The Creation Spirituality Lineage Calling All Social and Environmental Activists, Mystic Explorers, Justice Makers, Cosmic Thinkers, Earth Keepers Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox |
Creation, Liberation, & Supporting of Artists in Depression Times 12/14/2023 |
The God of creation is also the God of history and of liberation/salvation as is clear from the prophets. Indeed, the prophets who preach justice and peace were themselves creators and artists. Consider this song from Isaiah: |
Send justice like dew, you heavens,
Let the clouds rain it down.
Let the earth open up
So salvation will spring up,
Let deliverance too bud forth
Which I, Yahweh, shall create.
(Is 45:8) Recently Heather Cox Richardson shared
a powerful story of the |
“Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” (Amos 5:24) The
Many sing in memory of Ahmaud Arbery “and to all who work for justice for him, for all people and for this planet.” |
role art played in the darkest times of the deep depression in America.* Inspired by the art movement in Mexico in the 1920’s, advisors to FDR proposed that the government could hire artists to “paint murals depicting the social ideals of the new administration and contemporary life on the walls of public buildings.” By “encouraging the fine arts as a function of the Federal Government,” the government could “alleviate the distress” of American artists. The first speaker invited to address the cabinet meeting was First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who very much endorsed the idea. |
Part of “The Library” (1934) by Bernard Zakheim, in Coit Tower, San Francisco. Includes references to Marx’s Das Kapital, the artists Beniamino Bufano and Diego Rivera, the Austrian Civil War in 1934. Wikimedia Commons. | The Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) was born December 8, 1933 and when it ended four months later, 3,749 artists had produced more than 15,000 paintings, sculptures and public murals and were paid by the government to do so. The first
project was Coit Tower in San Francisco with its 3,500 square feet of blank concrete walls. Inspired by Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, 26 artists with their 19 assistants transformed the blank walls into frescoes and murals celebrating California life. It depicted striking workers, farmers, cowboys, travelers, news stenographers, chauffeurs, and car accidents. |
Other artists were paid to do parallel projects all over the country depicting both rural and urban American life. The project was so successful that from it was born other programs to fund artists—including writers. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) operated from 1935 to
1942. A society that supports the artist is a healing society. |
* Heather Cox Richardson, Letters from an American, heathercoxrichardson@substack.com, December 9, 2023.
See Matthew Fox, Original Blessing, pp.
178-200.
And Fox, Creativity: Where the Divine and the Human Meet, pp. 199-227.
Also see Fox, The Reinvention of Work: A New Vision of Livelihood For Our Time.
Banner Image: Public Works of Art Project mural on Coit
Tower: “Industries of California.” Wikimedia Commons. |
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Queries for Contemplation How do you find art and artists healers of society? How do you find the artist in you doing the same? |
Responses are welcomed. To add
your comment, or read other comments and enter into dialog, please click HERE to go to our website and scroll down to the Comments field. |
Matthew’s weekly video reflection now appears each Monday — watch for it! |
Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality
Matthew Fox lays out a whole new direction for Christianity—a direction that is in fact very ancient and very grounded in Jewish thinking (the fact that Jesus was a Jew
is often neglected by Christian theology): the Four Paths of Creation Spirituality, the Vias Positiva, Negativa, Creativa and Transformativa in an extended and deeply developed way.
“Original Blessing makes available to the Christian world and to the human community a radical cure for all dark and derogatory views of the natural world wherever these may have originated.” –Thomas Berry, author,
The Dream of the Earth; The Great Work; co-author, The Universe Story |
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Creativity: Where the Divine and Human Meet
Because creativity is the key to both our genius and beauty as a species but also to our capacity for evil, we need to teach creativity and to teach ways of steering this God-like power in
directions that promote love of life (biophilia) and not love of death (necrophilia). Pushing well beyond the bounds of conventional Christian doctrine, Fox’s focus on creativity attempts nothing less than to shape a new ethic.
“Matt Fox is a pilgrim who seeks a path into the church of tomorrow. Countless numbers will be happy to follow his lead.” –Bishop John Shelby Spong, author, Rescuing
the Bible from Fundamentalism, Living in Sin
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The Reinvention of Work: A New Vision of Livelihood For Our Time
Thomas Aquinas said, “To live well is to work well,” and in this bold call for the revitalization of daily work, Fox shares his vision of a world
where our personal and professional lives are celebrated in harmony–a world where the self is not sacrificed for a job but is sanctified by authentic “soul work.”
“Fox approaches the level of poetry in describing the reciprocity that must be present between one’s inner and outer work…[A]n important road map to social change.” ~~ National Catholic Reporter |
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In the Beginning There Was Joy: A Cosmic Celebration for Kids of All Ages
The first book in the Father Fox’s Fantastical Fables series tells the story of the big bang and how humans fit into the awesome, fantastical,
cosmic picture! With artwork curated from illustrators around the world, this book expresses the joy and wonder of all peoples and cultures, planting seeds of respect, cooperation and hope to work together for the healing of our planet. "Matthew Fox does it again, here for our young ones, who so need a positive, cosmic
vision to thrive, or even survive, in a sad time." - Father Richard Rohr, Author of The Universal Christ "Matthew Fox offers a resounding affirmation of what our souls have always suspected: we are made for joy." - Mirabai Starr, Author of God of Love and Wild Mercy Receive a 20% discount when you buy this and one other book from Matthew Fox’s store! Use Promo Code 20% at checkout. |
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________________________________________________________________ UPCOMING EVENTS See Matthew Fox's full calendar
HERE |
SPECIAL EVENT: 5-DAY WORKSHOP IN AQUINAS’ HOMETOWN OF ORVIETO, ITALY
WITH MATTHEW FOX, MESHI CHAVEZ, AND CLAUDIA PICARDI
JUNE 9-14, 2024
LEARN MORE HERE. |
Join Matthew Fox as he discusses his book “Confessions: The Making of a Post-Denominational Priest ” in an Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat.Thursday, January 18, 4:00-6:00 pm PT Register HERE |
Join Matthew Fox as he lectures on “What the Mystics Tell Us About Dying “ at the Conference on Death, Grief and Belief, “Emerging Spiritualities: Death and Bereavement Across the Spiritual Spectrum,” Saturday, January 20, 9:00am – 5:00pm PT Register HERE |
Join Matthew Fox as he discusses his book “The Lotus & The Rose” in an Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat. Thursday, February 15, 4:00-6:00 pm PT Register HERE |
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Creation Spirituality Conversations |
Hunger for Wholeness:
What is Wholeness in the Midst of Crisis with Matthew Fox (Part 1) In the midst of increased violence between Israel and Palestine, Ilia Delio and theologian Matthew Fox discuss the state of the world today and how to have courage in Part 1 of their conversation. Ilia and Matt discuss his mentor, Marie Dominique Chenu, the influence of liberation theology
on social justice in the church today, and what can still be learned.
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Inspired by this post? Share your insights on Universeodon, Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #RevDrMatthewFox and tag Matt with @RevDrMatthewFox FOLLOW MATTHEW FOX: |
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