Incarnation – A New Evolutionary Threshold

Diarmuid O'Murchu is a forward-thinking Catholic priest and social psychologist, who in this book elaborates a new concept of the Christian idea of incarnation as a progressive universal embodiment of Spirit in the course of evolution. The audience he has in mind is that of spiritual seekers and elders who need a more adult and discerning engagement with faith and who live in a relational manner. In this wide sense, Gaia also represents a form of embodiment of our earthiness. A series of chapters unfolds this evolutionary vision that transcends the patriarchal world view in what the author calls empowering relationality. He sees life and death as inherently connected, and questions the myth of suffering, preferring to emphasise Jesus's life rather than death. Christianity was burdened with the political agenda of Constantine aiming for conformity, control and domination, and for a long time - and even now among evangelicals - insisted on its uniqueness. The author places an emphasis on co-creation and therefore on collaboration with God rather than salvific intervention. He also highlights the turn towards experience and interiority over the last 40 years and provides his own guidelines for a more mature approach to faith – well worth reading.