The Creation Spirituality Lineage Calling All Social and Environmental Activists, Mystic Explorers, Justice Makers, Cosmic Thinkers, Earth Keepers

Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox 

Watch for Matthew Fox's video meditation -- now appearing every Monday! 

The Revolution in Values the Cosmic Mother Represents

02/06/2024

The Divine Mother represents a revolution in values. We need a revolution in values. 

We have been running on patriarchal “values” for long enough, values that appeal to the reptilian brain of power-over and domination, of “I win, you lose.” Or “my country wins, yours loses." Or “our empire wins, you lose.” Or “our species wins, you lose." Or “power and might wins, others lose." Or “the rich and powerful win, others lose." Etc., etc.

One of the gifts of sports—this week culminates in the super bowl after all—is that humans have found ways to play with our reptilian brains —which 

“Mary, Love Forever Being Born.” Icon by Kelly Latimore. Published with permission.

is so much smarter than to make war with our reptilian brains and spend obscene amounts of money on making war with one another.

The fear of the feminine rages even though much progress in women’s rights has occurred in our lifetimes. The rise of fascism is very much related to the repression of the feminine and the exaltation of the ideology of power for power's sake. 

The Daily Beast’s Matt Lewis joins MSNBC‘s Morning Joe to discuss Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, and the misogynistic toxic masculinity fueling conspiracy theories around a Super Bowl boost to Biden’s campaign. 

Yearning for a “strongman” is one sign of the patriarchal sickness called fascism. 

Fascism represents a patriarchal backlash to advances of justice and fairness toward women brought about by the women’s movement of our time; and to 

the gay movement; and to trans people, a minority of a minority; and to Black Lives Matter movements; and to the suffering of Mother Earth, Gaia and the movement to preserve her.

Fascism is “institutional violence” as Susan Sontag has made clear. It is the majority wanting to overpower minorities whether they be racial minorities or sexual minorities. It is sick; it is dangerous; it is deadly, mortal sin on steroids embedded into institutions.

Pope Francis, whose people fled Italy in the 1930’s because of rising fascism, ought to write an encyclical on how Fascism, an ideology of hate and power-over, is incompatible with everything Jesus taught and lived and died for.

He who died at the hands of

the Roman Empire for preaching love, compassion and justice–disturbed the Empire’s version of peace. No wonder his story and teachings capture the moral imaginations of people the world over.  

See Matthew Fox, Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society, pp. xxxviii-xliv, 297-299.

And Fox, Creativity: Where the Divine and the Human Meet.

And Fox, The Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors To Awaken the Sacred Masculine.

Banner Image: Urban Black Madonna, Kensington Market, Toronto. Photo by Eric Parker on Flickr.

Statement of Solidarity with Israel/Palestine.

Queries for Contemplation

Do you agree we need a revolution in values? And that the Divine Mother who puts compassion first is a symbol of such a revolution in our time?

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.

Recommended Reading

Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society

Visionary theologian and best-selling author Matthew Fox offers a new theology of evil that fundamentally changes the traditional perception of good and evil and points the way to a more enlightened treatment of ourselves, one another, and all of nature. In comparing the Eastern tradition of the 7 chakras to the Western tradition of the 7 capital sins, Fox allows us to think creatively about our capacity for personal and institutional evil and what we can do about them. 
“A scholarly masterpiece embodying a better vision and depth of perception far beyond the grasp of any one single science.  A breath-taking analysis.” — Diarmuid O’Murchu, author of Quantum Theology: Spiritual Implications of the New Physics

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

The Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine

To awaken what Fox calls “the sacred masculine,” he unearths ten metaphors, or archetypes, ranging from the Green Man, an ancient pagan symbol of our fundamental relationship with nature,  to the Spiritual Warrior….These timeless archetypes can inspire men to pursue their higher calling to connect to their deepest selves and to reinvent the world.
“Every man on this planet should read this book — not to mention every woman who wants to understand the struggles, often unconscious, that shape the men they know.” — Rabbi Michael Lerner, author of The Left Hand of God

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.

"This delicious book for children of all ages celebrates joy as the essential truth of reality." - 

Andrew Harvey, Author of The Hope and Radical Regeneration

"I absolutely LOVED reading this beautiful, creative, stirring story—a charming, whimsical, powerful, parable." - Robert Holden, Author of Happiness NOW! and Higher Purpose

Receive a 20% discount when you buy this and one other book from Matthew Fox’s store! Use Promo Code 20% at checkout.

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.

Creation Spirituality Conversations

Matthew Fox speaks on "What the Mystics Tell Us About Dying" at the 2024 Symposium on Death and Bereavement Studies. To listen, click the video thumbnail at right. 

View this post, video, and more on our website

Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox is made possible through the generosity of donors.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation. Thank you!

Inspired by this post? Share your insights on Universeodon, Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #RevDrMatthewFox and tag Matt with @RevDrMatthewFox

FOLLOW MATTHEW FOX:

Did you receive this email from a friend?
You can subscribe to our daily meditations via the opt-in box on the sidebar at DailyMeditationsWithMatthewFox.org