How I Found God in Everyone and Everywhere: An Anthology of Spiritual Memoirs

by Andrew M. Davis (Editor), Philip Clayton (Editor)

         
Much can be gained from trailing the spiritual narratives of those who have traveled ahead of us, for the God they have found, we may never have considered. How I Found God in Everyone and Everywhere captures for a general audience the spiritual shift away from popular notions of a God "up there" and "out there" and toward immanent and inclusive understandings of a God in our very midst. It's built around the fascinating personal journeys of a close-knit group of prominent contributors, leaders including Deepak Chopra, Richard Rohr, Rupert Sheldrake, Matthew Fox, Cynthia Bourgeault, Ilia Delio, Keith Ward and others.

As these diverse spiritual memoirs testify, for many today, the spiritual journey has lead to the discovery of a divine reality that, it turns out, we already inhabit, one that encompasses us all. Sometimes called "panentheism," this relational and participatory vision is allowing for a "return to God after God" and thus a continuation of the spiritual journey. This God is not found in some people and some places, but in everyone and everywhere.

Genres: Spirituality, Religion, Theology, Nonfiction, Christian, Faith

240 pages, Paperback

Published September 18, 2018

About the author

Andrew M. Davis is pastor of First Baptist Church of Durham, North Carolina, and a visiting professor of church history at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Chairman of the governance committee of the Gospel Coalition, Davis has written articles for TGC's popular website and has spoken in plenary and breakout sessions at TGC's national conference. He is the author of An Infinite Journey, named by Tim Challies as one of the top ten books of 2014.

Reviews

[zefis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start with this - Please don’t let my 3 star rating deter you. I want to give this book 4 stars but there are too many reasons why I shouldn’t do that.

Andrew Davis and Philip Clayton have collected a series of essays they call Spiritual Memoirs (more on that in a moment) that chart the tumultuous spiritual journeys of some of The Who’s Who of current theologians and spiritual teachers. I’m the introduction, Davis describes these journeys as “Finding God after God,” a concept I can personally relate to. I was very excited to read this book as it came recommended by the Cosmic Campfire Pop-up Book club.

I found the memoirs by Ilia Delio, Rupert Sheldrake, Richard Rohr and Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson succinct, moving, and intellectually stimulating. Unfortunately, not all of the authors followed the prompt they were given. Matthew Fox’s memoir, for example, is basically 20 pages of him quoting his previous works and arguing for why Panentheism is a superior theological framework. Deepak Chopra’s essay, which I was most excited to read, was an argument for panentheism that had little to do with his personal life and read more as a condemnation of dualist thinking. On top of this, there were at least a dozen typos in the printed book. The E-book didn’t seem to have that issue, only the printed version.

Overall, this is a book worth reading if you are stuck spiritually and looking for a fresh perspective on who God could be and how we as humans can connect with that God. The editors could have done a better job helping the contributors refine their works.

[Rudy Gallardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro que me llenó mucho, me hizo espiritualmente más fuerte y ayudó a mejorar mi relación con Dios. Sin duda alguna, es un libro para quienes tienen hambre de Dios y el mensaje tradicional no los llena.

“Unless God enters into daily decisions and furthermore, brings about better results than doing without God, the divine will be at most an add-on to the modern life”

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good anthology about panentheism from various religious perspectives.

[Curt Matzenbacher · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me it was a scattershot mix of stories that resonated and others that meandered into seeming nonsense. Part of the disjointed feel came from the fact that many of the authors did not even take a "memoir" approach, as the subtitle would lead one to expect for a common thread.

There are some definite gems here at the same time, though. Davis does a good job of putting a bow on the thing in the closing chapter as well.

[Mark Jurgensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book promised a lot more than it delivered. With the exception of Matthew Fox's fine essay, I felt like I pretty much wasted nine bucks for the Kindle edition. For a clearer, more compelling presentation of panentheism, I would suggest reading mystics like Julian of Norwich, Mechtild of Magdeburg, Hildegaard of Bingen, or Meister Eckhart.

[Elizabeth Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the greatest nondual thinkers on the planet weigh in on immanence. These essays are great. They are not, however, memoirs (with one exception).

[Peter Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a unique book in that the chapters are meant to be "spiritual memoirs" of noted progressive theologians. Most of them are, though a few deviate somewhat from my idea of memoir. A few of the chapters will stay with me a long time. A few were slogs so full of theological and philosophical jargon that presumed knowledge I clearly don't possess tat I was forced to skim over the words in hopes of finding something, anything, to which I could connect. Still, taken as a whole this is one of the most important works of theology I've read since Richard Rohr's Universal Christ, or Marcus Borg's The Jesus I Never Knew. Not for the faint of heart... but worth it.

[Ed Wojniak · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent anthology of spiritual memoirs, as the title states. I don't recall ever having read a book that has so explicitly had its contributors discuss in such warm detail the spiritual journeys that have characterized their lives. And, I don't know that I've ever heard from the pulpit, the idea that our spiritual journey might take us through a different conceptions of God, humanity, and the nature of reality like this book has. (I would imagine that it might be too scary to talk or even think about for many.) The exploration of ideas relatively new to me (e.g., panentheism and anatheism) was very enlightening and helpful as I, too, try to put the puzzle pieces together.

[Adam Curfman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent read, I found value in pretty much every essay (though some were better than others). I am not generally a fan of the “memoir” genre as I feel like authors tend to use personal examples to “prove” certain statements. However, I appreciate that the authors were able to weave theological themes and insights into their own stories, using their experiences as examples of the value of their beliefs (rather than proof points).

[Sheryll · Rating 5 out of 5]

My new favorite book to recommend. Wonderful summaries of personal spirituality from favorite theologians.

[Michiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not an easy book to read. But also a book that is worth to read because of a view key sentences. An opening into a whole new collection of books, ideas, and thoughts.

[Kim Voyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book that includes chapters written by various authors. I particularly liked Cynthia Bourgeault chapter.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was an element of memoir to many of the essays contained in this book, but overall it had to do with panentheism (not pantheism). Some of the essays seemed very philosophical and lacking in the telling of experience which I was looking for. I skimmed over those. Those I especially enjoyed were by: Deepak Chopra, Richard Rohr, Matthew Fox, Cynthia Bourgeault, Ilia Delio, and Bradley Shavit Artson. Other readers might more enjoy the other contributors and benefit from what they had to say. That is probably the real value of this book in that it can meet people at different points. Those that I mentioned were ones I could relate to from my own experience.

[Monica Mitri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating spiritual memoirs on finding God after God, on reaching out to the Transcendence that is also immanent in the universe. The book presents panentheism as the path of return to God after "the death of God": the alternative between classical theism and pantheism, and beyond the limits of a reductionist materialistic atheism. As Dr. Sarah Coakley once succinctly put it, "the universe is shot through with God."

[Craig Bergland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mind numbingly dwells in the head, no real room for any experiential or mystical perspective here. If you like that stuff, if you enjoy self-congratulatory festivals of excess, sanitized by a refusal to step away from cognitive masturbatory rituals for even a moment, you will eat this crap right up. As for me, not so much.

[Bryce Haymond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great anthology of wise spiritual teachers' journeys in approaching an understanding of God.

[Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Accessible, valuable personal accounts of holy experiences and their theological implications.

[Liza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I skipped around, didn't read them all but may go back to some later.