Shows
The Tao of ChristThe Unwalled Presence of GodThis edition of the Tao of Christ is a little different. For one thing it is shorter than usual. Also I am taking a break from the Gospel of Thomas. I will get back to it in a week or so. Today I am reading my blog post for today. I have a blog that I publish once or twice a week called Spiritual Reflections by Marshall Davis. Normally it is just in a written format, but today I thought I would record it in an audio format as well. If you are interested in subscribing to my blog...
2025-07-2509 minThe Tao of ChristThe God of GazaChristian Nonduality and the Biblical GodAddressing Religious Compatibility and ViolenceMarshall addressed concerns about the compatibility of non-duality with the Old Testament God's violent nature, specifically in light of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Marshall clarified that true Judaism, Islam, and Christianity are religions of peace, and the violence perpetuated in the name of these religions does not represent their true teachings.Divine Reality and Scripture InterpretationHe also claimed that every scripture, when taken literally, distorts this divine reality, but at its best, it serves as a w...
2024-04-1315 minThe Tao of ChristColin Chapman Interviews Marshall Davis on the Red Church Door PodcastThis episode is an interview that I did with Colin Chapman for his podcast called Red Church Door. The interview was recorded on May 10, 2021 and was scheduled to be broadcast about three weeks later. Colin is an Episcopal priest who is the rector of a church in Southern New Hampshire. On his website he says that his podcast “is first and foremost an open invitation to partake in a journey of spiritual discovery. It’s an exploration about how people understand, evolve, and deepen their relationship with God, how their stories relate to our own experiences, and how we can...
2021-05-1533 minThe Tao of ChristMarshall Davis at Asbury First United Methodist Church, Rochester, NYThis episode is a Zoom Talk that I had with a men's group at Asbury First United Methodist Church in Rochester, NY, on March 10, 2021. It was joined by some members of the church who had been studying Cynthia Bourgeault's book The Wisdom Jesus. I was asked to speak on the topic of Christian Nonduality followed by a time of discussion. I speak quite a bit about the events in my life that led up to nondual awareness. Permission was given by the men's group leader and participants to post this online. View Marshall's books here: h...
2021-03-161h 07The Tao of ChristA Story of Heaven and HellA Christian, a Jew, a Muslim and a Hindu wake up in the afterlife. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-10-1015 minThe Tao of ChristThe Threefold Path of JesusI have had listeners contact me when they are at an impasse in the spiritual life, and they ask the question: What can I do? What can I do to experience unitive awareness, to know nondual awareness? What can I do to wake up, to be enlightened or liberated or experience eternal life? In the New Testament the form of this question is normally phrased as: what must I do to be saved or to inherit eternal life or enter the Kingdom of Heaven? Many have been on the spiritual path for a long time – for years or...
2020-10-0518 minThe Tao of ChristIs This World an Illusion?In this episode I explore the oft repeated claim that this world is illusory. That it does not really exist. How does the Indian concept of maya jibe with the Christian belief in the reality and goodness of creation? The truth behind the word maya is not that the world does not exist. It is that it is not what it appears to be. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-09-3015 minThe Tao of ChristThe Spiritual Nature of ConsciousnessIn this episode I explore the idea that is advanced by many nondual teachers that the brain does not produce consciousness. They say that consciousness exists separate from the brain. One person compared the brain to a radio receiver that picks up the radio waves of Cosmic Consciousness. They use out-of-body experiences, Near Death Experiences, and past life memories as evidence that consciousness exists independent of body. Many think that when the body dies there is no significant change in consciousness. We continue to exist as we always have, only without a human body. I disagree. Consciousness i...
2020-09-2516 minThe Tao of ChristDepression and Nondual AwarenessIn this episode I explore the effect that nondual awareness has on depression and other emotional and psychological problems. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-09-2015 minThe Tao of ChristHow to Enter Through the Narrow GateJesus tells us how to enter into Unitive Awareness, which he called the Kingdom of God. He was a teacher of Nondual Reality and taught how to enter into what other spiritual traditions call Enlightenment, Liberation or Spiritual Awakening. In the Sermon on the Mount, he said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Jesus is pointing us to the door. View...
2020-09-1713 minThe Tao of ChristSeek Peace and Pursue itThis episode explore how to sustain the sense of inner peace in nondual awareness, and how to express that inner peace in peacemaking in the world. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-09-1414 minThe Tao of ChristDeep Calls to DeepIn recording these episodes I try to communicate Unitive Awareness. It is not easy. Not only does language seem inadequate to the task of communicating this indescribable reality, but even the process of communication has pitfalls. I have been noticing recently how important it is to pay attention to who is doing the speaking and who is doing the listening. Which “I” is speaking and which “you” is being addressed. As I have said, there are two selves, what Thomas Merton has called True Self and the false self. There is the little human self – the individual personality...
2020-09-1114 minThe Tao of ChristGod and ConsciousnessIn this episode I explore the relationship between Nondual God and Consciousness.View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-09-0815 minThe Tao of ChristUnfriend Your SelfIn this episode I explore the two selves – the True Self and the false self. I talk about a strategy to draw attention away from the little self and thereby live out of the Big Self, using the idea of unfriending on Facebook. In the background you will also hear a guest appearance by my cat Percy, as he meows for attention and plays with a squeaking toy, thereby impersonating the false self. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-09-0614 minThe Tao of ChristTrinity and NondualityIn this episode I explore how the Christian doctrine of the Trinity points to nondual Reality and can usher us into unitive awareness. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-09-0413 minThe Tao of ChristLiberation by Grace through FaithThe doctrine of salvation by grace through faith is well known in Christian circles. But the principle’s real power is found when it is applied, not to doctrines but to Unitive awareness or Nondual Awareness. The Protestant principle is true after all, but applied to Reality and not to ideas. You can call it salvation or eternal life. Other spiritual traditions call it enlightenment or awakening. The Christ called it the Kingdom of God. The Buddha called it nirvana. Zen calls it satori. Here I am calling it liberation, which is a term used in both the...
2020-09-0214 minThe Tao of ChristYou Are Not Who You Think You AreYou are not who you think you are. You are not WHAT you think you are. French Christian philosopher and paleontologist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin famously said, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” Even that does not quite communicate it. It makes it sounds like there are a lot of little spiritual beings having human experiences. There is only one Being, what Christian philosopher Paul Tillich called Being Itself or the Ground of Being. Another word for this is Spirit, and that is what we are. I wou...
2020-08-3116 minThe Tao of ChristThe Book of Job, the Problem of Suffering, and Spiritual AwakeningMany Christians do not investigate – or even know about - the possibility of spiritual awakening because they do not hear about it from the pulpit or see examples of it in the Christian Bible. So they settle for a second-hand faith of believing in things. But the truth is that there are biblical examples hiding in plain sight. One of them is the Old Testament character of Job. Job is an Old Testament Buddha whose account of spiritual awakening is recorded in the Book of Job. The events that lead to both the Buddha’s and Job’s awake...
2020-08-2922 minThe Tao of ChristThe Hunting of the SnarkIn this episode I interpret Lewis Carroll’s enigmatic 1876 poem “The Hunting of the Snark” as an allegory of the spiritual life. In particular I see it as portraying the spiritual practice known as self-inquiry.If you are interested in reading the poem, here is an online version of it from the Poetry Foundation:https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43909/the-hunting-of-the-snarkView Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-08-2612 minThe Tao of ChristSeeing God in Your BackyardThis is an experiential episode where I take the listener through the process of seeing God – experiencing the true nondual of ourselves and the universe – as seen in our own backyards.View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-08-2217 minThe Tao of ChristAging and EnlightenmentThis episode explores how aging is related to the spiritual life. In fact aging helps us in spirituality. It is an aid to what we call spiritual awakening or enlightenment, what Christians call salvation, the Kingdom of God or eternal life. We can see the value of aging in the four classical Indian stages of life known as ashramas. The aging process is about shedding the small self with all its attachments and identifying with the Divine Self. It is about dying to self, dying before we die so physical death does not catch us unprepared.View...
2020-08-1915 minThe Tao of ChristRevelation and NondualityToday I am going to talk about Revelation and its relation to Nonduality. By the word Revelation, I mean the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Christian bible. But it is also related to the theological concept of Revelation, meaning that God reveals God’s self to us. The Greek word for revelation, found in the first sentence of the Book of Revelation literally unveiling or uncovering, which is exactly what spiritual awakening is.Spiritual awakening is an unveiling of what is and has always been. It is simply waking up, having our eyes open to...
2020-08-1511 minThe Tao of ChristNondual Christian AwarenessRecently I received two comments from listeners about my episode on Nondual Meditation. One was from a listener from Canada by email. The other was in an online interview with Corey Farr who has a podcast entitled, “A Christian Reads the Tao te Ching,” which is an excellent podcast by the way. I will post a link to it. In addition to talking about my Christian version of the Tao Te Ching, Corey wanted to talk about meditation and referred that episode about nondual Meditation.So I went back and listened to what I said, which is some...
2020-08-0813 minThe Tao of ChristThe Gospel of ThomasMany Christians are attracted to the truth of nonduality. It resonates as true at a deep spiritual level. Deep speaks to deep, as the psalmist says. But they are wary because it does not seem to fit with what the Bible says. Scripture has a powerful hold on Christians, and we hesitate to stray too far from its authority for fear of drifting away from the “faith once for all delivered to the saints” as the Letter of Jude puts it.What most Christians do not realize is that the books that we have in our Bibles are...
2020-08-0513 minThe Tao of ChristInterview With Corey Farr about The Tao of Christ: A Christian Version of the Tao Te ChingIn this episode podcaster Corey Farr interviews Marshall Davis on his podcast “A Christian Reads the Tao Te Ching.” Corey interviews me about my book The Tao of Christ: A Christian Version of the Tao Te Ching. He also asks questions about nonduality and specifically my podcast episode on Nondual Meditation. So we get into nonduality quite a bit. So here it is. I hope you enjoy it. You can find the original recording at Corey’s website at CoreyFarr.comhttps://www.coreyfarr.com/View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores...
2020-08-0347 minThe Tao of ChristNature as a Doorway to Spiritual AwakeningIn this episode I explore an alternative to the typical self-inquiry that is standard fare in nondualism. Meditation upon Nature - the natural envoronment and our connection to it - can be a more direct path to spiritual awakening.View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-08-0113 minThe Tao of ChristThe Bible and NondualityWhen it comes to Christian nonduality, one of the issues that is often raised by both inquirers and critics is its approach to the Bible. The nondual attitude toward Scripture is different than the traditional reverence that Christians have for the Bible. In traditional Christianity, Scripture serves as the foundation for everything that a Christian believes and does. When Christians want to know what is true and what is not, they look to the Bible. Christians use words like authoritative and inspired to describe the Bible. Evangelicals and fundamentalists prefer stronger words like inerrant and infallible.
2020-07-2913 minThe Tao of ChristIs God Personal or Impersonal?It would be tempting to answer this question using concepts, but of course nonduality is not about concepts or ideas. It is about direct experience. So I will refer the question back to you my listeners and ask you to see for yourself.One of the standard tecniques in nonduality is direct inquiry into who or what we are. We look for a separate personal self with a name and a history, and discover to our surprise that such a being does not exist. The self or ego is just an idea tacked onto experience. It does...
2020-07-2512 minThe Tao of ChristPolitics and NondualityIn this episode I explore how we can engage in political and social activism as an expression of nonduality.View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-07-2215 minThe Tao of ChristCosmic ConsciousnessIn this episode I explore the awareness of our unity – in fact our identity – with all life and all existence. This is manifested in most people as an affinity or love for Nature. Many people feel more in touch with God in Nature than they do in church. This is because we intuitively sense our primal connection to the creation. This consciousness is attested to in the Christian Scriptures and more importantly in our direct experience. This is cosmic consciousness. We are one with the cosmos, which is one with the God of the cosmos, which the Bible says is “...
2020-07-1813 minThe Tao of ChristThat Thou ArtIn this episode I explore the teaching of Jesus and the psalms, also found in the Upanishads, that the spiritual essence of humans is identical to the spiritual essence of the Universe. There is one essence of everything in the universe and that is divine.View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-07-1513 minThe Tao of ChristThe Spiritual Awakening of JacobThere are examples of nondual spiritual awakening throughout the Bible. It is just that they are not usually identified as such or taught as such. One such example is the story commonly referred to as Jacob’s Ladder. Today I will look at that story in combination with another story from Jacob’s life that happens a number of years later - the story of Jacob wrestling with God. We might call that Part 2 of his awakening. Together they tell how Jacob woke up to the nondual nature of reality, who God really is and who he really was.
2020-07-1112 minThe Tao of ChristNondual MeditationIn ths episode I explore the difference between traditional meditation, Christian meditation, and nondual meditation.View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-07-0816 minThe Tao of ChristChristianity and NondualityIn this episode I explain how the nondual message of Jesus became the institutional religion that we know today as Christianity, and how the original message of Jesus can be recovered in our lives. I also explain why I describe myself as as a nondual Christian or a Christian nondualist. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-07-0415 minThe Tao of ChristThe Liberation of MosesOne reason why Christians do not pursue the spiritual goal of what is called enlightenment, spiritual awakening or liberation is the lack of role models in the Bible. Buddhists pursue Enlightenment because that was the Buddha’s experience, and he is an example for others. That is the main focus of the early Buddhist scriptures. The same is true of Hindus, with the example of sannyasi, sadhus and yogis who practiced the disciplines of asceticism and meditation. The Hindu scriptures, especially the Upanishads, echo this focus of Hinduism. But when we come to the Hebrew and Christian Scr...
2020-07-0112 minThe Tao of ChristSeeing What You Really AreThis episode is going to be very practical. I am going to point directly to what you really are. There are three steps I am going to take you through. In reality there is only one step – just seeing. The first two are preliminary steps to the third step, which is the only one that counts. Kind of like when a long jumper runs up to the approach. Only the final takeoff counts. The first step is to look carefully at our physical nature. The second is to look at our psychological nature. The third is to look at ou...
2020-06-2818 minThe Tao of ChristThe Christ WithinChrist is within you. Christ is not sitting on a golden throne next to his Heavenly Father in some distant heaven where he rules over the world. This traditional language of Christian theology is true in a spiritual sense but not literally. Heaven is not in the sky or outer space. The ancient geography of the heavens describes the inner landscape of the soul.Christ is within. That idea is regularly voiced in popular Christianity, especially the evangelical variety. Evangelicals talk about inviting Christ into our hearts, and it is assumed that Christ accepts the invitation. We...
2020-06-2412 minThe Tao of ChristHypocrisy and NondualityJesus could not stomach religious people who self-righteously judged others. He called them hypocrites. The word used in the Gospels is the Greek word hypokrites, which is transliterated directly into the English language as hypocrite. The word refers to “an actor” or “a stage player” in Greek theatre. The Greek word is a compound noun made up of two smaller Greek words, which literally translate as “an interpreter from underneath.” That is a reference to actors in ancient Greek theater who wore large masks to portray the character they were playing. They interpreted the story from underneath their masks...
2020-06-2012 minThe Tao of ChristSin, Forgiveness and NondualitySin is duality. Nonduality is salvation. Forgiveness is nondual awareness. That in ten words is what I talk about in this episode. The only sin is not looking at who we really are – and who God really is - and not believing what we see. It is being too blind to see, as Jesus told the Pharisees. That is the original sin. The only solution to this sin is to open our eyes. It is so easy. Even a child can see it. In fact only when we see like a little child can we do it. Jesus said th...
2020-06-1714 minThe Tao of ChristThe Origin of DualityNonduality is Reality. That was the insight of Jesus and the earliest Christian message of the Kingdom of God. Nonduality is the truth at the core of all great spiritual traditions of the world. But if nonduality is reality, then where did duality come from? If all is One, how did two come about. How did we find ourselves in this seemingly dualistic world? Every religious tradition has its own origin myths to explain this. The Tao Te Ching says simply, “The Tao begot one. One begot two. Two begot three. And three begot the ten thousand thi...
2020-06-1414 minThe Tao of ChristChrist ConsciousnessThe oldest Christian message is Christ Consciousness. One of the oldest sayings in the New Testament is found in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, but Paul did not write it. It is much older. It is from an early Christian hymns which Paul was quoting in Philippians 2. It reads: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.But emptied Himself, and took the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men...
2020-06-1113 minThe Tao of ChristThe Gospel of Jesus & the Gospel about JesusThe original gospel was the one that Jesus proclaimed, which was the Kingdom of God. Today it is alternatively called Christ Consciousness, Kingdom Consciousness, Unitive Awareness, or Nondual Awareness. Then there was the gospel about Jesus created by the apostle Paul and other Christians of the early decades and centuries after Christ. In this episode I explore how the Church came to abandon Jesus’ original message and the differences between the two gospels. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-06-0913 minThe Tao of ChristSatan’s True IdentityIn this episode I explore the historical development, mythology and meaning of Satan from a nondual perspective. For traditional Christians the devil is real – a fallen angel. He is epitome of evil, who oversees a vast hoard of demons or evil spirits who are just waiting to possess the hapless person who is careless with his soul.When viewed from a nondual perspective the figure of Satan points to something much closer to home. He is the human ego. As Walt Kelly famously said in his Pogo comic strip: We have met the enemy and he is us...
2020-06-0713 minThe Tao of ChristA River Runs Through MeIn this episode I explore the symbol of the river as a description of nondual awareness as seen from a human perspective. Jesus used this metaphor to point to what he called the Kingdom of God or Eternal Life. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-06-0413 minThe Tao of ChristLove and NondualityAbout a month ago I got an email from a listener in British Columbia, Canada. He gave me permission to quote it, so I will and then address the issue he raises. He writes in part:I have a question about the nondual conception of God. I find this view compelling, but wonder if a nondual conception of God leaves us with this sort of ineffable God about which we can say nothing. Concepts like loving and caring are dualistic concepts, and yet it seems that even Christians in the mystical / contemplative / nondual traditions want to...
2020-06-0114 minThe Tao of ChristLosing Your SoulIn this episode I explore one of the most famous sayings of Jesus, and one of his clearest teachings on the self and nonduality. It is found in all four gospels, which is an extremely rare occurrence. Here it is in four slightly different forms: Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.Whoever finds his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will find it.Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life will keep it for eternal l...
2020-05-3011 minThe Tao of ChristThe Nondual Teachings of Jesus: Hidden TreasureThe Kingdom of God, also called unitive awareness or nondual awareness, is like a treasure that is discovered. That is the way that Jesus described it in two stories, known as the parable of the Treasure in the Field and the parable of the Pearl of Great Price. Some people search for the treasure. For them life is a treasure hunt. Others simply stumble across it. Some spiritual teachers downplay or disparage searching. It is often said that there is nothing that one can do to be awakened or enlightened. In Christian circles it is likewise said t...
2020-05-2814 minThe Tao of ChristDemons, Evil Spirits, and AwakeningAccording to the earliest account of Jesus’ ministry, he engaged in two major activities. One was the preaching of the Kingdom of God. The other activity that dominates Jesus’ ministry in the Gospel of Mark is casting out evil spirits. That also is a communication of nondual awareness, although a much more dramatic communication of it than simple teaching. It is analogous to the physical and sometimes violent techniques used by Zen masters to shock a person into waking up to Reality. In this episode I explore what demons and evil spirits really represent in the go...
2020-05-2515 minThe Tao of ChristThe Nondual Teachings of Jesus – HomecomingOne of the most famous stories that Jesus told was the parable of the prodigal son. It is also the most misinterpreted. In this episode today I show how through this story Jesus was talking about what he called the kingdom of God, and which I call unitive awareness or Christian nonduality. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-05-2114 minThe Tao of ChristThe Nondual Teachings of Jesus - Lost & FoundJesus was a teacher of the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven. I call it the Presence of God, Unitive Awareness or Christian nonduality. The primary way he communicated this reality was in stories called parables. In this episode I am look at two of his stories commonly known as the parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin. They are about people who lost something, searched for it, and found it. From most pulpits these are interpreted in a simplistic manner – that they are about us being lost and consequently saved by God. That...
2020-05-1915 minThe Tao of ChristBeyond the Idea of GodThe greatest obstacle to experiencing God is the idea of God. There is a difference between God and an idea about God. That ought to be obvious, but we rarely pay attention to the difference. Consequently many Christians mistake the theological idea in their heads for God. That idea in your head is not God. It is just an idea, just a word with some feelings connected to it.In this episode I go beyond “God talk” and point the listener to a direct experience of “God beyond God.” A lot of times nonduality talks about self-inquiry. I am com...
2020-05-1512 minThe Tao of ChristSalvation or Awakening?Did Jesus preach salvation or spiritual awakening? Was his message about how to be forgiven by a Divine Judge for one’s sins through a human sacrifice offered to a holy God? Or did he speak of awakening to the awareness of the Kingdom of God which is present here now? What is it that we need? Redemption or Enlightenment? Or both, or some combination of them? In this episode I compare these two understandings at the core of these two approaches to the spiritual life. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Mar...
2020-05-1212 minThe Tao of ChristThe Enlightenment of Jesus ChristJesus of Nazareth was enlightened, in the same sense that the word is used in spiritual circles today. Jesus was awake to the truth of his own nature and the nature of the universe, and he lived out of that awareness. His awakening experience is told in all three canonical gospels in the story known as his baptism. It is much more than the story of Jesus going through a religious rite. It describes his spiritual awakening in symbolic language, analogous to Siddhartha Gautama’s (the Buddha’s) awakening under the Bodhi Tree. In this episode I explore the bibl...
2020-05-0813 minThe Tao of ChristNonduality & the BibleOne of the most difficult things for a Christian to overcome when experiencing and communicating the reality of nondual awareness is the vocabulary. It is a stumbling block to use the biblical term. Christians are used to the religious vocabulary of the gospels and the apostle Paul and the other biblical writers. But Nonduality is usually expressed in words and concepts drawn from Eastern religious traditions – from Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism and similar faiths. When Christians first get a glimpse of the One Reality that is our True Nature, we don’t know how to talk about it using...
2020-05-0613 minThe Tao of ChristReincarnation, Resurrection & HeavenIn this episode I explore the topics of reincarnation, resurrection and heaven from the perspective of unitive awareness. I thought about calling this “A Nondual Guide to the Afterlife.” View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-05-0314 minThe Tao of ChristThe Wisdom of FearThere is a lot of fear in religion. There is unhealthy fear – like fear of hell and punishment. There is also healthy fear, which the proverb says, “is the beginning of wisdom.” This episode is the most personal of any I have made. I share autobiographical stories of three occasions in my life when fear gripped me. Eventually this was seen as fear of the death of the self. This revealed the reality of the no-self. This death of the self and birth of Spirit in awareness is the real meaning of Jesus’ words about being born again, born anew, bo...
2020-04-2817 minThe Tao of ChristEternity in our Hearts – The Christian Experience of EnlightenmentThe term Enlightenment, when used in a spiritual or religious context, normally refers to the awakening experience of the Buddha and other religious sages of India and the East. It is a common term in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Nondualism. But for most Christians, the word “enlightenment” feels foreign, having nothing to do with the Christian faith and Western religion. But actually both the word and the concept of enlightenment are found in Christianity and even in the Christian scriptures.In this teaching the term enlightenment is explored, using a verse from Ecclesiastes as a basis: “He has made e...
2020-04-2613 min
The Tao of ChristResurrection as Spiritual AwakeningIn my Pandemic Devotion for today I explore the resurrection of Christ. It is not intended to be a doctrine to be believed but an awareness to be realized. The resurrection appearances of Jesus to his apostles were actually awakening experiences, waking them up to Christ’s true nature and our true nature.View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-04-1311 min
The Tao of ChristThe Christian Cross as Zen KoanIn this Pandemic Devotion I present a different perspective on the Cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus intended this death in Jerusalem to be a dramatic event designed to snap his disciples out of their illusions about who they thought he was and what his Kingdom was. It was meant to reveal his true nature and our true nature.It is analogous to the function of the koan in Zen Buddhism. Perhaps it is easier on Christian ears to call it a parable rather than a koan, for the historical Jesus would never have heard the term koan...
2020-04-0913 min
The Tao of ChristDon’t Worry, You’re Going to DieThe Surgeon General has said, “This is going to be the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans' lives.” President Trump said, “We’re going to go through a very rough two weeks.” This coronavirus pandemic has got Americans thinking and talking about death like never before. Coincidentally – or providentially – this is also Holy Week, the hardest and saddest week of the gospel narrative – the week that recalls the events leading up to the death of Jesus. In my Devotion for a Pandemic today, I explore the role that meditation upon death has played in spirituality - in both Christi...
2020-04-0613 min
The Tao of ChristSlouching Towards ArmageddonIn this episode of Devotions for a Pandemic, I look at the fear that is gripping our country in anticipation of a surge of cases in the coming weeks. I compare this to the apocalyptic spirit that was present in the first century during the time of Jesus. Today we are in a better place to comprehend the feelings of the earliest disciples of Jesus as they hid behind closed doors in fear for their lives. I end the devotion with a reading of W. B. Yeats’ poem “The Second Coming,” which is the inspiration for the title o...
2020-04-0210 min
The Tao of ChristShelter from the StormIn this episode of Devotions for a Pandemic, I explore one of the most popular passages of scripture being used by preachers at this time: Psalm 91. It includes verses like:Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowlerAnd from the perilous pestilence.You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,Nor of the arrow that flies by day,Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.A thousand may fall at your side,And...
2020-03-3013 min
The Tao of ChristThe Biblical Way to Stop a PandemicIn this episode of my series “Devotions for a Pandemic” I look at a biblical story from the Old Testament found in Numbers 16. In this story God causes a plague to sweep through the Hebrew people. Moses and Aaron come up with a plan to stop the pandemic. I believe it has some things to say to us in the midst of our coronavirus pandemic.View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-03-2910 min
The Tao of ChristSpiritual DistancingIn this fourth episode of my Devotions for a Pandemic series, I look at the phenomenon of Social Distancing and its paralells with the spiritual discipline called Detachment, which I call Spiritual Distancing.View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-03-2812 min
The Tao of ChristMeeting God in the PandemicIn this third episode of Devotions for a Pandemic, I expore the questions "Who or What is God?" and "How can we we aware of God?" What is that mysterious dimension of reality that people call the Divine? And - to put it in the context of this COVID-19 pandemic - how can we get in touch with that spiritual dimension of reality that people call God?View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-03-2711 min
The Tao of ChristWhere is God in This Pandemic?This video is part of the "Devotions for a Pandemic" series. In this episode I explore the opinion, proclaimed by some preachers, that natural disasters like this coronavirus pandemic are the judgment of God on this world and our nation.View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-03-2510 min
The Tao of ChristDevotion for a PandemicThe current coronavirus pandemic is a time when we are separated from the spiritual communities that enrich our lives. This is the first of some devotions to help fill that gap. This particular devotion is on the story of Elijah hearing the still small voice of God in a cave on Mount Horeb, found in First Kings 19.View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2020-03-2412 minThe Tao of ChristRethinking SalvationThis episode explores the common misunderstanding in Christianity that individuals are saved. No person is saved. People can’t be saved. In fact the person – that is the persona, the ego, or the self – has to die in order for salvation to be realized. Salvation is recognizing that our true nature is not our individual selves but that which lays behind all personas – behind the masks we wear and the roles we play. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2019-11-0617 minThe Tao of ChristThe Nondual Kingdom of JesusA while ago a clergy friend read my book on Christian Nonduality, and then asked me, “Do you really preach this stuff?’ I replied, “Yes, I do. But I do so very carefully.” By that I mean that I preach it from scripture and in a way that people in traditional Christian churches can hear the message.Today on this podcast I am presenting one of those sermons. This one was preached earlier this month –September 1, 2019 - at the Moultonboro United Methodist Church in Moultonboro NH. The scripture texts that I used were Matthew 4:12-17 and Matthew 13:11-17. In th...
2019-09-2022 minThe Tao of ChristPrayer and NondualityThe Tao of Christ is a podcast which explores the mystical, intuitive, and contemplative side of Christianity. In particular it explores what has been historically called the unitive life and union with God. I call it Christian nonduality, nondualism, and unitive awareness. Recently a listener from Vancouver asked if I would address the topic of prayer from the perspective of unitive awareness and Christian nonduality. In this episode I look at how traditional Christian prayer is not incongruous with nonduality but is included within it. I describe my understanding and practice of both contemplative prayer and traditional f...
2019-09-1418 minThe Tao of ChristEarth SpiritualityThis episode explores our spiritual connection to the earth as described in the creation stories of Genesis. I look at the creation stories of Genesis 1 and 2 and how they speak of the spiritual dimension of our existence. We are the earth conscious of itself. We are the universe conscious of itself. This is what it means to be formed of the earth and made in the image of God. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2019-09-0807 minThe Tao of ChristChristian Theology and NondualityThe Tao of Christ is a podcast which explores the mystical, intuitive, and contemplative side of Christianity. In particular it explores what has been historically called the unitive life and union with God. I call it Christian nonduality, nondualism, and unitive awareness. As a Christian, one issue that is continually raised in conversation is the relationship between Christian doctrine and mysticism. How does nonduality relate to Christian theology? Does traditional Christian doctrine contradict or rule out the type of spirituality that Christian nonduality speaks of? Conservative Christians consider the contemplative or mystical approach to the spiritual life to be...
2019-09-0227 minThe Tao of ChristThe Blasphemous Spirituality of JesusIn this episode we look at another passage in the Christian scriptures that speaks of unitive awareness. One of the most powerful and controversial passages in the Bible is found in the tenth chapter of the Gospel of John. It is John 10:34-38: Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came — and Scripture cannot be broken — do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I am...
2019-08-2718 minThe Tao of ChristUnitive AwarenessThis podcast explores the mystical, intuitive, and contemplative side of Christianity. In particular it explores unitive awareness, also called Christian nonduality or nondualism, the unitive life and union with God. In this episode I lead the listener into an experience of unitive awareness. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2019-08-2118 minThe Tao of ChristBorn Again, Unborn AlwaysIn this episode I explore what Jesus meant by the phrase "born again." It is not what Evangelical Christianity assumes it means. The phrase has nothing to do with religion, believing doctrines, or a conversion experience. I examine the famous scripture passage in the third chapter of the Gospel of John where Jesus has a discussion with the Jewish religious teacher, Nicodemus, about what it means to be born again, born anew, born from above or born of the Spirit. I show that Jesus was talking about a spiritual awakening that I call unitive awareness. View Marshall's b...
2019-08-1519 minThe Tao of ChristApocalyptic SpiritualityIn this episode I continue my teaching on Christian nonduality. This time I am looking at the apocalyptic passages of scripture, in particular the “Little Apocalypse” of Jesus, also known as the Olivet Discourse, found in the gospels. What Jesus was describing in this dramatic eschatological passage is not a cataclysmic end of history or the physical dissolution of the cosmos. Jesus is describing a spiritual awakening to the true nature of the universe. Jesus was not an apocalyptic prophet so much as a visionary and mystic who could see what others do not see. And he invites us to s...
2019-08-0918 minThe Tao of ChristNot I But ChristIn this episode I explore how Christian non-dualism is rooted in the teachings of the Christian scriptures, and in particular how it is taught in the most important verse in the New Testament – Galatians 2:20. “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” The “I” the old self, the false self, the illusory self, the ego or persona, is dead. It is not real. Inst...
2019-08-0420 minThe Tao of ChristWhat is Christian Nonduality?In this episode I define and explore the meaning of nonduality or non-dualism as perceived from a Christian perspective. Referencing Christian contemplatives like Richard Rohr and Evelyn Underhill, I make the case that non-duality is the core of the Christian faith, going back to the very beginnings of Christianity. It is not theology. It is not philosophy. It is an experiential and intuitive awareness of union with God, Christ, and all there is. I then explore how it is related to Christian theology and my own Christian experience. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.c...
2019-07-3015 min
The Tao of ChristThe New Pilgrims Progress – Part 11 – The Celestial CityThe New Pilgrim’s Progress is a modern retelling of John Bunyan’s 17th century classic “Pilgrim’s Progress.” In this conclusion to the story Pilgrim and Truthful travel through Beulah Land and arrive at the River of Life, which has the Tree of Life growing on either side of the river. The pilgrims decide to spend the night on the riverbank before crossing the river in the morning. During the night Pilgrim has a dream/vision/revelation.When they awake they begin the crossing the river to the Celestial City. The crossing is difficul...
2019-07-2513 min
The Tao of ChristThe New Pilgrims Progress – Part 10 – The Land of CautionThe New Pilgrim’s Progress is a modern retelling of John Bunyan’s 17th century classic “Pilgrim’s Progress.” After descending the Mystic Mountains, Pilgrim and Truthful continue on the Way. They meet the Rich Young Ruler from the Bible, who has found a way to keep his riches and follow the Lord. They stop at the home of Family Woman, who with her husband and seven children is an advocate of Family Values. After being serenaded by their children with a rendition of “So Long, Farewell” from the Sound of Music, the two pilgrims continue on the...
2019-07-2027 min
The Tao of ChristThe New Pilgrims Progress – Part 9 – The Mystic MountainsThe New Pilgrim’s Progress is a modern retelling of John Bunyan’s 17th century classic “Pilgrim’s Progress.” After escaping from the Dark Knight’s dungeon, Pilgrim and Truthful continue following the Way to the Celestial City. They come to the foothills of the Mystic Mountains where they meet some shepherds who offer them hospitality. The shepherds take them on a tour of the various parts of the Mystic Mountains. They show them the Hill of Pride, Mount Fear, the Doors of Perception, Mount Transfiguration and the Lamasery, where they get a brief glimpse...
2019-07-1515 min
The Tao of ChristThe New Pilgrims Progress – Part 8 – The Four HorsemenThe New Pilgrim’s Progress is a modern retelling of John Bunyan’s 17th century classic “Pilgrim’s Progress.” After leaving the City of Megachurch, Pilgrim and Truthful spend the night in the barn of an elderly couple, who show them Christian hospitality. In the morning they continue on their way and immediately meet the Four Horsemen of the New Atheism (also known as the Brights) coming toward them in a whirlwind. They warn the pilgrims of the folly of their journey and advise them to turn around. After leaving the horsemen the Way becomes...
2019-07-1022 min
The Tao of ChristThe New Pilgrims Progress – Part 7 - TruthfulThe New Pilgrim’s Progress is a modern retelling of John Bunyan’s 17th century classic “Pilgrim’s Progress.” In this seventh part Pilgrim leaves the Prosperity Gospel Ministries and soon meets up with a fellow pilgrim named Truthful. Together they continue through the city of Megachurch. They visit Glassminster Cathedral, where they meet the Reverend Doctor Self-Esteem, the Christian Entertainment Center led by Pastor Showtime, the Market Driven Church pastored by a man in a Hawaiian shirt, and the Miracle Tabernacle, where evangelist Ben Hinny was healing people. Finally they leave the city of Mega...
2019-07-0518 min
The Tao of ChristThe New Pilgrims Progress – Part 6 - MegachurchThe New Pilgrim’s Progress is a modern retelling of John Bunyan’s 17th century classic “Pilgrim’s Progress.” It is an allegorical pilgrimage through the landscape of 21st century American spirituality.In this sixth part Pilgrim and Religious meet up with Billy Graham, who is also traveling the Way. Reverend Graham warns them of the dangers of the town they are approaching, and predicts that one of them would die for their faith.After departing from Billy Graham, Pilgrim and Religious enter the city of Megachurch and come to Prosperity Gospel Ministries. Religious...
2019-06-3022 min
The Tao of ChristThe New Pilgrims Progress – Part 5 - ReligiousThe New Pilgrim’s Progress is a modern retelling of John Bunyan’s 17th century classic “Pilgrim’s Progress.” It is an allegorical pilgrimage through the landscape of 21st century American spirituality.In this fifth chapter Pilgrim joins up with another traveler named Religious, whom he recognizes as his neighbor from the Shadowlands. Together they walk the Way toward the Celestial City. As they walk, they share their journeys with each other. Religious tells of his encounter with Sensual Pleasure, License, Legalist, Bored, and Judgmental.Pilgrim and Religious then meet Spiritual But Not Religious...
2019-06-2620 min
The Tao of ChristThe New Pilgrim's Progress - Part 4 - In the ValleyThe New Pilgrim’s Progress is a modern retelling of John Bunyan’s 17th century classic “Pilgrim’s Progress.” It is an allegorical pilgrimage through the landscape of 21st century American spirituality.In this fourth chapter Seeker descends the Hill of Difficulty. At the bottom of the hill he meets and does battle with the monster, Apollyon. From there he continues on to the Valley of the Shadow of Death where he walks Occam’s Razor, learns the truth about hell, and has to deal with his own fear of death. From there he enters the Valley o...
2019-06-2119 min
The Tao of ChristThe New Pilgrim's Progress - Part 3 - CalvaryThe New Pilgrim’s Progress is a modern retelling of John Bunyan’s 17th century classic “Pilgrim’s Progress.” It is an allegorical pilgrimage through the landscape of 21st century American spirituality.In this third chapter Seeker comes to the Cross, where he meets three Shining Ones and takes a new name – Pilgrim. He meets two Sleepers, two Trespassers, as well as two fellow pilgrims who have been on the Way for two thousand years: Sacrament and Tradition.He climbs the Hill of Difficulty and arrives First Baptist Church. There he is befriended by a fundamen...
2019-06-1629 min
The Tao of ChristThe New Pilgrim's Progress - Part 2 - Beyond the GateThe New Pilgrim’s Progress is a modern retelling of John Bunyan’s 17th century classic “Pilgrim’s Progress.” It is an allegorical pilgrimage through the landscape of 21st century American spirituality.In Part 2 Seeker comes to the Gate where he meets Sincerity and avoids the sniper Post-Modern. He continues to the Theologians House where he views a portrait of a Pastor and enters the Shrine of the Book. There he is given a tour of the various chapels surrounding the central rotunda. In these chapels are various interpreters of scripture including Inerrant & Infallible, King James Only...
2019-06-1136 min
The Tao of ChristThe New Pilgrim's ProgressPatterned after John Bunyan’s 17th century classic “Pilgrim’s Progress,” The New Pilgrim’s Progress is an allegorical pilgrimage through the landscape of 21st century American Christianity.This is not your grandfather’s Pilgrim’s Progress! In this retelling of the beloved allegory, Seeker (who later changes his name to Pilgrim) meets Campus Crusader on his university campus. The evangelist instructs him to begin his journey by entering through a gate illuminated by lamppost, which strangely resembles the one at the boundary of Narnia. Instead of the Slough of Despond this modern Pilgrim falls into the Bog of...
2019-06-0602 min
The Tao of ChristThe New Pilgrim's Progress - Part 1 - The ShadowlandsThe New Pilgrim’s Progress is a modern retelling of John Bunyan’s 17th century classic “Pilgrim’s Progress.” It is an allegorical pilgrimage through the landscape of 21st century American spirituality.In this first chapter Seeker decides to leave his home in the Shadowlands. He meets Campus Crusader on his university campus. The evangelist instructs him to begin his journey by entering through a gate illuminated by lamppost, which strangely resembles the one at the boundary of Narnia. Along the way he meets Tolerant and Intolerant and falls into the Bog of Existential...
2019-06-0621 min
The Tao of ChristChristian Nonduality - The Story of MeThis is the final episode of “Experiencing God Directly: The Way of Christian Nonduality.” It is the epilogue to my 2013 book by the same title. In “The Story of Me,” I give a brief personal account of how a Baptist preacher came to the nondual awareness of God and how I interpret it within the Christian tradition. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2019-06-0319 min
The Tao of ChristChristian Nonduality - The Wayless Way"The wayless way is where the sons of God lose themselves and at the same time find themselves." Meister EckhartSo far these episodes about Experiencing God Directly have been an attempt to describe the nondual Christian experience of God. In this episode entitled “The Wayless Way,” I go beyond description and point the reader directly to God. I make this as personal as I can and describe my own practice of abiding in God. Section headings are:God as Wholly OtherGod as Eternal One View Marshall's books here...
2019-05-3025 min
The Tao of ChristChristian Nonduality - The Power of Negative Thinking"Emptiness, emptiness, all is emptiness." Book of Eccleciastes In this episode I explore the teaching of nonduality in the Wisdom tradition of the Old Testament, particularly in the Book of Ecclesiastes and the Wisdom psalms. It is represented in the concept of “emptiness.” It is also present in the New Testament teaching about Christ, especially how God emptied himself in the Incarnation and the Cross of Christ. I explore the nondual concept of afterlife and consciousness after death in the Western tradition. Chapter sections are “The Emptiness of Christ,” “Eat, Drink, Chop Wood, Carry Water,” and “Don’t Tak...
2019-05-2519 min
The Tao of ChristChristian Nonduality - God-Inquiry"I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see you!" - JobThank God for atheists! Atheists have taught me more about God than any preacher or seminary professor. They have shown me what God is not, and thereby pointed me toward who God is. I credit the books of the so-called “New Atheists” with helping me identify and reject false gods and thereby redirect me to True God. Especially former Christian preachers who became atheists have deepened my Christian faith by pointing out the weaknesses of traditional understandings of God.
2019-05-2023 min
The Tao of ChristChristian Nonduality - Self-Inquiry"It is not I who live but Christ who lives in me." - Apostle PaulIn this episode I continue reading from my 2013 book “Experiencing God Directly: The Way of Christian Nonduality.” Chapter 3 Self-InquiryBefore one can seek God, one must know who it is who seeks God. When one knows oneself, everything else becomes clearer. Discovery of our true nature opens our eyes to the true nature of God and the world. In this episode of the book “Experiencing God Directly” I explore the differences between the traditional dualistic concept of human nature (d...
2019-05-1326 min
The Tao of ChristJesus as a Proclaimer of Nonduality"I and the Father are One." - Jesus of NazarethIn this episode I continue reading from my 2013 book “Experiencing God Directly: The Way of Christian Nonduality.”Chapter 1 - Jesus as a Proclaimer of NondualityChapter 2 - Unborn AgainWe can know God directly. We can have immediate awareness of oneness with God in the present moment. It is not mediated through a church, a religion, a creed or a spiritual path. This is not theological knowledge about God. It is not a religious experience facilitated by a worship service. It is not...
2019-05-1033 min
The Tao of ChristExperiencing God Directly: The Way of Christian NondualityIn this episode I begin reading from my 2013 book “Experiencing God Directly: The Way of Christian Nonduality.”We can know God directly. We can have immediate awareness of oneness with God in the present moment. It is not mediated through a church, a religion, a creed or a spiritual path. This is not theological knowledge about God. It is not a religious experience facilitated by a worship service. It is not a spiritual experience elicited by religious disciplines or practices. It is not a revelation of God mediated through Scripture or communicated by spiritual teachers. This is dire...
2019-05-0621 minThe Tao of ChristThe Tao of Christ: A Christian Version of the Tao Te Ching - Part 3Chapters 47-81 of the Tao Te ChingView Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2019-05-0131 minThe Tao of ChristThe Tao of Christ: A Christian Version of the Tao Te Ching - Part 2Chapters 22-46 of the Tao Te ChingView Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU
2019-04-2924 minThe Tao of ChristThe Tao of Christ: A Christian Version of the Tao Te Ching - Part 1This is the Tao of Christ, and I am Marshall Davis. This is a place for Christians who suspect that spiritual truth is bigger than the forms of Christianity that dominate the American religious landscape. This is also a place for non-Christians to hear a different take on Christianity. God has been speaking since the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago, long before there were human beings, written scriptures and religious traditions. In this podcast I will be exploring that wider revelation. I will be interpreting books like the Chinese classic the Tao te Ching from a Ch...
2019-04-2726 min