Richard Rohr, a Franciscan friar and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation, explores profound themes of grief, love, and goodness rooted in his new book, *The Tears of Things*. He emphasizes the importance of questioning societal structures rather than individual sins, urging us to confront anger and sadness. Rohr discusses the need for sacred criticism, emotional transformation, and the complex interplay of joy and sorrow. Ultimately, he inspires listeners to embrace paradox and recognize the ever-present goodness in our lives.
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insights INSIGHT
Prophets and Self-Critical Thinking
The core mission of prophets is self-critical thinking, not foretelling the future as commonly believed.
This birth of self-critical thinking challenges nations and institutions that often lack this introspection.
insights INSIGHT
From Outrage to Hallelujah
Outrage initially covers a deeper sadness, which nourishes the soul unlike anger.
Moving from anger to sadness leads to eventual hallelujah, a joyous release beyond logic.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Anger Masks Deep Sadness
In men's retreats, Rohr noticed anger often masks deep sadness.
Recognizing sadness beneath anger reveals profound empathy and transformation potential.
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In 'Faith Amid the Ruins,' Heath Thomas provides an accessible introduction to the prophetic book of Habakkuk. The book explores the prophet's struggles and prayers during a time of destruction and turmoil, highlighting the faithfulness of God and what it means to live faithfully before God in trying times. Thomas's commentary is part of the Transformative Word series, which offers careful biblical exegesis centered on key themes, making it an engaging and accessible thematic exploration of Habakkuk.
Lamentations
Unknown (traditionally attributed to Jeremiah)
The Book of Lamentations is a series of five poems that express the anguish and grief following the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Each chapter represents a separate lament, with the first four chapters following an acrostic pattern using the Hebrew alphabet. The book emphasizes the judgment of God due to Judah's sin and rebellion, while also offering hope and the promise of God's compassion and faithfulness. It is traditionally attributed to Jeremiah, although the text itself does not specify the author[1][2][4].
Job
Job
The Universal Christ
Richard Rohr
In *The Universal Christ*, Richard Rohr offers a profound reinterpretation of the concept of Christ, suggesting it represents a universal, cosmic reality that transcends religious boundaries. Rohr argues that recognizing Christ in all things can restore hope and meaning to our lives by connecting us with the divine presence in every aspect of creation. This book invites readers to contemplate a broader understanding of faith and spirituality.
Falling Upward
A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life
Richard Rohr
In 'Falling Upward,' Richard Rohr divides human life into two halves. The first half is about building a life, achieving success, and establishing an identity. The second half, often misunderstood as a period of decline, is actually a journey of spiritual growth, contentment, and deeper understanding. Rohr argues that spiritual maturity is achieved not by avoiding failures and sufferings but by embracing them as necessary steps towards true self-discovery and union with God. The book offers practical guidance on transitioning from the outer tasks of the first half of life to the inner tasks of the second half, emphasizing the importance of integrity, love, and non-dualistic thinking[2][3][5].
Jeremiah
Stasia Black
Jeremiah is part of the Stud Ranch series and focuses on a character who is clearly a man in control at all times. The story involves complex relationships and steamy romance, typical of Stasia Black's writing style. It is the fifth book in the Stud Ranch series but can be read as a standalone novel.
The Tears of Things
The Tears of Things
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Richard Rohr
Richard Rohr's "The Tears of Things" explores the role of prophets in society, contrasting them with priests. Rohr emphasizes the prophet's focus on self-critique and confronting internal 'sin' rather than externalizing blame. The book draws parallels between ancient Jewish prophets and contemporary challenges, urging readers to examine their own complicity in societal ills. It offers a framework for personal and collective transformation, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and confronting uncomfortable truths. Ultimately, it calls for a more just and compassionate society.
The prophets and mystics of the Judeo-Christian tradition each had their ways of bringing attention to the hypocrisies and injustices of their particular period in history. Here in the year 2025, as we navigate our own time of disruption and upheaval, how can we as individuals raise our voices and become the compassionate, conscious change agents our world so desperately needs? In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Franciscan friar and ecumenical teacher Richard Rohr about his new book, The Tears of Things, and what we can learn from the “sacred revolutionaries” who came before us.
Tune in to explore: the prophet’s mission and “making good trouble”; self-critical thinking (and how it’s unknown to most major institutions); sacred criticism and the revelation of the shadow; the paradigm of order, disorder, and reorder; outrage, cosmic sadness, and unlimited praise; using anger to cover up sadness; grief work and “getting to the hallelujah”; discovering the foundation of hope; contemplative thinking; conversion and transformation; opening to grace; letting go of control; why “what we don’t want to see is the problem”; waking up from our collective illusion (especially around power and control); living in a deceit-allowing culture; the word “evil”; an ever-present sense of goodness in the world; holding the tension of opposing truths; gratuitous goodness; realizing a joy that cannot be taken from you; the prophet Jeremiah and the Book of Lamentations; why the opposite of faith is not doubt but certainty; acting from the highest levels of motivation; and more.
Note: This episode originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.
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