Tantric Jesus; an image from the East

"Tantric Jesus: The Erotic Heart of Early Christianity"
a book by James Hughes Reho

“Tantric Jesus” is a beautiful book; the prose is both subtle and evocative; the art is captivating; and the author shines an ancient light on Christianity’s potential ancient/future path. James Reho has, with wisdom, brought together Eastern and Western spirituality in such a way as to make possible the integration of the mind, body, soul, and spirit.

Reho is an ordained Episcopal priest, has a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Princeton, and is a certified yoga instructor. In “Tantric Jesus” he couples the opposites of spirit and matter, rational and mystical, esoteric and practical, the East and the West, Tantric and Christian.

The author’s premise is straightforward. “Original Christian spirituality is a tantric spirituality.” And then he presents his claim on the ideal of “Christian Tantra.” Throughout the book, Reho is careful to inform the uninitiated as well as maintain the interest of the adept. He writes that, “Tantra is a philosophy of life, love, and being—grounded in practice—that can help us reengage the deep and life-transforming truths of Christianity is a fresh way.” Reho relies on early Christian writers including Pelagius, Origen, Irenaeus, Hildegard of Bingen, and Meister Eckhart, the medieval metaphysical poet John Donne, as well as contemporary writers and mystics Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Cynthia Bourgeault, and John Philip Newell as a way of bringing modernity’s Christians along into the world that bridges Western and Eastern Spirituality.

Quickly, Reho establishes a lens through which we can begin to understand Tantra by providing us with the five points of the tantric worldview:

• The world is real and good.
• The dynamic face of the Divine is a feminine face.
• The embodied human person is the primary temple of the Divine.
• Engaging our primal erotic energy through spiritual practice and antinomian behaviors (that Christians are released by grace from the obligations of observing the moral law) rooted in compassion and justice are the fuel of the spiritual life; and
• A vibrant, deep energetic relationship with the living Teacher (the Cosmic Jesus Christ) strengthens us for spiritual progress in this life.

Though I was not intimately familiar with tantric philosophy and practice before reading this book, I have begun to adapt some of Reho’s thoughts and suggested practices into my daily life. He provides the reader with personal stories and meditations that anyone could practice, even without becoming a practitioner of Tantric yoga.

While I do highly recommend “Tantric Jesus” to those interested in the melding of Eastern spirituality with the Christian way of living, I do have one concern and one minor critique. My one concern is Reho’s insistence on continuing to use Creedal language with his post-Christian interpretation. I don’t disagree with his post-Christian (or ancient spirituality) perspective, in fact I agree with it. My problem is that, as I have encountered people trying to find a new method of understanding or expressing faith, they are often put off by Christianity’s patriarchal terms. Words like, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and the ancient practice of crossing oneself, just to name a few. I have the same issue with Bourgeault. Both of these brilliant theologians and imaginative futurist seem to think that modernity’s seekers will remain patient with archaic language long enough to hear a re-imagined interpretation. I wonder if they will. Words are all we have to communicate our ancient/future weaving of faith and practice. I believe we do not have to remain confined by fourth century theological constructions. There are other words that the church could use to send a more inclusive understanding of the mystical One whose name we cannot comprehend. Actually, I believe the Nicene Creed needs a critical re-write.

My only critique of Reho’s beautiful writing is rather trivial compared to my issue with his use of Creedal language. Often times he neither cited the author nor the source he quotes, which then drove me to the footnotes. Leaving a marker for the footnotes and returning to them on multiple occasions for each chapter left me annoyed. But not enough to stop reading. He simply slowed me down. And, honestly, I have to wonder if other readers would care as much for such information as I do. Ah, to be trivial. Don’t let my pickiness stop you from reading Reho’s excellent book, “Tantric Jesus.”