The Four Vision Quests of Jesus

Bishop Charleston is a very compassionate man. When he first studied to become a priest (Episcopal), he was troubled by the challenging history between native Americans and Christianity. He had his own vision quest to seek guidance and was assured he would find a way to bring the two roads together - Native American spirituality and Christianity. He did in a most wonderful way! He sees the vision quests of Jesus as being congruent with Native beliefs of a Spirit that loves us All (no exceptions) and wants us to live in kinship with each other and creation. I’m glad I read this book during Lent. It puts the Easter story in a new perspective and is definitely a message we need today.

This is a clear easy read so full of important historical background and theological /biblical thought. Such a gem. Very Good Medicine.

I truly enjoyed seeing with Native American eyes the 4 instances of Jesus recorded in the gospel. Well worth the read

In this book Steven Charleston interprets the story of Jesus from the vantage point of Native American spirituality. Whether he does so successfully depends upon the reader's understanding of Christ. I have no trouble with it, or only I only have trouble with it to the extent that I have trouble with Christian mythology, and essentially all religion, in general. However, those Christians for whom the Bible is “inerrant” historical truth, apparently 24% of Americans, will not reject Charleston's ideas. Charleston's people suffered near genocide committed by purported “Christians,” so he had a crisis of faith in accepting the religion of the whites.The Native American vision quest entails a vigorous ordeal. It involves not eating or drinking for several days, and forcing oneself to stay awake. Anyone who does this is going to have visions, or hallucinations. The question then is whether these visions have any meaning. In my opinion, they do. Such visions are obviously a product of one's mind, and a conscious quest will activate the subliminal mind. Whether or not such visions will foretell the future I'm skeptical about, to say the least, but they very likely enlighten the seeker to aspects of himself, and of the human condition. Charleston says, “I believe there are more out there who have had spiritual visions than who have not.” But we are taught to ignore them.In THE FOUR-GATED CITY, for instance, Rhodesian author Doris Lessing described her character, Martha Quest fasting and staying awake for several days. During this quest she encountered an aspect of herself whom she referred to as “the self-hater.” She said now she understood what went on in the mind of someone who would rape and murder a child. I encountered this thing myself in my own vision quest, before I read her book. Charleston points out that Native Americans interpretation of evil is that it is within all of us, so “Satan” is a projection of “Self.” Yes, an aspect of one's personality that is almost autonomous, as “the temptation to rugged individualism. . . the unmitigated sense of self as a pathway to deep spiritual error.” Human beings are responsible for everything they see. They must take care of nature; not rape it for personal benefit. Which, of course, is a diametric contradiction of American Christianity.Anyone reading BLACK ELK SPEAKS can see the similarity between his visions and those of Hebrew visionaries described in the Bible. It is simply historical fact, as Stevenson says, “Great deeds come from great visions, and history records how this process has happened in global cultures throughout the world.” Of course, it is also true that many of these great vision and “great” deeds have been quite evil. Hitler claimed to have had visions, and personally, I've always found Moses quite horrifying. Hardly had the dust settled from chiseling the Ten Commandment when he was “coveting the ass” of the the Canaanites and committing genocide to get it. It is nowhere as rare as we should hope for a father to have a vision in which God commands him to kill his child; unfortunately God does not stop it at the last second.In Charleston's understanding of Christ's self-sacrifice, he does not believe that Christ died man's sins, but for their blessing. “Things die so that things may live. In this cosmic reciprocity of life, the holy bargain is that God will die so that all creation may live.” I'm not at all sure that I understand what Christ dying on the cross is supposed to have accomplished, but I find this notion preferable to the traditional Christian interpretation. Charleston say, “Sacrifice presumes the existence of the divine in a conscious form.” Though in my “Vision,” I experienced God as the core of my being, I also don't think God can be self-aware except through mankind (or other self-w-aware beings). So God can't be more self-aware than people are. This is why people who experience “God” can be capable of great cruelty and evil: “Satan is God's Self-ignorance.”The Christians settlers of America justified the butcher of “Indians” by quoting Psalms 2:8, in which God gives them the land of the heathens, whom they should shatter like pottery. Paul Johnson, in his right-wing propaganda tome MODERN TIMES, chooses the quotation as his frontispiece, apparently justifying the notion of the so-called White Man's Burden. The Christians who like Paul Johnson are not going to care for Charleston.

I loved this book. I learned so much from it, that I can't even put it into words. I'll be checking out many of the references and resources that the author mentions, in order to learn more.

I am so appreciative to this author and this book. Reading scripture it seems so obvious to me that the ancient Hebrews who had written most of scripture and the Jews of Jesus’ day, ways of life are so much closer to indigenous way of life. This book opens such possibilities for people to wake up and view and read scripture through the eyes of a different culture, a culture much closer to how scripture was originated

As a Christian human I have always felt a connection with all people, especially the Native American Nation. This book helped me understand better that connection. Steven explains the Christ of the Bible in a way that allows Him to be universally understood. He gives depth to the Bible in understanding what is ment by the words human being and humanity. I feel every human being NEEDS to read this.

So far; haven't finished reading it yet.Amazon misunderstood my order for the book, sent it to me, then sent confirmation my Kindle version was in my Kindle. I called Customer Service & explained I ordered & received the book and was charged for it. I DID NOT order a Kindle e-book, didn't know how to return an e-book, and wanted a refund for the charge to my credit card. I did WANT OR NEED the book AND THE E-Book. She assured me the Kindle book would be deleted right away & she was processing a credit for the Kindle e-book. Sounded wonderful, but how many times have I struggled for months for the supplier to actually do it???? So many times I keep track of every conversation, and there was in fact a credit on my next credit card statement in the correct amount! THANK YOU AMAZON, AND YOUR PLEASANT & UNDERSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR DOING WHAT I ASKED WITHOUT ARGUMENT OR DELAY. I will continue to shop with you, and I am now astounded the array of products you sell. I'm not going to waste my gas getting poor service & refunds from my local retailers.THANK YOU! I'M EXTREMELY SATISFIED!