Boyd/Tolle It Is....

The next (probably oft interrupted) series will be the one I mentioned in my last post...inspired by Greg Boyd's review of Eckhart Tolle's book, A New Earth.  Not new news by any means.  It was a year ago or more, that A New Earth was a hot topic. Oprah became the reigning antichrist by featuring the book and Eckhart in a series of 10 or so "webinars."  So even though it is not new, it is, I think, a good topic for a series of blog posts. Besides, I am keeping with my tradition of "day late/dollar short."  

In another recent series of posts, I pondered the question of who we really are....who we really are not...and if you take away what we are not...then exactly what/who is left?  When I somewhat reluctantly began reading Eckhart Tolle's, A New Earth, the teachings helped to provide more understanding.   He explained the "two natures beat within my breast" thing (you know...one is cursed the other blessed.  One I love.  One I hate.  The one I feed will dominate) in a way that just clicked for me.  I think Eckhart's teachings are profound, but I don't think all the the answers can be found in his writings. 

For one thing, I think in Christ there is a pre-eminence, a significance, a level of awakening, Godlikeness that will forever make him "the head" of the body.  (Jesus = Head.  Cindi and everybody else, sooner or later = part of the body).  Some of the people I hang out with these days (cyberly speaking) seem to lean toward a belief that we are Christ...equal to, same as.  And in a way, we are.  Scripture tells us that we are, that he is the firstborn of many brethren....and greater things will we do than those things he did....yet...my friend Debra summed it up so well by saying that Jesus was divine in a way that she is not (nor are any of us)  Eckhart does not teach the divinity of Christ. 

Greg Boyd expresses what resonated with him in a (re?)post of his book review of A New Earth

He starts the post by crediting Tolle:

I found some aspects of Tolle’s book very helpful. For example, his analysis of the false and futile ways the ego tries to give itself worth is superb. His insights on judgment, the origins of violence and the causes of relational dysfunction were wonderful. His strong emphasis on “living in the present moment” is full of wisdom. And he is brilliant at helping readers identify ways in which they get stuck. In light of this, I can easily understand why many readers experience “aha” moments as they read this material. Tolle masterfully names issues all of us wrestle with, usually without knowing it. One can’t help but feel like Tolle is telling their own story.

And it is in revealing the issues "all of us wrestle with, usually without knowing it" that is such a valuable part of Tolle's teachings.

More on this tomorrow......