The Christian Meaning of Enlightenment

Presenter: Richard Rohr, O.F.M., founding director, Center for Action and Contemplation
July 10, 2010

10th Annual Evelyn Underhill Lecture in Christian Spirituality

In this lecture, Father Richard Rohr, O.F.M., explores the concept of enlightenment within Christian spirituality, arguing that it is a foundational, yet often overlooked, aspect of the faith. Drawing on biblical passages such as John 1:9, John 9, and Matthew 5, Rohr defines enlightenment not as seeing special things, but as a fundamental shift in consciousness, or "how we see". He contrasts this alternative, non-dual consciousness with the dualistic mind, which divides reality into categories like right/wrong or us/them and is incapable of truly understanding core Christian mysteries. Fr. Rohr suggests that the Western church largely replaced the dynamic, present-tense experience of enlightenment with the concept of salvation as an "evacuation plan for the next world," an event that happens after death rather than a transformative process available in the present. He posits that true enlightenment is an observable, embodied experience of being "in the light," which manifests as love for enemies, healing forgiveness, and the ability to live with paradox and mystery.

Find a transcript of this presentation here: https://www.bc.edu/content/dam/bc1/sc...

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*This video description was prepared with assistance from NotebookLM