Thomas Berry: Selected Writings on the Earth Community (Modern Spiritual Masters)

Thomas makes an emotional and cogent call, to restore the numinous in scientific inquiry. Bringing humility, diversity into communion with our subjectivity. Deep respect for nearly 14 Billion years of Universe, over 4 Billion years of our home the planet Earth, life over 3 Billion years when compared to our species Homo sapiens of 200,000 years. An integral ecology that acknowledging continental integrity, language, culture and spiritual development maintains Earth's capacity to sustain an ecosystem of land, air, water that supports all microbe, plant, animal, oceanic life, birds of the air, and the diversity of humanity.

This book is a summary of the many books and thoughts which Thomas Berry has written and shared over so many years. He was so far ahead of his time and it has taken us so long to catch up with his thinking and wisdom. I was in the seminary in the 1950's-1960's. Would we have even been able to understand his thinking? I doubt it. Our own History of Philosophy course which touched on Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucionism, was almost put in the curriculum to bore us to death. So tragic that we did not have the great mind of Thomas Berry at that time. But then we would not have accepted him because the Catholic Way was the "only way" and we did not need to know anything else.Thomas Berry is a true "ecological Saint". He needs to be read and reread and his work has to continue in all of us if there is to be any hope for this planet and for our world. Religious fundamentalism is destroying our world. The "Religious tribes" will do anything to protect themselves but they cannot see that the bigger world needs love and care and not bigotry and hatred and violence and greed.PLEASE READ AND BECOME AWARE OF THE SACREDNESS OF THIS WORLD.

This book is like a map of the garden of Thomas Berry's writings. Each chapter features a theme that Berry wrote about. The chapters start with an introduction section by the editors and then are followed by a series of excerpts from a variety of books, articles and chapters that Berry wrote through the course of his life. Each excerpt is followed by a reference to the original source, so If you want to delve deeper into the garden you know where to wander next.Personally, after reading this book, I recommend his book, "The Great Work - Our Way Into The Future" to be an excellent followup read. The Selected Writings and the The Great Work are full of seeds that can grow into a greater understanding of the significance of this moment in the history of life on Earth, and a spiritual perspective that goes beyond the Earth.

Are use the book in a book club discussion group.

Thomas Berry, in a cosmic coincidence, is very much a wonderful mix of Thomas Merton and Wendell Berry.A sincerely spiritual personality deeply rooted in the earth community, who writes beautifully about a philosophy of life that is both completely original and naturally familiar.This collection is an excellent starting point before getting in deep with A Dream of the Earth.Highly, highly recommended.

I am taking a Coursera course on Thomas Berry's life and writings. I found this book (the authors are also the course teachers) indispensable for the course. Thomas Berry was a remarkable man and this is an excellent collection of his writings.

and the on-line course, "Journey of the Universe", Mary Evelyn Tucker/John Grim et al

The great bulk of the material in this collection consists of essays or parts of essays already reproduced in other volumes by the same two Yale instructors, who seem to have made a cottage industry of republishing the writings of Thomas Berry. Perhaps this is a common practice among academics; but if you are at all familiar with Berry's eco-philosophy, my advice is: don't buy this book!

Every page inspiring and provocative. Great introduction to his work and thinking. Good value for money too. Let us have more

A must read for everyone. This is one of those key books that can change lives.