The Unbearable Wholeness of Being: God, Evolution, and the Power of Love

I and a second reader have used this book as a personal study book for six months. Delio's thoroughness of research across theology, religion, and science is impressive. At times her formal "Catholic" language trips the non-Catholic reader with pauses to sort out your own belief system and understanding. That is not a bad thing. Her attention to historical influences on understanding God, Evolution and the premises that is all about love is written as a treatise. This is masterfully written book; depth beyond the novice reading about God, creation and our place in the world. I consider myself well read in theology and religion and spirituality. Delio is a professor both in religion and science and that alone gives you a clue to the intensity of her theories and ideas. I have learned a great deal; found some gems that deepened my own spiritual life. It is an undertaking to read....but worth it if you like this type of study for yourself.

Pardon me! I am half way through the book and find it terribly difficult to understand what she is trying to say. I, too, found many of the science facts she presents either lacking, wrong or outdated. Cardin was much easier for me to understand. Please forgive me you 5 star people but there is no way I would recommend this book to my Catholic relatives and friends. I would certainly not recommend it to any Protastants in my sphere, either. It is way out there, if you will pardon my vernacular.I am a Bapthlic, half Baptist and half Catholic and 90% mystic. No. I did not marry a Catholic. I'm just at home with them in many ways. Evelyn Underhill, St John of the Cross, Theresa of Avila, Charles Stanley and Henry Blackaby, to name a few, have helped me understand my weird theological views are not so weird. But this work is incomprehensible even to some of the gifted minds commenting in Dr, Delio's work.There is another very disconcerting problem. She seems to throw theological orthodoxy and tradition out with the bath water. There is no need to deny the "omni's of God (omniscience, omnipotence, etc.), Well, except that she sees God coming into being through the cosmos. A more unChristian view would be hard to find. There are many other statements that would set the average lay person, either Catholuc or Protatant reeling, if they understood what she is saying.I love the idea of process theology but this work does not get me there.

Drawing on the prophetic theology of the Jesuit paleontologist and theologian Teilhard de Chardin, Ilia Delia articulates a Catholic Christian theology that emerges out of an evolutionary process of the universe becoming conscious of itself. God is the "unbearable wholeness of being" that is still in the process of becoming more whole. At this stage of human evolution, we are an integral part of that creative process, and love is the energy that continuously seeks greater wholeness. This is a hopeful vision that at the same time is cognizant of all the regressive forces that that oppress and constrain the emergence of love and wholeness. This is substantial reading for those who want to learn more about the evolving story of the cosmos and of evolving human understanding of that story.

A new and hopeful understanding of the place and contribution of Christianity to the evolution of consciousness and to the unity of all in love.

Ilio Delio has capture Teilhard de Chardin's thought in the most logical, beautiful manner. Her historical, theological and scientific discourse is well organized and completely logical. This is a wake up call for all of us regardless of religeon, culture or ethnicity. She shows that God is Love and that Love calls us to union and wholeness. Our separate entities must come together with nature to develop an even greater Wholeness. No longer may we live in isolation because to do so moves to annihilation. We must use our technology and science with an eye toward furthering human evolution. As a Christian Catholic, I am dumbstruck at the truth hidden in plain sight. This is transformational.

Am shocked at how few of Christ teachings are reallyEmphasized in Christian daily life.1 kill your neighbor when convenient. Please , no nuclear weapons...unless victory assured. Japan surely remembers that.2 remember capitalism our watchword.3 run rivals out of business.4.fair or fowl win at all cost.Waterboarding wheneverWe all need to read this book---toRediscover our humanity.

This great book has revolutionized my spiritual life. This is the spiritual theology that is most relevant to believers and non-believers in our own time because it addresses timeless questions we ask about life and death, meaning of our life, our relationship with the whole creation and with God in ways that makes sense in our modern world.

The book is a dream come true! I've wrestled with the religious quest most of my life as a monk of 57 years. This work by Ilia Delio is one of the finest summaries I've ever found of the history, present state of and challenges facing the human community's destiny as we cross an evolutionary threshold. Pure brilliance!

Illia Delio, as a scientist and religious, has a wonderful grasp of the energy in the on going expansion of the universe, filled with intelligence. She writes with a fluency that makes a difficult subject intelligible to non scientists and the quotes she uses from respected scientists, and especially Theilhard de Chardin, scientist, archaeologist and mystic are breath taking in their insight. I have found it quite thrilling.

A challenging book that invites the reader into a dialogue and a journey of re-visioning faithin the light of the new Scientific insights into evoloution and our own human story. It opens thereader to many questions and into an exciting journey of understanding God, humanity, Universein an inter-connected way. I recommend it to anyone willing to allow their faith to be stretched anddeepened in a new way.

Interesting and thought provoking a must read for anyone concerned with reconciling the knowledge of science with the traditional wisdom of religious/spiritual texts.

Unbearably good

Not a bedtime read but repays full attention.