The Tao of Jesus: A Book of Days for the Natural Year

by John Beverley Butcher

A beautiful gift, this book of 365 meditations takes readers on a journey of discovery through the rhythms of solstice and equinox, in which the church year is rooted. Butcher's selections reveal the earth-based foundations and the deep psychological wisdom of ancient Christian and Jewish teachings and their compatibility with the Taoist reverence for balance and flow.

Genres: Religion

415 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1994

Reviews

[rumbledethumps · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this book was misnamed, as there was very little about Taoism at all. It seems to take its title from John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us." (KJ). But the author has translated "Word" to "Tao" and gives barely a nod to anything else about the Tao. (I have seen "Word" in the Bible translated this way before, so at least it is not unique to this author.)

It is also structured around "the natural year," which apparently begins on November 1st. We are given a _very_ concise explanation as to how this date was arrived at, and why the book is structured this way.

Just felt like another book that appropriated the word "Tao" to go on about something else the author knows about. Not for me.

[Ali · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought I would really like this book. I love the Tao Te Ching and I love Jesus. However the readings are from all over the place, with many coming from the gnostic gospels and other pseudepigraphal texts. There’s only some Tao. And at the back there’s a Taoist Eucharist. What the heck is a Taoist Eucharistic? This just smacked of religious appropriation to me. I did not read it all so this review is based on having only read a small portion of this book.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book follows the Celtic natural year and has daily readings of ancient texts and holy writings. You can either read daily throughout the year or sit and read through as you would any book. I appreciated the variety of texts throughout and also some new (to me) information about the Tao, Jesus and other religious figures. Definitely worth a read!

[Paned Bach · Rating 3 out of 5]

O

[Mckinley · Rating 1 out of 5]

This collection of quotes/sayings etc. clumped around a loose calendar of days makes no sense. The material extends far past Jesus Christ. The sources, many have nothing to do with Jesus, his life, his teaching or the church that arose from those, are linked in some loose way that only makes sense to the editor who doesn't explain himself in the introduction other than comparing the selections to when he went rock hunting as a child. Neither is there a solid connection to the Tao and Christ. Disappointing.