The Lost Spiritual World: Mark
Book Review
By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
The Lost Spiritual World: Mark
Ruth Rimm
The Global Renaissance Society 02/07 Hardcover $33.95
ISBN: 0974575062
This unusual book presents the Jesus Seminar's 1992 Scholars Version
of the Gospel of Mark, a midrash that includes a celebration of all
the wisdom traditions, an innovative text with bold and colorful
designs, and a pathway to spiritual enlightenment that is in sync
with our scientific, postmodern world. The imaginative person behind
this daring interfaith work is Ruth Rimm, a young woman who by day
teaches at an inner city school in the Bronx and by night is hard at
work on further volumes in the Lost Spiritual World, all designed "to
foster an environment of peace, love, empathy, forgiveness,
tolerance, pluralism, inclusivity and reconciliation through
beautiful artwork, inspiring commentary and fresh translations of the
Scriptures of our great wisdom traditions."
We knew we were on the same wavelength with the author when she used
the metaphor of the spiritual journey as a scuba diver since one of
our favorite quotations from Ramakrishna is "Dive deeper." Then we
nodded our heads when she quoted Thich Nhat Hanh: "We human beings
can be nourished by the best values of many traditions." Rimm
interweaves these quotations and others in and around the Gospel of
Mark where Jesus evokes ecstasy and wonder in others, demonstrates
the healing power of touch, sleeps at sea on a boat tossed by waves,
acknowledges an important place for women in his life, tolerates the
intolerant, practices loves and humility, and demonstrates a close
connection and communion with God.
Rimm points out the many constrictions of a judgmental, literalistic,
dogmatic, and harsh religion that is down on the world, science, and
sex. She discovers good in all religions and refuses to accept one as
superior to all the others. No wonder Rimm can commend the writer
Raimon Panikker who had a Catholic mother, a Hindu father, and who
studied first in America and then in India. He says: "I left as a
Christian, found myself a Hindu, and returned as a Buddhist, without
having ceased to be a Christian." That is a fine and commendable
example of a new global spirituality that is at the heart and soul of
The Lost Spiritual World: Mark.
The Lost Spiritual World: Mark
Ruth Rimm
Related Articles:
The Feminine Spirit: Recapturing the Heart of Scripture
The Divine Feminine in Biblical Wisdom Literature
The Lost Spiritual World: Mark
He is devoted utterly to the God who is the Self
She is the holiest and most secret inwardness of Allah
Divine Feminine is indeed raising us humans in all Her forms
Eternal Feminine Principle
Devi insists liberating knowledge can be attained here in this world
Knowledge is far more priceless than Silence, and precedes it.
Shakti is not the possession of a male deity, as She is consort of none
Devi and Her incarnation Shri Mataji are two different personalities
NOTE: If this page was accessed during a web search you may wish to browse the sites listed below where this topic or related issues are discussed in detail to promote global peace, religious harmony, and spiritual development of humanity:
www.adishakti.org/www.al-qiyamah.org/
www.adi-shakti.org/ — Divine Feminine (Hinduism)
www.holyspirit-shekinah.org/ — Divine Feminine (Christianity)
www.ruach-elohim.org/ — Divine Feminine (Judaism)
www.ruh-allah.org/ — Divine Feminine (Islam)
www.tao-mother.org/ — Divine Feminine (Taoism)
www.prajnaaparamita.org/ — Divine Feminine (Buddhism)
www.aykaa-mayee.org/ — Divine Feminine (Sikhism)
www.great-spirit-mother.org/ — Divine Feminine (Native Traditions)
