Is there secret knowledge in the Bible that scholars and the faithful have missed over the years? And if so, what can these abstruse teachings tell us about Jesus and his mission on Earth? These questions and more form the basis of Con Trong Bui’s Esoteric Christianity Made Simple.
“It is not easy to see all that is contained in the scriptures of the Bible,” writes Bui. However, learning a new language of signs, symbols, analogies, and parables, he contends, can help seekers see beyond the “physical world of concrete dense matter” to “acquire knowledge of the unseen worlds.”
To explain what he means, the author explores the symbolism of the Gospels, the typology of the Old and New Testaments, the teachings of St. Paul and contemporary science to theorize about reincarnation, karma, parallel universes, multidimensional beings, and ensoulment (the moment when a human being takes on a soul). He often focuses on the spirit/body relationship. “Esoteric teaching tells us that human beings started from Spirit and moved down … to the emotional plane, and finally to the physical plane of dense matter.” To accept this is to accept that there is more to heaven and earth than meets the eye.
This is heady, thought-provoking material, to be sure. However, Esoteric Christianity Made Simple often doesn’t feel simple at all. While Bui is an inquisitive writer, the book seems scattered as the author bounces from topic to topic, often without clear transitions.
Additionally, Bui’s overuse of questions that seem like mere rhetorical devices and often go unanswered (“Does faith justify all sins a human being commits? And if a person has faith, are all his or her sins considered righteous? Does the morality of human beings surpass God’s morality?…”) can leave readers feeling confused and misdirected.
Alas, while Bui makes a valiant effort to explore the mysteries of Christianity, he takes on too many topics, weighing the book down and limiting its accessibility.
Also available in hardcover and ebook.
