with multiple levels of meaning that encode at least four different astronomical, geographical, and spiritual world models. By viewing the text in the light of modern astronomy, Richard Thompson shows how ancient scientists expressed exact knowledge in apparently mythological terms. Comparison with the ancient traditions of Egypt and the Near East shows early cultural connections between India and these regions - including a surprisingly advanced science. However, quantitative science is only part of the picture. Mysteries of the Sacred Universe also offers a clear understanding of how the spiritual dimension was integrated into ancient Indian cosmology.

Essays on our spiritual role in the fate of the planet from “the most provocative figure among the new breed of eco–theologians” (Newsweek). Among the contemporary voices for the Earth, none resonates like that of cultural historian Thomas Berry. His teaching and writings have inspired a generation’s thinking about humankind’s place in the Earth community and the universe, engendering widespread critical acclaim and a documentary film on his life and work. This new collection of essays, from various years and occasions, expands and deepens ideas articulated in his earlier writings and also breaks new ground. Berry opens our eyes to the full dimensions of the ecological crisis, framing it as a crisis of spiritual vision. Applying his formidable erudition in cultural history, science, and comparative religions, he forges a compelling narrative of creation and communion that reconciles modern evolutionary thinking and traditional religious insights concerning our integral role in Earth’s society. While sounding an urgent alarm at our current dilemma, Berry inspires us to reclaim our role as the consciousness of the universe and thereby begin to create a true partnership with the Earth community. With Evening Thoughts, this wise elder has lit another beacon to lead us home. “Thomas Berry is an exemplar in a tradition that includes a diverse group of spiritually radiant individuals (Gandhi, the monk Thomas Merton, the Lakota elder Black Elk), visionaries (Jacques Ellul, Terry Tempest Williams, Rachel Carson), and writers (Wendell Berry, Gary Snyder, Rebecca Solnit, Loren Eiseley).” —Barry Lopez, author of Arctic Dreams

Consider the complexity of a living cell after 3.8 billion years of evolution. Is it more awesome to suppose that a transcendent God fashioned the cell at a stroke, or to realize that it evolved with no Almighty Hand, but arose on its own in the c...

Famed historian of religion Mircea Eliade observes that even moderns who proclaim themselves residents of a completely profane world are still unconsciously nourished by the memory of the sacred. Eliade traces manifestations of the sacred from primitive to modern times in terms of space, time, nature, and the cosmos. In doing so he shows how the total human experience of the religious man compares with that of the nonreligious. This book serves as an excellent introduction to the history of religion, but its perspective also emcompasses philosophical anthropology, phenomenology, and psychology. It will appeal to anyone seeking to discover the potential dimensions of human existence. -- P. [4] of cover.

The authors tell the epic story of the universe from an inspired new perspective, weaving the findings of modern science together with enduring wisdom found in the humanistic traditions of the West, China, India, and indigenous peoples. This book is part of a larger project that includes a documentary film, educational DVD series, and Web site.

Recovering a Sense of the Sacred: Conversations with Thomas Berry is a thoughtful and poignant memoir by Carolyn W. Toben recounting her spiritual journey with renowned scholar, author and cultural historian, Thomas Berry. For ten years, Carolyn spent many hours in deep discussions with Thomas Berry about his transformational thinking for healing the human-earth relationship through recovery of a sense of the sacred. This book is based on her personal notes, practices and reflections from these conversations. "Recovering a Sense of the Sacred is a poignant and intimate portrait that reveals deep insights into the work of the great contemporary mystic-sage, Thomas Berry. Even more than this, at this time of "historic confusion," this tender story provides a profound interior activation; it calls us toward another way of knowing that is essential for new levels of understanding. Reverent and real, this wonderful work provides gracious and wise companionship for a life of the sacred." -Tobin Hart, Ph.D., author of The Secret Spiritual World of Children "Carolyn Toben has given us a true gift! Recovering a Sense of the Sacred carries the reader to the heart of his/her deepest identity as a sacred being in a sacred planet in a sacred universe. Those who knew Thomas will find themselves right there in the midst of the conversations, listening in, smiling, bathed again in the warmth of his remarkable presence. For those who are new to Thomas or his work, this book is an excellent introduction to his comprehensive thought and wisdom, for here it reaches us through a sense of his person-his own deep sense of the sacred in every being, his reverence, hospitality and friendship." -Mary Southard, CSJ, artist and creator of the Earth Calendar "No thinker in the twentieth or twenty-first century has provided us with as much inspiration and guidance about the relationship between humans and the natural world as Thomas Berry. Carolyn Toben's very personal and eloquent book offers us an opportunity to sit with Thomas and absorb his special wisdom." -Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods "In this inspired book, Carolyn Toben chronicles her extended conversations with the noted theologian and philosopher, Thomas Berry. What she has achieved is not only a passionate homage to a great thinker and visionary, but a personal and moving statement of our human responsibility to access the depth of our consciousness in relation to all that exists around us." -Richard Lewis, author of Living By Wonder: The Imaginative Life of Childhood "This book is an exquisite gift for those of us familiar with Thomas Berry's writings and for those still new to his work. For here we meet the man himself in the context of an evolving relationship where, in different settings and moments over the last decade of his life, he shares his vision of a living universe and the immensity of meanings it holds for him. And here, in between their conversations, Carolyn Toben explores how his message is altering her own perceptions of the natural world and of herself. Their warm-hearted companionship invites us in as well, to come alive to the creative mutuality at the heart of all that is." -Joanna Macy, author of World as Lover, World as Self "A fascinating and moving portrait of one of the Great Teachers of our time. I am deeply grateful for this lyrical and lucid memoir, which captures Thomas Berry's vision, his graciousness, his deep communion with the earth and its beings, and the implications of his work for the future. Skillfully transmitting his wisdom and presence, Carolyn Toben's encounter with the cosmology of Berry is a blessing for the entire planet." -Drew Dellinger, author of Love Letter to the Milky Way