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In exploring the profound intersection of science and spirituality, Natural Grace presents a transformative vision that calls for a renewed understanding of nature, grace, and the soul. Drawing from decades of dialogue between theologian and activist priest Reverend Doctor Matthew Fox and British biologist Rupert Sheldrake, this article dives into the essential themes of their collaboration—a call to awaken a sacred relationship with the universe that honors both scientific inquiry and mystical tradition.
The Call for a New Vision: Beyond Mechanistic Science and Institutional Religion
Since the publication of Natural Grace in 1996, Fox and Sheldrake have urged a shift away from the limitations of mechanistic science and institutional religion. They observed that these two realms had seeped into each other, creating a worldview that often excludes spirituality from science and vice versa. They advocate for a new cosmology that speaks to both the heart and mind, one that integrates a sense of the sacred into our understanding of the universe.
Thomas Berry’s insight underscores this need: the healing of Mother Earth and an environmental revolution depend on recovering a sense of the sacred. Without this, despair and ecological devastation continue unchecked. The division between science and religion that began in the seventeenth century must be reconciled to foster hope and meaning.
Living Nature vs. The Mechanistic Universe
A pivotal concept in their dialogue is the contrast between the mechanistic universe and the living cosmos. The seventeenth century introduced a paradigm viewing the universe as a machine—dead, purposeless, and governed by immutable laws. This worldview, deeply pessimistic and disembodied, framed atoms as inert, knowledge as detached from the body, and the Earth as lifeless.
Fox recounts the tragic fate of Giordano Bruno, a Dominican friar burned at the stake in 1600 for attempting to reconcile the emerging Copernican science with faith—illustrating the violent resistance to integrating new scientific insights with spirituality.
Conversely, the living cosmos, a paradigm echoed by Aristotle, Plato, Hildegard of Bingen, and Thomas Aquinas, views the universe as a developing organism—animated, purposeful, and creative. Rupert Sheldrake introduces the concept of fields as a modern metaphor for the soul, emphasizing that atoms are dynamic structures of activity, and the Earth is Gaia, a living goddess.
This living view invites participatory knowledge—encouraging intuition, imagination, and engagement with the universe as a creative, evolving whole. Rather than eternal laws, Sheldrake speaks of “habits” of the universe, which evolve like living patterns. This shift has profound implications for spirituality and religious consciousness.
From Theism to Panentheism: The Dignity of Causality in All Beings
Fox elaborates on moving from a theistic view of God as separate from the world to panentheism, where God is present in and through all creation. Citing Aquinas, he highlights the “dignity of causality,” the idea that all beings—from blades of grass to galaxies—participate in causality and creation.
In this sacred vision, every creature becomes a word and a book about God, revealing divine presence through nature. The study of nature, therefore, is a study of revelation, inviting an open heart, wonder, and gratitude.
Grace and Praise: Healing the Wound Between Nature and Grace
Central to this spiritual renewal is healing the dualistic wound introduced by Saint Augustine, which separated nature and grace. This division, perpetuated by figures such as Martin Luther, has fostered a subject-object relationship with nature—one based on domination, extraction, and exploitation.
In contrast, Meister Eckhart proclaimed, “Nature is grace.” Every creature is sacred, a living Bible. Ignoring this sacredness has contributed directly to our ecological crisis, where nature is treated as a resource rather than a beloved community.
Fox recalls Roger Bacon’s grim seventeenth-century observation that humans “will torture Mother Earth for her secrets,” a reflection of a sadistic relationship with the planet. Descartes’ philosophy that animals are soulless machines further entrenched this worldview, justifying cruelty and disconnection.
Fox and Sheldrake reclaim the soul as an animating principle present throughout the cosmos and within all living beings. The soul is not confined to a brain region but flows through the whole body and beyond, a concept echoed in Eastern traditions of chakras and energy points.
The Abundance of Grace and the Power of Praise
Grace, originating from gratitude, is abundant and ever-present in the natural world. Fox emphasizes the importance of wholehearted praise, quoting spiritual drummer Anya Mitsui: “When you praise, hold nothing back.” Praise is not a mere formality but a full engagement of body and spirit, a recognition of beauty, goodness, and the gifts of creation.
In the Cosmic Mass, dance becomes a form of prayer and praise, reconnecting worship with embodied joy and creativity. Praise, connected to the via positiva path of spirituality, holds suffering and lament within it, preparing the soul to face life’s ruptures with hope.
“Who is a good person? A good person praises good people.” – Meister Eckhart
Fox warns against cynicism and envy, which undermine the pursuit of goodness. He encourages embracing imperfection as intrinsic to the beauty of nature, citing poet Adrienne Rich’s call to “attend imperfection school” rather than chase unattainable perfection.
The Soul: Animating Life and Civilization
The concept of soul, Fox argues, is vital to civilization itself. The loss or rejection of the soul’s meaning signals cultural decline. He shares the absurdity of academic restrictions that prohibit the use of the word “soul” in serious study, revealing the depth of mechanistic influence on education and culture.
Sheldrake reframes the soul as fields—gravitational, electromagnetic, quantum matter, and morphogenetic fields—that animate and organize life. These invisible formative fields echo ancient notions of the anima mundi, or world soul.
Ritual, then, becomes a powerful way to engage collective memory and presence. As Rabbi Heschel summarized Jewish ritual in one word—“remember”—Fox highlights the role of ritual in invoking ancestors and renewing spiritual connection through embodied practice.
Reinventing Ritual: The Cosmic Mass and Embodied Worship
Fox has led efforts to revitalize ritual through the Cosmic Mass, which incorporates dance, music, and contemporary art forms like DJing and rap, breaking free from the rigid pew-bound worship shaped by the printing press era. This ritual embraces the spiral and circular movements of life and cosmos, fostering transformation rather than rote repetition.
He shares a candid story about his mother’s spiritual protest—walking out of church when sermons felt oppressive—illustrating soul in action and the need for worship that transforms rather than angers.
Prayer as a Radical Response to Life
Prayer, Fox explains, takes many forms beyond words—silence, meditation, art, and compassionate action. The four spiritual paths—via positiva (praise), via negativa (silence), via creativa (art), and via transformativa (justice)—all embody prayer. Integrating work and prayer leads to joy and meaningful contribution.
Morphic Resonance and the Evolution of Laws
Sheldrake’s theory of morphic resonance suggests that natural regularities are habits rather than fixed laws. These habits form collective memories that influence development across space and time, much like the invisible waves carrying television or radio signals.
This concept links deeply with ritual and tradition, where invoking ancestors or spiritual figures activates a living memory that energizes communities. Rituals must evolve to stay alive and creative, avoiding stagnation and dead repetition.
Embracing Evolution: Laws, Ethics, and Social Change
Fox highlights examples like the evolving understanding of homosexuality to illustrate that what we often consider fixed laws—social, moral, or natural—are in fact habits subject to change. Indigenous cultures recognized diverse expressions of sexuality long before modern religious dogma imposed rigid norms.
He recounts a powerful experience in South Korea where affirming LGBTQ+ identities sparked both resistance and profound healing, emphasizing the spiritual importance of inclusion and the liberation found in recognizing evolving laws and ethics.
Ritual as Education and Healing
Ritual serves as a powerful educational tool and a container for grief and transformation. Fox stresses that many people today are grieving—losses brought to the forefront by climate change and social upheaval—and rituals can provide safe spaces for deep communal healing beyond therapy.
He envisions a nonviolent revolution through transforming work, education, and worship—three pillars that shape culture and consciousness. The Cosmic Mass exemplifies this vision by fostering inclusivity, creativity, and embodied spirituality.
Conclusion: A New Creation Story for Our Time
Natural Grace invites us to reimagine our relationship with the cosmos as one of sacred participation rather than domination. By embracing a living universe, recovering the soul’s presence, and revitalizing ritual and prayer, we can heal the wounds of separation and respond to the ecological and spiritual crises of our time.
Matthew Fox and Rupert Sheldrake’s dialogues offer a hopeful roadmap—where science and spirituality converge, grace abounds, and the cosmos itself becomes a source of inspiration, transformation, and justice.
