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In this masterpiece of environmentalism and spirituality, Berry tells how we got Earth into this mess, and how our collective thinking must change to save our one and only Home. This is THE book on deep ecology. It is beautifully written, requiring slow thoughtful reading - I found myself chewing each sentence 22 times, wishing I could write out each thought and pin it on the wall to consider in every waking moment. It cannot be said any better than this. While I try to rotate other books so as not to hoard wisdom, this cherished book will stay in my library permanently and be read again and again.
Thomas Berry's "The Dream of the Earth" is a hard-hitting collection of essays designed to snap us out of our human-centred arrogance with regards to the Earth and the entire universe.As a series of essays, it is of necessity disjointed and hence only a 4 star review but still recommended.Get "The Universe Story" co-authored with Brian Swimme for the 5-star stuff.
Berry evokes, pre-Christain Europe, Native cultures from North and South America, the Patriarchy of recent past, ecofeminism, and dozens of well known authors on the subject such as Thoreau and Leopold.In fact, the best part of the book is the well documented quotes and bibliography. I found the prose difficult to digest and somewhat clumsy. In this work, Berry attempts to provide a clear ethic for an earth-centric future. This provides the student of nature with an amazing springboard into more serious study.Berry seems to take for granted that he is preaching to the choir, and never really provides condemning philosophy on the present, and lacks a clear vision for the future. As Berry does point out however, this may be due to the lack of adequate language surrounding the earth concepts. While pushing for this new view, the author delves into historical accounts and contents. Instead he gets caught up in new agey histoical references and the psychic nature of our deep instincts (genetic). All in all a mediocre attempt.
Reading John Shelby Spong's book _Jesus for the Non Religious_ has led me to recall this magnificent book as a beginning ot non theistic Christianity. This is the path of the 13,14th century Christian mystic that is apparently once more rising. A MUST book for all seeking meaning in life.
The change in consciousness that is needed for the human race to achieve the nobility and wisdom we are capable of requires that we recognize Earth's nonhuman beings and us as one interconnected community. This book outlines that this consciousness is required in all professions but none more than in our schools and religions. Presently most western peoples are radically cut off from this consciousness and the legs of our culture are becoming sand.
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