The Tantric Jesus: Christ as God, Guru, and Self

5/5 ( ratings)

The Tantric Jesus is a fascinating examination of a living master of flesh and blood, a guru, guide, and exemplary role model- and of the impact that example has on those who aspire to emulate it. It explores the universal spiritual practices Jesus espoused and encouraged others to practice. Through the lens of the various accounts of Jesus' life and teachings, from both East and West, it touches on the challenges of reconciling our inner and outer realities, embracing our sexuality as integral to our spirituality, and discovering and embracing the divinity that lies within each and every one of us. Here, through his humanity and the practices he embodied, we see Jesus as a portrait of divinity- but it is a self-portrait of the imago dei, reflecting not only all spiritual masters, but in fact, the true nature of every human being. The credibility of this analysis is greatly enhanced by the author's own experience of having studied under a Hindu guru for many years, and having served for sixteen years as an Episcopal priest dedicated to putting the teachings of both traditions into practice. It has inspired one best-selling author, Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong, to comment,"While organized religion in our post-Christian era is in notable decline, Jesus' popularity is not. Robert Stucky helps us understand why. He probes Jesus to discover the universal truth. He takes Jesus out of orthodox boxes and lets him live in new places. He elevates Jesus to a dialogue, first with the Gnostic Christians of Antiquity, and then with Eastern thinkers, both ancient and modern. The Jesus I find in the pages of this book is fresh, provocative, powerful, and welcoming. It may well be that Stucky has discovered a path to a believing future."