Reviews for Of Earth and Sky: Spiritual Lessons from Nature

The average rating for Of Earth and Sky: Spiritual Lessons from Nature based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2018-01-14 00:00:00 Norbert Matthias Karl A fine Catholic perspective of baptism and the imparting of the Holy Spirit. The authors give a comprehensive history of the Christian initiation while warning of Montanism and Messalianism. The early churches liturgy was focused on Christ's baptism and the descent of the Holy Spirit resting on the initiated. But this focused changed. The death and resurrection of Christ became more prominent and with Montanism and Messalianism, the charisms or gifts of the Spirit were diminished and later seen as an ancient facet of the church. Nontheless, the gifts of the Holy Spirit were active in the early church and later hidden within monasteries. Essentially, only ascetics could attain the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Yet, as Paul and the early church fathers remind, the gifts were for the edification of the body of Christ and for the world. The Holy Spirit is the one who transforms the Christian. But the gifts are not to be abused. Nor are they to be a focus or boast. Most of the life of a Christian is lived in the valley and the desert. The gifts are not ornaments of ecstasy and feeling. Although, the Holy Spirit builds up the Christian in joy despite circumstances. In my opinion, the Holy Spirit moves in quiet, unassuming and powerful ways. In wisdom, in healing of the whole person (whether in body, mind, or heart) on a Sunday morning or quiet prayer visiting someone in the hospital or home. In deliverance from a tormenting, mocking spirit. (And of course there are more dramatic ways the Holy Spirit may move, look at the Prophets in the Old Testament and in current churches.) A final reminder of the charisms of the Holy Spirit: the gifts may manifest at the initiation (the water-bath). Or it may gradually grow and manifest later in the Christian's life. The Spirit has his own timetable. The gifts of the Spirit are a reality in this day and age. In trinitarian theology, the Spirit is of the same essence as the Father and Son. One is not more or less than the other. The bottom line is that the Holy Spirit is a reality. The gifts imparted are never for show. He transforms the Christian's life. He is the joy of joy, the life of life. The Holy Spirit being God's Life, is truly the Life of Christ. The Holy Spirit transforms us, makes us whole and holy, gives us true personality. The Holy Spirit gives us Life in Christ that points toward the reality of the Kingdom of God.

Review # 2 was written on 2020-12-28 00:00:00 Jose Borges I read the portion adressing the first 8 centuries. It was brilliant to use the revelation of he Holy Spirit as the linking theme trough the first 8 centuries of he early church. It shows how the history of he church impacted the expectancy and understand of eqch church cimmuniy throuh out he centuries. It was really my first journey into early church history and it was exactly what I wanted. I would recomend the first half to anyone. The section by George Montague was very similar to his commentay of he holy spirit so I did not spend as much time in that.