About this item
In this daring and hopeful book, theologian Ruth Whitney calls on Christians everywhere to re-awaken to Jesus' original message: that "the presence of the divine is within" all of us and all creation: we are all sacred. Jesus' second fundamental message is LOVE - we are to love ourselves, our neighbors, even our enemies, all nature ... and the Holy One ... . with all our heart. Jesus lived what he taught, and we are encouraged to follow his self-less example. As a historian of earlier times, the author cautions against blindly following established belief systems or dogmas: for example, she advises we take the Bible seriously, but not always literally. The author purposefully re-awakens discussions that arouse age-old historical debates: Who really wrote the Gospels? How did the original group of Christians develop - what were their debates and controversies, and what was the role of women? And, she explores some intriguing questions: Was Jesus spiritually, but not physically, alive after his death? Are we all human and divine, not just Jesus? Do Heaven and Hell actually exist? Did Jesus die to save us from our sins (ignorance) , or were we, are we, already "saved"? When we live these two basic teachings - by seeing the Sacred presence and radiating love - Christians and our religion, the author proposes, will become so "spiritually alive" that we will naturally begin to transform our world in many both practical and intangible ways .
About the Author
After growing up in an Illinois city on the Mississippi River, Ruth Whitney graduated with a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Marquette University. When President John F. Kennedy said in his 1961 inaugural address, "ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country," she was deeply inspired and joined the Peace Corps. As part of the first group of Peace Corps volunteers to go overseas, she was invited to the White House. During her two years in the Peace Corps, she taught math at Yaa Asantewa Secondary School in Ghana, West Africa. Returning to America, she received her master's and doctorate degrees in religion from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Then she taught religion and women studies for decades at a number of schools, including Rutgers University and University of South Florida.Since serving in the Peace Corps, Ruth has worked for decades as an activist for women's rights, civil rights, ecology, peace, and other progressive causes. Her travels included Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Central and South America. Living in Florida, she plays tennis outdoors all year and enjoys discussing religion, politics, and much much more. To arrange for Ruth to speak to your group about any of her three books, please email her at ruthwhitney@verizon.net.