The Creative Encounter

by Howard Thurman

Howard Thurman writes here about the "meaning of the religious experience as it involves the individual totally, which means inclusive of feelings and emotions."

Genres: Theology, Spirituality, Religion, Philosophy

156 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 1972

About the author

Howard Washington Thurman was an author, philosopher, theologian, educator, and civil rights leader. As a prominent religious figure, he played a leading role in many social justice movements and organizations of the twentieth century.

Reviews

[Shalom · Rating 4 out of 5]

seriously..what doesn't he do well?

[Ferrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that Thurman, more than anyone I’ve read, captures what I believe about God, following Jesus, and relating to the world. With this brief book, I found the first and fourth (final) chapters most profound.

[Drick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a series of four lectures that Thurman delivered at Ohio Wesleyan University in March 1954. Beginning with the individual's experience with God he focuses on 4 themes: the inwardness of religion, the outwardness of religion, the inner need of love, and the outer necessity of love. While much of what happens int he first 80% of the book could be considered basic teaching on prayer and medition and how to incorporate that into one's life, the final section of the book zeroes in on the racial and cultural division with the church. He offers The Church of All Nations, of which he was a co-founder and pastor, as an alternative where people of all denominations, races and religions are bound by a common search for an experience with God and do not allow race, class, religion and other sectarian issues divide. Knowing that this was written and spoken in 1954 is both inspiring and informative.

[Adam Tierney-Eliot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been meaning to read this book for years and finally found the time. Howard Thurman was an important and influential thinker in a number of areas during the mid 20th Century. This work, in particular, is compelling as he integrates his variation of Christian mysticism with a charge to act in the world. In the final chapter he specifically addresses segregation within Christendom, which remains a problem today. However, most of the book builds a solid theological and spiritual argument that can be applied to a large number issues during this troubled time.

Some Thoughts for Readers:

1) His style is accessible but academic. In the early chapters he lays the foundation of an argument that he doesn't really address until the end. Rest assured, he does get to it! That said, he begins by outlining the religious experience as an encounter between the individual and God. The four chapters ("The Inwardness of Religion", "The Outwardness of Religion", "The Inner Need for Love", and ""The Outer Necessity for Love") build on each other as he reaches his key point.

I actually enjoyed this format. Sometimes--as a religious person engaged with the world--I struggle to articulate the spiritual dimensions of my work. Thurman takes time here to create a spiritual structure that is both sustainable and sustaining.

2) It is from the 1950's. Also the book began life as a series of lectures, which is probably why they possess such clear lines of demarcation from chapter to chapter. As such it belongs to a certain style of writing that can be hard for us to follow at first. That said, if you can manage essayists like CS Lewis, you can handle H. Thurman.

3) Also, he uses a TON of male pronouns. These are the product of a time but they can make one stumble a bit today. Were I to reference his writing in church, I would probably use more inclusive language. After all, the theme is VERY inclusive. Still, I persevered in reading partly by reminding myself how important Thurman's thought was in the civil rights battles that followed and that continue to this day.

[Jeffrey N. Hora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another inspiring work by Dr. Thurman. Reconciling the inner and outer aspects of religious experience and how they integrate into our lives every day.