The Christ is Not a Person: The Evolution of Consciousness and The Destiny of Man

J.C. Teft
iUniverse (2009)
ISBN 9780595511334
Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (10/09)

 

This book is a must read for anyone who is interested in New Thought interpretation of the Bible.  I am preparing to become a Spiritual Leader for a Unity Church and have taken quite a few classes on the Bible over the past couple of years.  I found this book to be well-written, informative and in line with the New Thought movement.  This is not written as a textbook, and is very reader friendly.  It can easily be read by a novice or someone with more advanced studies.

As he was growing up, J.C. Teft witnessed his father’s transformation through enlightenment and learned a lot from him.  Toward the end of his life, when his Dad began to focus on the scriptural readings and their interpretations, Teft kept notes on these lessons and the formation of this book began.   But the time for this book was not to be for a couple decades when he was ready to produce it.  The wait was well worth it.  He does an excellent job of not only explaining the biblical scriptures but also showing how closely in alignment they are with other scriptures from other belief systems.

Here is an example from the book.  I chose this because it is the scripture that I used in a recent church service when I did a talk on Eckhart Tolle’s “Power of Now.” 

“Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you.. Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat?  Or what shall we drink? Or wherewithal shall we be clothed?...for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (Mat 6:30-33)

Teft’s interpretation:  Jesus was speaking to an order of priority here.  Inherently built into the workings of the universe is all the sustenance necessary to sustain the body.  It is unnecessary, therefore, to focus undue amounts of Energy toward acquiring such sustenance.  In fact, when focused in the extreme in this way, it hinder’s God’s work.  Sustenance for the Soul is in greater than need for sustenance for the body…..”  (page 121)  He also shows how similar it is to the Prasna Upanishad, First Question. 

I found Teft’s approach very enlightening.  I highly recommend this to anyone who is interested in the Bible and New Thought interpretation.  “The Christ is Not a Person” by J.C. Teft will not disappoint.

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