Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: bgsuvax!kutz@cis.ohio-state.edu (Kenneth J. Kutz) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Matthew Fox Message-ID: Date: 12 Aug 90 08:24:36 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Bowling Green State University B.G., Oh. Lines: 53 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article , stabosz@sun.udel.edu (Rae Stabosz) writes: > I am a Catholic who has recently become interested in Matthew Fox & the > whole segment of Catholicism that I hear spoken of as "creation-centered". ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > Can someone tell me what exactly is Fox's status with the Church? He is > still a priest, correct? Not been excommunicated, not broken with the > Church himself, but just under some kind of silence? From writing, or > teaching, or both? > Any history on this would be appreciated. I know a little about Meister > Eckhart, & believe he ran into similar troubles with similar teachings, > is that so? And can someone explain what the root of the problem is? > I don't see anything objectionable & have found his writings & the whole > movement (as I understand it) to be often very liberating. Is the > spectre (and fear of?) Pelagianism at the core of his problems? To understand where Matthew Fox is coming from, it is helpful to look back to the late 1800s and the founding of the Theosophical Society. The Theosophical Society started a movement which was a blend of eastern religions, highly influenced by Hinduism. From their pamphlets you find statements which indicate that the only religions that Theosophy is hostile toward are monotheistic religions. In a book written by Helena P. Blavatsky, the founder (ISIS Unveiled), we find statements which are very hostile toward theological Christianity, and especially the Vatican. At the beginning of this century the battle lines were clearly drawn between Christianity and Theosophy (I have specific references if you wish to research this further). Today I'm afraid the two enemies have become closer friends. In Fox's case, he now wears Christianity around his collar but has Theosophy on his heart. In his book _The Coming of the Cosmic Christ_, he rejects monothesim for what he calls "panentheism" an idea completely condemned in Romans 1. And just like ISIS Unveiled, Fox "casts his gauntlet against theological Christianity" trading the faith of his fathers in for New Age religion. As I understand the situation, Fox was silenced for one year, but recently he spoke in Ann Arbor, MI at a Methodist Church. It saddens me that Rome would only silence Fox for only one year considering his New Age theology which "worships the creature rather than the Creator". This branch of Catholicism which is referred to a "creation centered" (Fox calls it "creation centered Spirituality) is nothing more than Hinduism packaged and marketed for the "environment conscious" American mind not well grounded in Scripture or the Faith of our Fathers. Please write to me directly if you wish to correspond further. -- Kenneth J. Kutz Internet kutz@andy.bgsu.edu Systems Programmer BITNET KUTZ@ANDY University Computer Services UUCP ...!osu-cis!bgsuvax!kutz Bowling Green State Univ. US Mail 238 Math Science, BG OH 43403