The Tao of Christ

The New Pilgrim’s Progress is a modern retelling of John Bunyan’s 17th century classic “Pilgrim’s Progress.” It is an allegorical pilgrimage through the landscape of 21st century American spirituality.In this fifth chapter Pilgrim joins up with another traveler named Religious, whom he recognizes as his neighbor from the Shadowlands. Together they walk the Way toward the Celestial City.  As they walk, they share their journeys with each other. Religious tells of his encounter with Sensual Pleasure, License, Legalist, Bored, and Judgmental.Pilgrim and Religious then meet Spiritual But Not Religious, who walks with them for a while, until she decides they are not spiritual enough for her. So she takes off by herself with the parting greeting, “Namaste!”View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

The New Pilgrim’s Progress is a modern retelling of John Bunyan’s 17th century classic “Pilgrim’s Progress.” It is an allegorical pilgrimage through the landscape of 21st century American spirituality.In this fourth chapter Seeker descends the Hill of Difficulty. At the bottom of the hill he meets and does battle with the monster, Apollyon. From there he continues on to the Valley of the Shadow of Death where he walks Occam’s Razor, learns the truth about hell, and has to deal with his own fear of death. From there he enters the Valley of Dry Bones where he meets Calvin and Arminius. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

The New Pilgrim’s Progress is a modern retelling of John Bunyan’s 17th century classic “Pilgrim’s Progress.” It is an allegorical pilgrimage through the landscape of 21st century American spirituality.In this third chapter Seeker comes to the Cross, where he meets three Shining Ones and takes a new name – Pilgrim. He meets two Sleepers, two Trespassers, as well as two fellow pilgrims who have been on the Way for two thousand years: Sacrament and Tradition.He climbs the Hill of Difficulty and arrives First Baptist Church.  There he is befriended by a fundamentalist family, who show him the Museum of Famous Baptists and the Armory of God. There he is outfitted with the 21st century equivalent of the full armor of God and continues on his way.View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

The New Pilgrim’s Progress is a modern retelling of John Bunyan’s 17th century classic “Pilgrim’s Progress.” It is an allegorical pilgrimage through the landscape of 21st century American spirituality.In Part 2 Seeker comes to the Gate where he meets Sincerity and avoids the sniper Post-Modern. He continues to the Theologians House where he views a portrait of a Pastor and enters the Shrine of the Book. There he is given a tour of the various chapels surrounding the central rotunda. In these chapels are various interpreters of scripture including Inerrant & Infallible, King James Only, Creationist, Feminist, Paraphrase, and many more. From there he moves on to the Gallery of Christs. Following in the footsteps of J.K. Rowling, who had come before him (and got many ideas for her Harry Potter books), Seeker views an assortment of portraits of Jesus, including Sallman’s Head of Christ, an African Christ, a Revolutionary Christ, a Transgender Christ, and even Ricky Bobby’s Talladega Jesus.He finishes his tour of the Theologian House by stopping for a moment at the Mathematician Cubicle where he explores the Trinity, and then he proceeds out the door into the garden. There he sees three Apologists and two children named Faith and Works, playing on a teeter-tooter. From the edge of the Garden he glimpses a Cross on a hill in the distance and Seeker quickly takes his leave of Theologian to continue on his way.  View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

The New Pilgrim’s Progress is a modern retelling of John Bunyan’s 17th century classic “Pilgrim’s Progress.” It is an allegorical pilgrimage through the landscape of 21st century American spirituality.In this first chapter Seeker decides to leave his home in the Shadowlands. He meets Campus Crusader on his university campus. The evangelist instructs him to begin his journey by entering through a gate illuminated by lamppost, which strangely resembles the one at the boundary of Narnia. Along the way he meets Tolerant and Intolerant and falls into the Bog of Existential Angst from which he is rescued by Prozac. He meets Psychologist who directs him to the Town of Therapy where he stays for a while before continuing his journey.  View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

Patterned after John Bunyan’s 17th century classic “Pilgrim’s Progress,” The New Pilgrim’s Progress is an allegorical pilgrimage through the landscape of 21st century American Christianity.This is not your grandfather’s Pilgrim’s Progress! In this retelling of the beloved allegory, Seeker (who later changes his name to Pilgrim) meets Campus Crusader on his university campus. The evangelist instructs him to begin his journey by entering through a gate illuminated by lamppost, which strangely resembles the one at the boundary of Narnia. Instead of the Slough of Despond this modern Pilgrim falls into the Bog of Existential Angst, and then stays in the Town of Therapy for a while. Where Vanity Fair used to be, now there is Prosperity Gospel Ministries. Pilgrim visits the City of Megachurch where he meets people who suspiciously resemble Robert Schuller, Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, and Benny Hinn. Pilgrim visits Theologian’s house and First Baptist Church. He meets famous preachers like Calvin, Arminius and Billy Graham, as well as familiar characters like Apollyon, Judgmental, Bored, and Spiritual but Not Religious. These are just a few of the adventures that Pilgrim and his companions have on their journey from their home in the Shadowlands (shades of C. S. Lewis) to their Destination beyond the river. This is a romp through contemporary American Christianity that I hope will get you thinking deeply and laughing out loud.View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

This is the final episode of “Experiencing God Directly: The Way of Christian Nonduality.” It is the epilogue to my 2013 book by the same title. In “The Story of Me,” I give a brief personal account of how a Baptist preacher came to the nondual awareness of God and how I interpret it within the Christian tradition. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

"The wayless way is where the sons of God lose themselves and at the same time find themselves." Meister EckhartSo far these episodes about Experiencing God Directly have been an attempt to describe the nondual Christian experience of God. In this episode entitled “The Wayless Way,” I go beyond description and point the reader directly to God. I make this as personal as I can and describe my own practice of abiding in God. Section headings are:God as Wholly OtherGod as Eternal One View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

"Emptiness, emptiness, all is emptiness." Book of Eccleciastes In this episode I explore the teaching of nonduality in the Wisdom tradition of the Old Testament, particularly in the Book of Ecclesiastes and the Wisdom psalms. It is represented in the concept of “emptiness.” It is also present in the New Testament teaching about Christ, especially how God emptied himself in the Incarnation and the Cross of Christ. I explore the nondual concept of afterlife and consciousness after death in the Western tradition. Chapter sections are “The Emptiness of Christ,” “Eat, Drink, Chop Wood, Carry Water,” and “Don’t Take Your Self Seriously.”View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

"I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see you!" - JobThank God for atheists! Atheists have taught me more about God than any preacher or seminary professor. They have shown me what God is not, and thereby pointed me toward who God is.  I credit the books of the so-called “New Atheists” with helping me identify and reject false gods and thereby redirect me to True God. Especially former Christian preachers who became atheists have deepened my Christian faith by pointing out the weaknesses of traditional understandings of God.My inquiry into God – like my inquiry into the nature of the self – has led me beyond the human conceptions of God to what Christian philosopher Paul Tillich calls “God beyond God.” The God of religion is nothing more than an idea in the mind. It is a construction of the human mind, a mental image. To worship a mental image of God is just as idolatrous as worshiping a graven image, and it is just as much a violation of the first and second commandments. The God of most theists is an idol. But God is real. The One God that Christian doctrines, icons, scriptures, and words point to is Ultimately Real. But ideas about God are not. We must not mistake the words used to describe God for God to whom they point. There is an old saying: Do not mistake the finger pointing to the moon for the moon itself. We must not mistake doctrine that points to Truth for Truth Itself. Road signs along the spiritual path are not the destination to which they point. In this chapter I explore those Christian doctrines that point us beyond ideas and bring us into the presence of God. I call them paradoxical pointers – doctrines like the trinity, incarnation, and theodicy – also known as the problem of suffering and evil. When allowed to fulfill their purpose these doctrines bring us into an experience of God. I also explore the ideas of whether True God is personal or impersonal.  View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU