Behold the Spirit: A Study in the Necessity of Mystical Religion
by Alan Watts
The absolute Finest distillation of Christian thinking on life in the Spirit that it's been my privilege to read. A pure Joy.
Yes, Watts left the the Episcopal church, and went on to become one of the "leading lights" of the 50s and 60s "counter-culture," bringing eastern philosophies (rather than drugs, at least -- though he did experiment) to the hearts and minds of searching youth.
But WHILE he was an Episcopal priest, he wrote THIS! [Published Sixty-Three years ago!] And the Christian world had and has reason to rejoice. The Best summation of How God has chosen to interact with His creation (Loving Union), and how we can respond. It answers philosophical questions with theological authority. It tests theological certainties (from the many faith traditions -- pulling no punches) with piercing philosophical insight.
The answer to all the problems of human experience can be found in the transcendent God becoming immanent. Becoming the Gift of Himself to us in the Incarnation; Him giving the Heart of Himself to the Physical and Spiritual world He created and loves so very much. It's ALL about God-made-flesh in Jesus and how the Spirit impacts our lives, each and every instant. Not only is "He closer to us than we are to ourselves," we simply can't escape Him and His Love.
With wry humor, it provides us an opportunity to deconstruct the walls we've created between denominations, and between the faithful and faithless, and to live His Life with Him.
It's a challenging, hopeful, and intimately precious call for us to experience the Lord, first-hand onwhat I'd call even a cellular level.
Please, read this and tell me what you think. I'll even field commentary on the "preface to the new edition" -- albeit with "fear and trembling."
Blessings,
Marc
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