The
Mystique of the Earth by Thomas Berry
' I have been having coffee with Confucius, for heaven’s sake.
This person is as giant a thinker as Confucius – and I’ve
been having coffee with him!' Speaking at a conference in Berkeley California
in November 2002, cosmologist Brian Swimme recalls his astonishment
after his first meeting in 1982 with the person who has emerged as one
of the leading thinkers of the world, and who became his primary mentor
and co-worker: Thomas Berry. The description seems apt. As the seminal
influence of this American monk, philosopher, cultural historian, poet
and teacher continues to expand into all fields of society, it would
seem that Berry’s contribution is most especially that of a visionary.
Visionaries and prophets are known for their interference with complacent
social beliefs and Thomas is no exception. His call to us – whatever
the field we work in – is to come off the pedestal of human superiority
over nature and expand our horizons far beyond our anthropocentrism,
all the way out to the stars. Emphasizing time and again that the real
context for all human affairs is the universe which gave birth to us,
Berry’s life work has been to call humanity into a new partnership
with the Earth, imbued with reverence and wonder, which he describes
as 'a mutually enhancing relationship and presence'. In that altered
relationship and presence lies the key to a true sustainability for
all life, far into the future. . More->>
