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One River, Many Wells: Wisdom Springing from Global Faiths
Maverick theologian Matthew Fox brings readers into the common heart of the world's great religions, illuminating a "deep ecumenism" for seekers everywhere.
We get to the core of religion by going to the heart experience, Matthew Fox says, not by dwelling on doctrines that so easily divide even within religious traditions. In One River, Many Wells , Fox exhorts readers to embrace the common faith of deep ecumenism.
Fox masterfully distills the common principles of the world's religions, and shows exactly how the different fingers of world faiths connect to a single hand. Drawing on seminal quotes, lessons, and ideas from the great faiths, he demonstrates how each expresses a common goal and approach to life, and concludes the book with "18 New Myths and Visions" that will inspire readers to embrace deep ecumenism.
One River, Many Wells is an indispensable resource, envisioning a new and exciting way of faith that erases the lines of false distinction between religions and calls upon each of us to worship from our common heart.
We get to the core of religion by going to the heart experience, Matthew Fox says, not by dwelling on doctrines that so easily divide even within religious traditions. In One River, Many Wells , Fox exhorts readers to embrace the common faith of deep ecumenism.
Fox masterfully distills the common principles of the world's religions, and shows exactly how the different fingers of world faiths connect to a single hand. Drawing on seminal quotes, lessons, and ideas from the great faiths, he demonstrates how each expresses a common goal and approach to life, and concludes the book with "18 New Myths and Visions" that will inspire readers to embrace deep ecumenism.
One River, Many Wells is an indispensable resource, envisioning a new and exciting way of faith that erases the lines of false distinction between religions and calls upon each of us to worship from our common heart.
480 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 2000
20 people are currently reading
359 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Fox
157 books175 followersTimothy James "Matthew " Fox is an American priest and theologian. Formerly a member of the Dominican Order within the Catholic Church, he became a member of the Episcopal Church following his expulsion from the order in 1993.
Fox has written 35 books that have been translated into 68 languages and have sold millions of copies and by the mid-1990s had attracted a "huge and diverse following"
Fox has written 35 books that have been translated into 68 languages and have sold millions of copies and by the mid-1990s had attracted a "huge and diverse following"
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 25, 2013
This book is so full of wisdom and powerful writings from so many spiritual masters that it is hard to describe. Bends the mind and surprises the spirit. Plan to spend many hours reflecting on the messages within. Not a fast read.
January 5, 2014
This is one of the best books on the perennial philosophy that I have read. It's so good that I read it twice and then proceeded to read every one of Dr. Fox's book, listen to his recorded lectures, and recently I had the opportunity to hear him speak in person. This book is excellent at synthesizing the similarities and reconciling the differences between the world's major faith traditions. I love its use of Meister Eckhart's metaphor of God being a great underground River that cannot be dammed up and how Dr. Fox speaks of the religions as being wells accessing that River. I highly recommend this and Matthew Fox's other books to anyone interested in a living, breathing faith for our times.
December 3, 2017
This is one of about 30 books written or edited by a man named Matthew Fox. Fox is a defrocked priest who has found a home in the Episcopal Church, and is, in his own words, "Attempting to reinvent worship to bring it up to date with today's community and beliefs." He presides over what is called the Cosmic Mass, a meeting of worshipers that incorporates rap and techno rock music, and substitutes dancing for prayers. He also advocates the worship of what he calls the Cosmic Christ, which is a theology that combines teachings from such diverse religions as Buddhism, Native American Spirituality, and Catholicism, and has a strong enviromentalist bent.
The greater part of this book is spent in bringing up various subjects within theology, comparing what the differnt faiths have to say about them, and basically attempting to demonstrate that they all teach the same precepts. This is all well and good, except when one begins to take a look at the different teachers and scholars that Fox is quoting. The teacher that he quotes from the most is Meister Eckhart, a 13th century priest of the Catholic Church. This is a man that is now considered one of the first Christian mystics, but who died after being accused and convicted of heresy by the Pope. The second is Hildegard of Bingen, a 12th century abbess. She is known for her volumous writings, which include musical compositions, but was also involved in considerable controversy for her friction with the bishops and cardinals who were above her in the hierarcy of the Church. Her only saving grace was that her followers believed that she was the recipient of visions, and she was allowed to die peacefully in her bed. The third is Ibn Al-Arabi, a 12th century Sufi teacher. Sufism is the mystical branch of Islam, and even today fundamentalist Muslims call him a heretic and apostate.
Though these examples are not, by far, the only traditions that Fox pulls from, I think we can begin to see a pattern here. Fox has concentrated his examples from only the mystic sects of the main world religions, combining them with the Goddess-centered religions, like Native American Spiritualism, and the pantheon religions, such as Hinduism, in an attempt to create his own personal version of religion and belief. While I am not saying, in any way, that any of these religions are wrong or bad, I am saying that this is a man who is using a collection of splinter mystics, whom the majority within their own religions do not agree with, to justify a way of believing that is, itself, his own mysticism. This fact takes away from his arguments in a substantial way. Fox may be correct in many of his assertions, but he is definitely climbing the slippery side of the slope attempting to prove it.
The greater part of this book is spent in bringing up various subjects within theology, comparing what the differnt faiths have to say about them, and basically attempting to demonstrate that they all teach the same precepts. This is all well and good, except when one begins to take a look at the different teachers and scholars that Fox is quoting. The teacher that he quotes from the most is Meister Eckhart, a 13th century priest of the Catholic Church. This is a man that is now considered one of the first Christian mystics, but who died after being accused and convicted of heresy by the Pope. The second is Hildegard of Bingen, a 12th century abbess. She is known for her volumous writings, which include musical compositions, but was also involved in considerable controversy for her friction with the bishops and cardinals who were above her in the hierarcy of the Church. Her only saving grace was that her followers believed that she was the recipient of visions, and she was allowed to die peacefully in her bed. The third is Ibn Al-Arabi, a 12th century Sufi teacher. Sufism is the mystical branch of Islam, and even today fundamentalist Muslims call him a heretic and apostate.
Though these examples are not, by far, the only traditions that Fox pulls from, I think we can begin to see a pattern here. Fox has concentrated his examples from only the mystic sects of the main world religions, combining them with the Goddess-centered religions, like Native American Spiritualism, and the pantheon religions, such as Hinduism, in an attempt to create his own personal version of religion and belief. While I am not saying, in any way, that any of these religions are wrong or bad, I am saying that this is a man who is using a collection of splinter mystics, whom the majority within their own religions do not agree with, to justify a way of believing that is, itself, his own mysticism. This fact takes away from his arguments in a substantial way. Fox may be correct in many of his assertions, but he is definitely climbing the slippery side of the slope attempting to prove it.
April 4, 2011
I love the ideas on religion and spirituality that this author discusses. The idea that spiritual thoughts, ideas, and values have common ground across many religions and philosophies feels instinctively right to me.
June 22, 2021
A very nice book! I appreciate the perspective it gives and the chance to look at different facets of religions of the world.
If I had one request, it would be to include more on divine sexuality. As someone of the lgbtq society, I’d have loved to hear more about that facet. I also don’t know how to feel about him referring to Jewish people sometimes as just plain “Jew.” Over all, it had interesting ideas and made me more interested in deep ecumenism of religion so it fulfilled its part I think.
I appreciate that he was self aware that it was only just a beginning/introduction of ecumenism, because he said the book definitely didn’t include it all. Perhaps a part two would be interesting? Although seeing as this book is 21 years old, I don’t see that happening too soon!
I’d recommend it to people lost in religion, potentially looking for help. I’d also recommend it to any teacher who is very literal in religion teaching.
If you’re a laid back, accepting, and left viewing individual with an open mind, this book is for you.
If I had one request, it would be to include more on divine sexuality. As someone of the lgbtq society, I’d have loved to hear more about that facet. I also don’t know how to feel about him referring to Jewish people sometimes as just plain “Jew.” Over all, it had interesting ideas and made me more interested in deep ecumenism of religion so it fulfilled its part I think.
I appreciate that he was self aware that it was only just a beginning/introduction of ecumenism, because he said the book definitely didn’t include it all. Perhaps a part two would be interesting? Although seeing as this book is 21 years old, I don’t see that happening too soon!
I’d recommend it to people lost in religion, potentially looking for help. I’d also recommend it to any teacher who is very literal in religion teaching.
If you’re a laid back, accepting, and left viewing individual with an open mind, this book is for you.
July 2, 2025
The worship of the different religions, which are like so many small streams, move together to meet God, who is like the ocean.
All religions, all this singing, is one song. The differences are just illusion and vanity. The sun's light looks a little different on this wall than it does on that wall, but its the same light.
For those in love, Muslim, Christian, and Jew do not exist. Why listen to those who see it another way? If they are not in love their eyes do not exist.
I have learned so much from God that I can no longer call myself a Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Jew.
Religion became irrelevant. Faith has been replaced by creed, worship by discipline, love by habit. Faith becomes an heirloom rather than a living fountain, when it speaks in the name of authority rather than the voice of compassion.
All religions, all this singing, is one song. The differences are just illusion and vanity. The sun's light looks a little different on this wall than it does on that wall, but its the same light.
For those in love, Muslim, Christian, and Jew do not exist. Why listen to those who see it another way? If they are not in love their eyes do not exist.
I have learned so much from God that I can no longer call myself a Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Jew.
Religion became irrelevant. Faith has been replaced by creed, worship by discipline, love by habit. Faith becomes an heirloom rather than a living fountain, when it speaks in the name of authority rather than the voice of compassion.
March 9, 2017
A needed voice in the wilderness - for how to get out of dead paradigms from the past. There is far more wisdom than two historical texts, from the children of Abraham, that are being used to terrorize the inhabitants of Mother Earth.
June 24, 2008
I like the energy of Fox's spiritual movement, but after attending one of his new (cosmic whatchamacallit) masses a few years ago, I found it hokey, but well meaning. I admire any attempt to break down the traditional western judeo-christian boring-as-fuck worship service. That may be why the current pope, in his last position, ex-communicated Fox. That being said, I'm all about Fox's message of Original Blessing (as opposed to that giant oppressive mountain of bullshit, Original Sin).
I like this book as reference material and inspiration. In this book, Fox takes a variety of spiritual sources of wisdom (many wellls) and attempts to illustrate or illuminate their parallels (one river). Not only does he do a good job at making the parallels easy to see, he does it in a very poetic way that is enjoyable to read on both a spiritual and artistic level.
I like this book as reference material and inspiration. In this book, Fox takes a variety of spiritual sources of wisdom (many wellls) and attempts to illustrate or illuminate their parallels (one river). Not only does he do a good job at making the parallels easy to see, he does it in a very poetic way that is enjoyable to read on both a spiritual and artistic level.
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June 19, 2010Why we need to appreciate everyone's faith contributions = excellent!
December 25, 2015
Wonderful book if you like chanting and meditating with God's name.
August 4, 2023
Perfect for one of my classes.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews