John Philip Newell Holy Week Videos

John Philip Newell is releasing a series of videos every day during Holy Week. "Journeying Towards Resurrection." Monday's video is called "Descent of Spirit"

John Philip Newell, Celtic Christian Scholar, Speaking at the Bailey Lecture Series.

Peace between Christian, Muslims, and Jews.

One of the common and important themes that John Philip Newell brings to the greater Christian community is his call for peace between the classic religions of the Word - Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

John Philip often speaks of a new consciousness that is arising in the world, an awareness that reminds us of our essential oneness. One of his important messages is that we who count ourselves part of the Abrahamic spiritual traditions should not wage physical or spiritual war, and certainly against each other.

His message can be hard for members of those traditions to hear because claims of exclusive truth are deeply embedded in many spiritual traditions.

But certainly the violence that comes from religious exclusivism speaks for itself. Is not the evil that has come from the fighting between Christians, Muslims, and Jews a sign that perhaps the God we all call "Father" has in mind something new for our world?

Celtic Christianity. Celtic Prayer. Sacred Listening

Filmed at the Heart Labyrinth, Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. John Philip Newell speaks of a cherished image in the Celtic Christian tradition. The disciple John, often called the beloved disicple after his own favorite reference for himself in his gospel, leaned against the breast of Jesus at the last supper.

Celtic Christians have a tradition that he therefore heard the heartbeat of God.

This event has become a sacred symbol of deep, contemplative listening. Listening to one's self, listening to others, listening for the sacred presence in the world around us. Listening for the heartbeat of God.

And that listening causes us to become reverent in the way we treat the earth and others as we come to understand that they, like us, are bearers of the heartbeat of God.

Celtic Prayer, Body Prayer, John Philip Newell

John Philip Newell leads participants in the "Body Prayer" during an advent retreat at Grace St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Tucson, Arizona, Dec., 2009.

"Central to Newell's practice of spirituality is his belief that meditative discipline and prayer serve the way of transformation." (Wikipedia article on John Philip Newell) The practice of body prayers serve to tie us physically to the act of praying.