Father Bill continues a deep dive exploring the place of religion within 12-Step recovery. Worldwide, and within 12-Step Fellowships, membership in religious bodies continues a steady decline, while the hunger for spiritual connection seems to grow steadily. This episode continues to ask what religions may have to contribute to our spiritual growth and why it’s often so difficult to join the worlds of recovery and religion. Fr. Bill asks if most addicts may just be misplaced mystics!

The McGinn book referenced is The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism by Bernard McGinn:

Here’s also a good YouTube lecture by McGinn
An excellent discussion by three mystics from different faith traditions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G3Oau9Q4uQ

Books by John Dominic Crossan

Books by Marcus Borg

Books by Elaine Pagels

Phyllis Tickle: Short video on her book The Great Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing and Why

Carl Jung: Short video by Edward Edinger with his views on the importance of a spiritual life.

Spiritual AND Religious: Mystics Anonymous Anyone?