In this book Matthew Fox lays out a whole new direction for Christianity—a direction that is in fact very ancient and very grounded in Jewish thinking (the fact that Jesus was a Jew is often neglected by Christian theology). Fox believes that the teaching of original sin—which Jesus never heard of (no Jew has) has served empire-builders very well but that original blessing—the awareness of the goodness of creation—must take precedence. The implications are profound for psychological as well as sociological and ecological transformation. Oppressed people everywhere will recognize the difference. Fox lays out the ancient but often neglected (and sometimes condemned) creation spiritual tradition in Original Blessing. The sacredness of creation and of our role in it is a starting point—what the mystical tradition calls the Via Positiva, the path of joy and delight, awe and gratitude. The Via Negativa is the past of darkness and silence and also of suffering and of letting go and letting be. The Via Creativa is the path of creativity. And the Via Transformativa is the path of justice and compassion. All four paths constitute an adult spiritual journey. Each feeds the others. Fox also lays out 27 themes that interweave among the Four Paths. For Fox, all of us are mystics and all are prophets, and he shows the journey of both in this groundbreaking and revolutionary book that deliberately rejects the 3 paths of purgation, illumination and union that fail to put justice or creativity at the heart of the spiritual journey. In this revolutionary work, Fox shows how Christianity once celebrated beauty, compassion, justice, and creativity and provided a path of ecstatic connection with all creation.