Catholicism for the New Age: Matthew Fox

CatholicismfortheNewAge:MatthewFoxandCreation-CenteredSpirituality

byMitchellPacwa,S.J.

FatherMatthewTimothyFox,O.P.(OrderofPreachers,commonlyknownastheDominicans),hasplacedhimselfatthecenter ofastorm insidetheCatholicchurch.WhatgaverisetotheconflictbetweenFoxandCatholicleadership?IsFoxadangertothe Christianchurch?Thesearequestionsweshallseektoanswerinthisarticle.

MatthewFoxwasbornonDecember21,1940,enteredtheDominicansin1960,andwasordainedapriestin1967.In1970he receivedadoctorate,summacumlaude,fromtheInstitutCatholique(Paris)inMedievaltheology.

Hisfirstpopularbookonprayer, OnBecoming aMusical,MysticalBear (1972),createdtheimpetuswhicheventuallyledtohis establishingtheInstituteforCultureandCreationSpirituality(ICCS)in1977atMundeleinCollege,asmallCatholicwomen’s collegeinChicago.HemovedtheICCStoHolyNamesCollege,anothersmallCatholiccollegein Oakland,Californiain1983, whereithasremainedtothepresentday.

TheICCSteachingstaffincludesStarhawkthewitch(aliasMiriamSimos);BuckGhostHorse,ashaman(mysticguidehealer); LuishTeish,aYoruba(WestAfrican)voodoopriestess;and RobertFrager,representingSufism(Islamicmysticism).Typicalof NewAgeapproachestospirituality,somepsychologyisthrownin:JohnGiannini,aJungiananalyst,andJeanLanier,aGestalt therapist.BrianSwimmeistheresidentcosmologist,and“geologian”(i.e.,exponentofenvironmentalwisdom)Fr.(Father) ThomasBerryteachesonoccasion.

FoxestablishedBearandCompanytopublishcreationspiritualitybooks,suchas EarthAscending, byJoseArguelles,originator ofthe1987“HarmonicConvergence,”and MedicineCards:TheDiscoveryofPowerthroughtheWaysofAnimals, complete withbookand“medicineshield”cards.Laterhefounded Creation, amagazinesponsoredbytheFriendsofCreationSpirituality, Inc.,whosepresidentandeditor-in-chiefisFox. Creation describesitselfas“deeplyecumenical,deeplycosmological,deeply practicalanddeeplyalternative.”ArecentissueportraysanudeJesusChrist,seatedintheyogalotusposition,withantlersonHis head(July/August,1991).Anothershowsthe“QetzalcoatlChrist,”withtheLord’sfaceinapictureofQetzalcoatl,theAztec PlumedSerpentdeity(May/June,1992).

Fox’sproblemswiththeCatholichierarchybeganin1984whenCardinalJosephRatzinger,theheadoftheVatican’sdepartment forprotectingorthodoxy,askedtheDominicanOrdertoinvestigateFox’swritings.ThreeDominicantheologiansexaminedhis booksin1985andconcludedtheywerenotheretical.Oneofthem,Fr.BenedictAshley,O.P.,reportedata1991lecturethat Fox’sworkdidnotseemworthcondemningbecauseitwastoosuperficialanddidnotappeartobeadangertothefaithful.He waswrong,ashenowadmits.

TheVaticancontinuedtoobjecttoFox’steachings,suchashisdiminishingorevendenialoforiginalsin, refusaltodenybeliefin pantheism(thebeliefthatGodisallandallisGod),endorsinghomosexualunionsinthechurch,identifyinghumansas“mothers ofGod,”andcallingGod“ourMother.”Thepresenceofthewitch,Starhawk,ontheICCSstaffcaused anotherscandal.Forthese andotherreasons,theVaticanin1986askedtheDominicanMasterGeneraltostopFox.ButtheChicagoDominicansuperior, Fr.DonaldGoergen,O.P.,wroteadetaileddefenseonFox’sbehalfandlethimgoon.

InSeptember,1987 Ratzinger’sVaticanofficebeganitsowninvestigationofFoxandhisteachings.Fr.Goergenreceived chargesagainstFoxinApril,1988,butclaimedthatFox’stheologicalviewshadnotbeendisproven.AtthispointtheVatican insistedthattheDominicanspreventFoxfromfurtherteachingandwriting.Accordingly,theMasterGeneralaskedFoxtotakea oneyearsabbaticaltocalmthesituation.Ina“PastoralLettertoCardinalRatzingerandtheWholeChurch,”Foxrespondedby publiclycallingtheCatholicchurchadysfunctionalfamilybecause“power,nottheology,istherealissue.”Still,hebeganayearlongsilenceonDecember15,1988.

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OnDecember15,1989,Foxresumedhisbusyteaching,lecturing,andwritingschedule includingappearancesatJohn Denver’s(NewAge)WindstarFoundationandanEasterretreatatFindhorn,Scotland(aprototypeNewAgecommunity).In 1991Fr.GoergenorderedFoxtoleavetheICCSinCaliforniaandreturntoChicagoorfacedismissalfromtheDominicanorder. Foxrefused,andatthetimeofthiswritinghisdismissalawaitsonlytheVatican’sformalapproval.Ifdismissed,Foxwould remainapriest,butwouldbeforbiddentoperformthesacraments.

Foxcontinuestohavetremendousinfluence bothwithinandoutsidetheCatholicchurch.RecentlyCNNInternationalfeatured himasatheologianspeakingfortheenvironment.Hisbooksareusedbynuns,arefoundatCatholicretreathouses,andare distributedinbookstores religiousandNewAgealike.InfluencedbyFox, somenunsincludewicca(witchcraft)ceremoniesin theirritualsandcelebrations,breakingtheheartsofbelievingCatholicswhowitnessit.Creationspirituality (see glossary)is taughttoyoungchildren,neglectingthedoctrinesofsinandredemption, butstartingclasseswitha“PledgeofAllegiancetothe Earth.”

In1989,ReverendLawrenceKrause agraduateoftheAmericanBaptistSeminaryinCovina,California,andordainedbythe CovenantChurch startedtheNewCreationFellowshipandRenewalCenterinLaMesa,California.ThisappearstobeaNew AgedenominationinspiredbyFox’sideas.

Inthisarticle,IshallexamineFox’steachingsinsomedetail,focusingprimarilyonhisworldviewandhisviewofGodand Christ.IshallthenexamineFox’sreliabilityasascholar,forifhisscholarshipcanbeshowntobefaulty,theneverythinghe teachesandwritesbecomessuspect.

FOX’SWORLDVIEW

TwoquestionsintheintroductiontoFox’sbook OriginalBlessing provideanimportantinsightintohis worldview:

1. Inourquestforwisdomandsurvival,doesthehumanracerequiteanewreligiousparadigm[model]?

2. Doesthecreation-centeredspiritualtraditionoffersuchaparadigm?

Asthereadermayguess,myanswertoboththesequestionsis: yes 1

ANewParadigm

LikemanyNewAgers,Foxborrowstheideaofa“paradigmshift”fromDr.ThomasKuhn,ahistorianofscience.Kuhn describeshowpeoplemakemodelsorparadigmsoftheuniversetodirecttheirinterpretationofitsevents.Scienceoftensh apes thebasicparadigmsbywhichpeopleviewreality.Sometimesscientificdiscoveriessoseverelyaffecttheoldparadigmsthatthey areabandonedfornewandmoreusefulones.

Suchaparadigmshiftoccurredwhensciencechangedfromthemechanisticideaoftheuniverse,whichisassociatedwithSir IsaacNewton,toAlbertEinstein’sworldofrelativity.Newtoninterpretedtheuniverseasahugemechanicalsystemthatoperates accordingtopredictable,immutablelaws(suchasthe lawofgravity).Hisparadigmcompartmentalizedtheworldintodiscrete entities distinctconstituentpartsofthelargermechanism.

BuckminsterFuller,MatthewFox,andmanyothersclaimthatthenew Einsteinian paradigmhasnotyetbeenacceptedinplace ofthe Newtonian paradigm.Onceitis,theysay,acompletelynewwayofviewingtheworldwilldominate.Thisnewparadigmis onethatwilllinkhumanitywithallcreation,andwillemphasizetheinterconnectednessofallthings.Inotherwords,a “wholeness”paradigmwillreplaceNewton’smechanisticparadigm.

Foxisanevangelistoftheinevitablenewscientific,religious,andphilosophicalparadigm.Evidently,hewantstoincorporate Christiantheologyandspiritualtraditionsintothisnewparadigm.ForFox,itisimportanttonote,Christianideasdonothave priorityoverthenewparadigm.Rather,Christianitymustchangetofitthenewideas.Ifthechurchdoesnotadaptandleadthe newwayofthinking,“MotherEarth”willdie,takingeveryonedownwithher.How,then,mustthechurchchange,accordingto Fox?

Torecoverthewisdomthatislurkinginreligioustraditionswehavetoletgoofmorerecentreligioustraditions…. Specifically,….anexclusivelyfall/redemptionmodelofspirituality….It[thefall/redemptionmodel]isadualisticmodel [separatingthesacredandprofane]andapatriarchal[fatheroriented,maledominated]one;itbeginsitstheologywithsinand

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originalsin,anditgenerallyendswithredemption.Fall/redemptionspiritualitydoesnotteachbelieversabouttheNewCreation orcreativity,aboutjustice-makingandsocialtransformation,oraboutEros,play,pleasureandtheGodofdelight. 2

FoxidentifiesSt.Augustineandhistheologyofhumanity’sfailintosinandneedforredemptionastheprimeculpritbehind today’sproblems.Wars(especiallythethreatofnuclearwar),ecologicalcrises,boredom,unemployment,andtherestofmodern woesgobacktoSt.Augustine’sideathatpeoplearebornwithoriginalsinintheirsouls.Fall/redemptiontheologyleadsto “sentimentalismandfundamentalism,”focusingonpersonalsalvationandapersonalsavior. 3 Asaresult,Foxsays,peoplehave “noego,noself-respect,notolerancefordiversity,noloveofcreation,nosenseofhumor,[and]nosenseofsexualidentityor joy.”4

Frequently,asistypicalwithNewAgers,Fox’sbooksdecrysociety’sandthechurch’semphasisonthebrain’s left hemisphere, withitsanalytic,verbal,logicalprocesses.Foxwantspeopletoincorporatethe right hemisphereofthebrain,withitsemotion, connectionmaking,mysticism,cosmicdelight,andorientationtowardthematernal,silence,anddarkness.

Foxbelieveshisnewparadigmwillawakentheworldtothecosmic.InsteadofChristredeemingusfromsin,Christ Himself becomescosmic,liberatingeveryonefromthe“bondageandpessimisticnewsofaNewtonian,mechanisticuniversesoripewith competition...dualisms,anthropocentrism,and.…boredom.”5 Fox’stranslationofMeisterEckhart(athirteenthcenturyGerman mystic)saysthatallpersonsare“meanttobemothersofGod”andeveryoneiscalledtogivebirthtotheCosmicChristwithin themselvesandsociety.6 Then,withSt.HildegardofBingen(atwelfthcenturyBenedictineabbess),Eckhart,andpsychologist CarlJung,everyonewillknowthemselvestobe“divineandhuman,animalanddemon.WeareCosmicChrists.” 7

FoxalsoidentifiesChristwithMotherEarth.Forhim,Christ’sredemptiontakesonnewmeaningandpowerintheCosmicChrist contextifpeople seeitasthe“passion,resurrection,andascensionofMotherEarthconceivedasJesusChristcrucified, resurrected,andascended.”8 HolyCommunionis“intimate,”“local,”and“erotic”whenitbecomes“theeatinganddrinkingof thewoundedearth.”9

AkeyaspectofthenewparadigmisFox’sidealizationoffeministtheologyandrejectionofpatriarchal(fatheroriented)religion. Headvocatesareturntomaternal(motheroriented)religion,likethatofnativepeoplesthroughouttheworld.Their“matrifo cal [mother-centered]religion”helpsthemreverenceGodasamother,theearthasourmother,theuniverseasourgrandmother. Theycareforearth,hedeclares,andseekjustice,compassion,creativity,andharmonyamongpeopleandwithintheecology.He preachesthisreligiousidealasthenewparadigmof“deepecumenism,”whichwillallowpeopleofallreligionstocometogether atamysticallevel.

IsFoxaNewAger?

IsFoxaNewAger?Ontheonehand,hefreelyemploysNewAgeideas forexample,he setsNewtonagainstEinstein,the rightbrainagainsttheleft,andmysticismasthebasisofreligion,notdogma.HequotesNewAgethinkerssuchasFritjofCapra, BuckminsterFuller,andGregoryBateson.Hesuggeststhatthe“contemporarymysticalmovementknownas‘newage’can dialogueandcreatewithcreationspiritualtradition.”10

Ontheotherhand,FoxcriticizesNewAge“pseudo-mysticisms”suchasinterpreting“‘pastlifeexperiences’inanexcessively literalwaywithoutconsideringthepossible metaphoricalmeanings.”Dealingwith“pastlives,”heallows,isanacceptable techniqueof“workingout ofteninaverycommendableandcreativeway thedeepsufferingandpainfrom[people’s] presentlife.”11 WhileFox’sinterpretationofpastlife readingisnotNewAge,his endorsement ofthepractice,probablyfroma Jungianpointofview,isunacceptabletoScriptureandCatholicteaching.

FoxcriticizesotherNewAgetrendswhichare:“allspaceandnotime;allconsciousnessandnoconscience; allmysticismandno prophecy;allpastlifeexperiences,angelicencounters,untoldbliss,andnocritiqueofinjusticeoracknowledgmentofthe sufferinganddeaththatthetolloftimetakes.Inshort,nobody.TothesemovementstheCosmicChristsays ,‘Entertime.Behold mywounds.Loveyourneighbor.Setthecaptivesfree.’”12

Again,FoxdoesnotrejectNewAgepractices;hesimplywantsthembalancedbysocialjustice,conscience,andconcernforthe physicalworld.Heprophesiesinthenameofthe CosmicChristthatNewAgersshouldlovetheirneighborsanddojustice.New Agerswouldprobablyagree(manyNewAgethinkersandactivists,suchasCapra,haveraisedthesameconcerns)andmerrilygo toaconferenceonsavingtheenvironment,crystals, orchanneling.

Fox’sanalysis,however,isinadequatebecausehedoesnotrejectthe occult practicesoftheNewAgemovement.Commending witchcraftandshamanism(primitivespiritism)inhisInstituteencouragesdisciplestoinvestigatetheoccultinth eguiseof

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learningthewaysof“matrifocal”(mother-centered)primitivereligionsinordertoawakenthecompassionateandcreativemother ineveryone.

InScripture,Godcallsustobecompassionate,loving,andthirstyforjustice.Atthesametime,however,Hecondemnstheoccult practicesofnativeCanaanitereligion,itsmothergoddessesAnathandAshtarte,anditsdemandforhumansacrifices(Deut.18:914).Furthermore,Starhawk’swiccanreligionofthegoddessisexplicitlypantheistic(allis God) andmonistic(allis one).13 This causesonetowonderwhetherFox’sfrequentcommendationsofStarhawk’sworkinreawakeningthegoddessreligionmeanthat heacceptspantheismafterall.HonestyrequireshimtostatehistruerelationshiptoStarhawk’s wiccantheology:ishepantheistic ornot?

Foxevenaffirmsaqualifiedbeliefintheastrologicalages,asaffirmedbyJungandNewAgers.Foxcallsastrologya“tradition thatoffersusaglimpseintoourownfutures,”butinthesamesectionheemphaticallystates,“WhatIpresenthereisnotmy personalbeliefinastrology(Idonot believe inastrology)butamethodofseeingthehumanconsciousnesshistorically,where historicalmeansbothpastandfuture.”14

ForFox,astrologyisa“symbolicmethod ofseeingourfutures”that“mighthaveavaluableinsight.”Jungdefendsthisview“by arguingthatastrologicalwisdomissignificantforwhatittellsusofthecontentsofourspiritualunconsciousand,assuch,needs tobetakenveryseriously.”15 ThenFoxrecountsJung’sdescriptionof2,000year-longstagesinhumanhistorythe bull (Taurus), from4,000to2,000B.C. representing“primitive,instinctualcivilizations”;the ram (Aries),from2,000B.C.toAD.1 characterizedbyJudaism,conscience,andawarenessofevil;theageofthe fishes (Pisces),fromA.D.1to1997 “dominated religiouslybythefigureofChrist.”Thesymbolofthetwofishswimminginoppositedirections“impliesadualisticspirituality thathassocharacterizedChristianthinkingand,inparticular,Christianmysticism.ItimpliesaChristvs.anti-Christtension.”16

FoxclaimsthatthePisceanAgeendsattheendofthetwentiethcentury“accordingtothistheory,andifthereissometruthtoit,” theAgeofAquarius isopeningsoon.Itwillbecharacterizedbythesymbolofwaterand“thedeep,”buthedoesnotexplainthe significanceofthisfurther.IntheNewAge,“evilwillbemadeconscioustoeveryindividualwhomayinturnbemadetruly spiritualandresponsible.”Individualswillhaveexperiencesof“thelivingspirit”inthisspiritualage“whereboththespiritsof ugliness(evil)andofbeauty(God)willbeavailabletoeverypersontochooseinhisownWay.” 17 Hesaysitwillalsobeanage of“reincarnation,”notinthesenseoftransmigrationofsouls,whichherejects,butofrestoringthe sensual and incarnate sense again(i.e.,peoplewillhaveapositiveexperienceofgettingbackintouchwiththeirbodies). 18 Foxforeseesachangedchurchin theAgeofAquarius,too:“Sensualsacramentsandliturgies,churchleadersandschools,life-stylesandworkingconditions thereliesthere-incarnationalchurchforapost-PisceanAge.”19

TheNewAgemovementgetsitsnamefromitsbeliefthatsocietywill soonbetransformed(manyexpectthisaroundtheturnof themillennium).Thisbeliefmotivatesmanypeopletosupportthemovementbecausethechangesareproclaimedasinevitable andirreversible.SincenoonecanstoptheinexorableadvanceintotheAge ofAquarius,itisreasoned,itmakesmoresenseto joinitthanfightit.FoxtooisconvincedthattheoldPisceanAge,withitsdualistic,Augustinian,Newtonianworldview,is dead.20

Isuspectthat,likeNewAgers,Foxmotivateshimselfandotherstochangetheirideologyandtheologybecauseheisconvinced thatanew,AquarianAgeisupontheworldandthechurch.However,whatifheiswrong?Whatif1997doesnotusherinthe AgeofAquariusasheclaims?Christianityhasweatheredmanydramatic upheavalsinsociety fromthedestructionofIsraelin A.D.70,throughthecollapseoftheRomanEmpire,theFrenchRevolution,andtheatheisticpersecutionsoftheMarxistsand Nazis.Thechurch,thebelovedBrideofJesusChrist,willsurvive untilHereturnsforher,through theperiodNewAgerscallthe AgeofAquariusandbeyond.

FoxdoestheworldandthechurchadisservicebynotteachingthewholeScriptureandbyacceptingonlyparts.TheGreekword forheresymeanstakingpartsoutofthewhole.WhileFox’sloveofcreationanditsGod-givengoodnessiscommendable,his newparadigmisnot.ItbecomesavehiclebywhichChristiansareusheredintotheNewAgemovement.

FOX’STEACHINGONGODANDCHRIST

AcentralelementintheNewAgemovementisbeliefinpantheism,theideathatGodiseverythingandeverythingisGod.Where doesFox’sdoctrineofGodandChristplacehim?Althoughheseekstoavoidthisconclusion,hisviewsontheseall -important subjectsbelongintheNewAgecategory.

FoxexplicitlyrejectspantheismasaheresythatremovesGod’stranscendenceandmakesthesacramentsimpossible.21 Instead, heholdstopanentheism,whichteachesthat“everythingisinGodandGodisineverything.”Thisideahasitshomeinthelate

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Neo-Platonism(amysticalphilosophywhichcombinedideasfromPlatowithOriental,Jewish,andChristianbeliefs)ofthe MiddleAges,especiallyasrepresentedbyJohnErigena,NicholasofCusa,andMeisterEckhart.BecauseFoxdoesnotlike Platonism,he dubstheseNeo-Platonists“creation-centeredtheologians.”

Allthreephilosopherscameunderchurchscrutinyandcondemnationbecausetheirexplicitclaimsofpanentheism(whichisbad enough,sinceitholdsthatthecreationisinherentlydivine)masked animplicitpantheism.Foxhasthesameproblem.His quotationofNicholasofCusasoundslikepantheism,thoughhecallsitpanentheism:

Theabsolute,DivineMind,isallthatisineverythingthatis....Divinityistheenfoldingandunfoldingofeveryth ingthatis. Divinityisinallthingsinsuchawaythatallthingsareindivinity....

Weare,asitwere,ahumandeity.Humansarealsotheuniverse,butnotabsolutelysincewearehuman.Humanityisthereforea microcosm,orintruth,ahumanuniverse.ThushumanityitselfenclosesbothGodandtheuniverseinitshumanpower. 22

FoxfrequentlyquoteshisversionofMeisterEckhart:

TheseedofGodisinus....Nowtheseedofapeartreegrowsintoapeartree,ahazelseedintoahazeltree,these edofGodinto God.23 IdiscoverthatGodandIareone.ThereIamwhatIwas,andIgrowneithersmallernorbigger,forthereIaman immovablecausethatmovesallthings.24

TheseandsimilarpassagesthroughoutFox’sbooksmanifestanunderstandingofChristanddivinityrootedinFox’stranslations andimaginationratherthanScriptureorchurchteaching.SoundingremarkablylikeNewAgersMarkandElizabethClare ProphetoftheChurchUniversalandTriumphant,Foxwantspeopleto“birth”theirown“Iam,”whichistheexperienceofthe divine“Iam.”Thereasonforourexistence,Foxtellsus,isto“birththeCosmicChristinourbeinganddoing.” 25 Foxbelieves thateveryonecanandshouldgivebirthtotheCosmicChrist,whichhebelieveswillawakenthematernalwithinus.

Fox’sCosmicChristsoundspantheisticandnotatalllikeJesus,theonlybegottenSonofGod.Hewrites,“Thedivinenamefrom Exodus3:14,‘IAmwhoIAm,’isappropriatedbyJesuswhoshowsushowtoembraceourowndivinity.TheCosmicChristis theIamineverycreature.”26 AgainFoxsoundsliketheChurchUniversalandTriumphant,claimingthatJesusappropriatedHis divinityandwecandothesame.ThismakesJesusnomoredivinethanweare,asNewAgersteach.

Foxtellsusto“letgoofthequestforthehistoricalJesusandembarkonaquestfortheCosmicChrist” 27 Yethedoesnotwant CosmicChristtheologytobebelievedorlived“attheexpenseofthehistoricalJesus” (emphasisinoriginal).28 Foxseeksa dialecticorinterchangeofideasbetweenthehistoricalandthecosmicsoastoincorporatethepropheticandthemystical.This requiresaconversionfroma“personalSavior”Christianity,whichis“anthropocentricandantimystical,”toa“CosmicChrist” Christianity.29

WhichofFox’sstatementsdowebelieve?Heisconfusingandcontradictory.Perhapsheemphasizestheneedforusingtheright sideofthebrain(withitsintuition,mysticism,andfreedomfromdualistic,either/orthinkingandthelimitations oflogic) because ofhisownillogic.For manyNewAgers,theemphasisonrightbrainnonthinkingistheperfectdefenseagainstlogic, communicationofideas,theexpertiseofotherpeople,andcommonsense.Fox’sthinkingmixesNewAgeideasandclichés with hisownfaultytranslationsofoldtreatisesfromthefringesofChristianity,asIwillnowdemonstrate.

FOX’SFAULTYSCHOLARSHIP

WhileFox’sextensiveinterestsandbackgroundincludelateNeo-Platonistphilosophy,Medievalspirituality,andecology,his scholarshipissloppyandembarrassing.Hebetraysthetrustplacedbynonspecialiststhatscholarsdotheirhomework.

IfirstnoticeddifficultieswithFox’suseofScripture,myownareaofexpertise.Hemistranslatestextsandmisrepresents linguisticfindingstosupporthistheologicalbias.Forinstance,hewrites:“Thewordfor‘mountain’inHebrewalsomeans‘the Almighty’anditcomesfromthewordforbreast.MountainsarethebreastsofMotherEarth,thus‘Come!Playonmymountain ofmyrrh.”30

Thisisaconfusedbatchofmisinformation.“Mountain”inHebrewis har;thename“GodAlmighty”comesfromtheAkkadian word, ElShaddai; “breast”inHebrewis shad,from theroot shadah, whichisnottherootof Shaddai (shadad is).Whileaslight errorifitwerealone,Foxismixingandmatchingetymologiesirresponsiblytomakeafeministpoint,thoughonethatis nonexistentinHebrew.

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AnotherexampleoccursinhiscommentsontheSongofSongs(orSongofSolomon):

[ThemaleloverinSongofSolomon]invokestheearthgoddessesinthischarge;thismanisnotoutoftouchwiththeprepatriarchalspirituality:ItellyouOyoungonesoftheholycity:Donotarousemyloverbeforehertime.Ichargeyoubythe “spiritsandthegoddessesofthefield,”bythegazellesandthehinds:Donotdisturbmylovewhilesheisatrest.(2:7;3:5;8:4) 31

Fox’stranslationandcommentsarefaulty.TheHebrewhasnoreferencetospiritsandgoddessesbutratherreads: Iadjureyou,OdaughtersofJerusalem:bythegazellesandbythehindsofthefield:Donotawaken,donotstiruploveuntilshe pleases.(2:7)

TheHebrewword“gazelles”is sebaoth,similar to“hosts”inthename“LordofHosts”(Lord Sabaoth). TheGreekSeptuagint translatesthisword inSongofSongs2:7as“bythepowersandforcesofthefield.”TheAramaicTargumhas“bytheLordof HostsandbytheStrengthofthelandofIsrael.”PaulJouon,S.J.,aFrenchHebraist,consideredthisanallusiontothearmiesof angelsandtheirleaders,butthemajorityofscholarsseethemaswordsforgazellesanddeer, 32 notasreferencestoearth goddesses.

FoxalsoabusesHebrewetymologyinclaiming“theHebrewwordforblessing, berakah,is closelyrelatedtothewordforcreate, bara….The wordforcovenant, beriyth,is alsodirectlyrelatedtothewordsfor‘create’andfor‘blessing.’”33 Thisisutter nonsense,onaparwithclaimingthat“carpet”originallymeantdogsdrivingautomobiles. Noetymologicalconnectionexists amongtheseHebrewwords.Covenants andcreationmaybeblessings,butFoxbaseshispointonafalsepremise.

InanotherplaceFoxmakesanerroneousclaimabouttheHebrewlanguagetosupportanequallyerroneousstatementaboutGod: ‘Thewith-nessofGodisespecially significantbecause,whileGreeksfocusonnounsintheirliterature,Jewsfocuson prepositionssuchaswith,against,from,etc.TheCovenantisasignofGod’swithness.Tobewithoutcovenantwouldbe unbearablefortheJewishbeliever.God,then,is aprepositionfortheJew.Andtheprepositionisbasicallyoneofpresence,of with-ness.”34

Infact,theHebrewlanguagedoes not focusonprepositionsbutonverbs,usuallyintheformofwhatHebrewgrammarianscall triliteralroots.Theprepositions aresubstantivesderivedfromverbs.Thewordsmeaning“God”arenotprepositions,norarethey derivedfromprepositions.ItisabsurdtocallGodapreposition.

ElsewhereFoxmistranslatesGreekwordsthatarenotevenintheNewTestament!Hewritesof “thecounselofJesustohis friends(substitutingtheword‘culture’for kenosis)when hedeclaredthattheybe‘intheculturebutnotofit.’”35 First,theGreek word kerrosis (meaning“emptying”)doesnotappearanywhereintheNewTestament.Whydoes Foxbothertomistrans1ateit? Second,thesayingofJesuswhichhereinterpretshereisapparentlyJohn17:16,“They[thedisciples)arenotoftheworld [ektou kosmou] asIamnotoftheworld [ektoukosmou].” PerhapsFoxdidnotwanttoinformhisreadersthatneitherJesusnorHis friendswere“ofthecosmos,”akeywordinFoxianthought.

SeriousproblemsarisefromFox’stranslationofJohn1:1-5,9,10,12,and14,whereheusestheimpersonalsoundingwords “CreativeEnergy”totranslatetheGreekword logos (usuallytranslatedas“word”).Theword“energy”issimplyunacceptableas atranslationof logos. Further,insteadofthepersonalpronoun“he”(presentinGreek),Foxuses“it”torefertotheWordeleven times,thoughhecalls“it”the“ChildoftheCreator.”Fox’sdepersonalizationoftheWordmadefleshmakesChristan impersonalenergy.Moreevidenceofadepersonalizingtendencyappearsinaquoteofthirteenthcenturysaintandmystic MechtildofMagdeburg:“FromtheverybeginningGodlovedus.TheHolyTrinitygave itself in thecreationofallthingsand madeus,bodyandsoul,ininfinitelove”(emphasisadded).36

FoxalsomisrepresentsthewayChristianshaveallegorizedtheSongofSongs,sayingthattheyread“intotheJewisht raditiona dualismbetweenbodyandsoulandanalienoriginalsinmentalitythatarenotthere.” 37 However,itwastherabbinictraditionthat firstallegorizedtheSongofSongs.HadRabbiAqibanotinsistedonanallegoricalinterpretationoftheSong, therabbiswould nothavekeptitintheirScripturecanonChristianssimplycontinuedtheJewishtraditionofallegorizingtheSong,thoughthey adaptedittotheirunderstandingofChristandthechurch.

TraininginHebrewandGreekhelpedmecatchall theaboveerrors,butIamnotanexpertinMedievalliterature.WhenIasked MedievalistsaboutFox’swork,theynoteditsdefectiveanddishonestqualities.

Dr.BarbaraNewman,anexpertonSt.HildegardofBingenatNorthwesternUniversity,isskepticalofFox’sworkonSt. Hildegard.InafootnoteshesaysofGabrielleUhlein’s MeditationswithHildegardofBingen and Fox’s Illuminationsof

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HildegardofBingen that the“so-calledtranslationsinthesevolumesarenottobetrusted.”38 Newman’sreviewofFox’sedition of HildegardofBingen’sBookofDivineWorks,withLettersandSongs says:“Thepresentbook,likeearlierHildegardvolumes fromthispress[Bear&Company],raisesseriousquestionsabouttheeditor’sintegrity.” 39 ItisnotatranslationfromHildegard’s originalLatinversionbutisfromaGermanabridgment,whichFoxerroneouslycalls“acriticaltext.”OnewonderswhyFoxdid notusetheoriginaltexts.

NewmansaystheintroductionsinFox’svolumeare“rifewitherrorsaboutHildegard’swork,”suchasthefalseideathatshe foundedmonasteriesformenoradministeredasmallkingdom.InsteadofthefeministportrayedbyFoxandcompany,Hildegard “firmlydefendedsocialhierarchies,andbelievedindivinelyordainedgenderroles,”calledGod Father and Son,and used masculinepronounsforGod.40 NeitherwasHildegardacreation-centeredtheologian,asFoxclaims:“Hildegard’steachingisnot creationcenteredatall;itcentersontheIncarnation….”41 Newmanconcludesherreviewbysaying,“thewholesale misrepresentationsthatBear&Companyengageincannot,inthelongrun,servethecauseofhumanintegritybypurveying historicalfallacies.”42

AnothercriticisSimonTugwell,O.P.whoreviewedMatthewFox’s Breakthrough.Meister Eckhart’sCreationSpiritualityin NewTranslation in theDominicanjournal, NewBlackfriars Tugwell,proficientinEckhart’sthoughtandinMiddleHigh Germanlanguage,thoroughlyexposesFox’spoorscholarship.

First,TugwellsaysFox’stranslationis poorquality.InsteadofusingtheMiddleHighGermanofEckhart’soriginal,Foxchose Quint’smodernGermantranslationoftheoriginal. Why didFoxnotusetheoriginallanguage? TugwellgoesontosaythatFox inaccuratelytranslatesQuint’stextwith “anextraordinarynumberofmistakes.”AttimesFoxdoesnotunderstandthesyntax;at timeshedoesnotknowthemeaningsofwords.But,Tugwellsays,“sometimesitisdifficulttoavoidthefeelingthatthe mistranslationisdeliberate,intendedtominimizeanythingthatwouldinterferewiththealleged‘creation-centeredness’of Eckhart’sspirituality”43

Tugwellsaysthehistoricalintroductioninthisbook“issodominatedbywishfulthinkingandsheerfantasythatthereviewer hardlyknowshowtobegincriticizingit.”44 WhenFoxallegedCelticinfluenceonEckhart,Tugwellfoundhimselfreducedto “helpless,gibberingfury.”HeaccusesFoxof“tendentioushalf-truths,or….downrightfalsehood.”Forinstance,Foxclaims Eckhartwasafeministinfluenced bythebeguinemovement(semi-monasticsisterhoodsgoingbacktotwelfthcenturyHolland), butinfactno reliableevidenceexistsforeitherassertion.Also,FoxcallsEckhart,aDominican,“themostFranciscanspiritual theologianofthechurch”because herejectedthedualistthoughtsofPlatonistphilosophers.Infact,St.Franciswas clearly dualisticbecausehesaidthatthesoullivesinthebody“likeahermitinahermitage”andcalledthebodyandsoul“bothmen” insidetheperson.FoxignoresthisdualisminSt.Francis,whomFoxhasdubbed“creation-centered.”Inshort,then,Tugwell caughtFoxcommittingsignificanterrors.

Unfortunately,theappealanduseofFox’spseudotranslationsarewidespread.AnAmericanscholarvisitingNorwich,Engla nd stoppedatagiftshop,aridtheracksdisplayedalltheBear&Companytranslations.Whenthevisitorexplainedhowfaultyand inaccuratethesetranslationswere,theclerkgushed,“Thatallmaybetrue,butFr.Foxhasbeensuchahelptomyspiritual life.”

WhyaretheabovecriticismssignificantforunderstandingFoxandcreation-centeredspirituality?First,theythrowtherestofhis scholarshipintoquestion.Icertainlydonottrusthisbiblicalscholarship;neitherdoaHildegardofBingensch olarandaMeister Eckhartscholartrusthistranslationsandcommentaries.ExpertsfindFoxcommittingsomanydumbmistakesthatheiseither fullofmalarkeyor,assome(includingmyself)suspect,isdeliberatelydeceitful.SinceFoxhasrepeatedlybet rayedhistrustasa scholar,whyshouldhebetrustedasanauthorityonreligiousmatters?

Second,Foxconstructsmuchofhiscreation-centeredtheologyfrom hisown,translations ofHildegardandEckhart.Hisfaulty translationssupportacrumblytheologicaledifice.ScholarscanshowthatneitherSacredScripture,St.Hildegard,StFrancis,nor evenMeisterEckhartaretoblameforFox’speculiartheology.Hemustbearfullresponsibility(andculpability)forthis abominableapproachto“spirituality.”

ISORTHODOXCHRISTIANITYDYING?

NotallofFox’sconcernsarewrongheaded.Christiansneedtoshowmoreloveforcreationandtheenvironment.Growthin compassionandcreativity(intheanalogoussensebywhichwecreatures can becreative)isalaudablegoal.Aswell,passionfor justiceandconcernforthepoorarebiblicalcharacteristics.Yetnoneoftheserequiresustoabandonthefaithhandedontousby theapostles.WeneednotacceptFox’sviewthat“theChurchaswehaveknownitisdying.” 45 orthat“Christianityasweknowit will not survive forweknowitnowinwineskinsthatarebrittle,oldandleaking.”46 ChristJesus,truthincarnate,willrenewthe ChurchandbringmanypeopletosalvationthroughunionwithHim.Wecandependonthat.

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MatthewFoxhasinventedacreation-centeredtheologythattriestoseeeverythinginGodandGodineverything.HisCosmic Christisespeciallyintheearth,andhewouldhaveusalllearntofindthisChristinourselvesandintheworld.Clearly, Fox’s theologydistortshistoricChristianityintoacrypto-NewAgesystemthatleadspeopleawayfromtherealChristofScripture.The warningofSt.Pauliswell-suitedforthismodern-daywolfinclericalclothing:“Seetoitthatnoonemakesapreyofyouby philosophyandemptydeceit,accordingtohumantradition,accordingtotheelementalspiritsoftheuniverse[Greek: kosmos], and notaccordingtoChrist.Forinhimthewholefullnessofdeitydwellsbodily,andyouhavecometofullnessoflife inhim, whoistheheadofallruleandauthority”(Col.2:8-10,RSV).

NOTES

1MatthewFox,O.P., OriginalBlessing (SantaFe,NM:BearandCompany,1983),9.

2 Ibid.,10-11.

3MatthewFox,O.P., TheComingoftheCosmicChrist (San Francisco:Harperand Row,1988),151.

4 Ibid.,182.

5 Ibid.,135.

6 Ibid.,137.

7 Ibid.,138.

8 Ibid.,149.

9 Ibid.,214.

10Fox, OriginalBlessing,16. 11Fox, CosmicChrist,45-46.

12 Ibid.,141.

13Starhawk, TheSpiralDance:ARebirthoftheAncientReligionoftheGoddess,10thAnniversaryEdition,Revisedand Updated(SanFrancisco:HarperandRow,1989),10-11,22,23,27.

14MatthewFox, WHEE!We,weeAlltheWayHome:AGuidetotheNewSensualSpirituality (Wilmington,NC:AConsortium Book,1976),ii.

15 Ibid.Unfortunately,thoughRandyEngland’s UnicornintheSanctuary (Manassas,VA:TrinityCommunications,1990),122, quotesFox’sstatementaboutastrologicalagesratherextensively,heomitsFox’sdenialofbeliefinastrology.Englandshould havebeenmorefair anddirectedthecriticismmorepointedly.

16Fox, WHEE!,ii-iii.

17 Ibid.,iii.

18 Ibid.,183.

19 Ibid.,196.

20MatthewFox, ASpiritualityNamedCompassionandtheHealingoftheGlobalVillage,HumptyDumptyandUs (San Francisco:HarperandRow,1979),256.

21Fox, OriginalBlessing,90

22Fox, CosmicChrist,126

23 Ibid.,121.

24 Ibid.,154.

25 Ibid.,155.

26 Ibid.,154.

27 Ibid.,8.

28 Ibid.,79.

29 Ibid.

30 Ibid.,169.

31 Ibid.,170.

32MarvinH.Pope, SongofSongs:ANewTranslationwithIntroductionandCommentary,AnchorBible(GardenCity,NY: DoubledayandCompany,1977),385-86.

33Fox, OriginalBlessing,46.

34 Ibid.HereFoxcitesalecturebyDr.RonMilleratICCS,MundeleinCollege,Chicago,18January1982.

35MatthewFox,O.P., OnBecomingaMusical,MysticalBear (NewYork:HarperandRow,Publishers,1972),66.

36Fox, OriginalBlessing,48.

37 Ibid.,62.

38BarbaraNewman, SisterofWisdom:St.Hildegard’sTheologyoftheFeminine (Berkeley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress 1987),250n

39BarbaraNewman,reviewofMatthewFox,ed., HildegardofBingen’sBookofDivineWorks,withLettersandSongs,” ChurchHistory 54(1985),190.

40 Ibid.,191

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41Newman, Sister,250 42Newman,review,192.

43SimonTugwell,O.P.,reviewof Breakthrough:MeisterEckhart’sCreationSpiritualityinNewTranslation,Introductionand CommentariesbyMatthewFox, NewBlackfriars 63(1982),197.

44 Ibid 45Fox, CosmicChrist,31.

46 Ibid.,149.

GLOSSARY

CarlJung: (1875-1961)ASwisspsychologistandonetimeassociateofSigmundFreudwhofoundedaschoolof“depth psychology.”Hewasinterestedinmythandreligion,butpersonallybelievedinalchemy,theoccult,andpantheism.

creationspirituality: MatthewFox’snameforhisreligiousapproach.Itsstartingpointandfocusisoncreation,whichis identifiedwithGodandtheCosmicChrist.Hesetsitinoppositiontobeliefinman’sfallintosinandChrist’sredemption.

panentheism: ThebeliefthatGodisineverythingandeverythingisinGod.

cosmic: Foxusesthistomeanthewholeuniverse,withitslawsofharmonyandwholenessanditsbeauty.

CosmicChrist: ThoughFoxaffirmsbeliefinthehistoricalJesus,heconsiderstheCosmicChristtobea“thirdnature”in additiontothedivineandhumannatures.Bysayingitisthe“IAM”ineverycreature,theCosmicChristisidentifiedwith creation.TheearthiscalledtheCosmicChrist.

cosmology: ForFox,thestudyofthecosmosoruniverse,withafocusonanewparadigmbasedonEinstein’sphysics ratherthan Newton’s.Itbringstogetherscience,mysticism,andart,andtriestodoawaywithalldualism.