Christian Animism
Shawn Sanford Beck
Christian Alternative, 2015
Review by Katina Haaland-Ramer.
Christian Animism’ by Shawn Sanford Beck is a curious and brief (52-page) treatise on the titular topic by a Canadian Anglican Priest with Pagan leanings. The author cites as his two greatest sources of inspiration activist/theologian Walter Wink and Starhawk. The work could roughly be called an apologetic, as a great deal of the text is taken up with explaining how such a thing could exist in the first place.
While he claims full faith in Christ, his alternative theology recognizes the influences of Buddhist, Cree, and the aforementioned Pagan traditions. Internal to the Christian heritage he recognizes Celtic faith and classic apocryphal Enochian literature. He contests that while monotheism may be at odds with pantheism and polytheism, there is sufficient Biblical support for an animistic worldview as to make it not incompatible with the Christian faith.
I believe it [an apple tree] to be a fellow creature, a being both physical and spiritual, as I am. But I don’t worship it, and I don’t consider it a god. It is simply a neighbor. Now, while you may think me a bit off my rocker for holding this belief, you cannot accuse me of being a heretic (14).
Beck’s vision is one in which the world may be treated as the body of the triune God: Creator, Word, and Holy Sophia. At the same time, he sees it populated by the spirits of individual living things (including rocks, plants, and even natural features) under the jurisdiction of presiding spirits (such as all vegetables, the sky, and so forth). He also references the fictional worlds of Narnia and Middle Earth as parables of his world view.
Beck contests that adopting this paradigm is theologically beneficial in the areas of creating an ecologically-aware Christianity that treats all beings of the earth as “neighbors”. This is to correct for the other Biblical models of relatedness to the world which are anthropocentric. His work is very carefully progressive, and he seems to suffer much over the past and present errors of the traditional Church.
It is unfortunate to see such a brilliant thinker apparently girding himself for attack expected from all sides, but understandable. He is attempting to syncratize traditions that have much hatred to overcome if they are ever to coexist peacefully. The second benefit he cites is the potential for creating the interfaith dialogue required to make such a future a reality.
Finally, he hopes to revitalize the faith by encouraging personal awakening in the faithful:
Christian animism can give us some tools so that we might begin to open our hearts and minds to the “spirit world”, not as a realm far removed from day-to-day reality, and not as a synonym for heaven (as an eschatological reality), but rather as the world of energy and consciousness intricately bound to the physical creatures whom we encounter in our real lives (18).
If there be any criticism, this is a highly intellectual and academic work thick with jargon through which those unfamiliar with technical religious study might find it tedious to pick. However, it may be the best piece of literature possible for someone from a deep Christian background seeking to reconcile that faith with a magical awakening.
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