About this episode
Diarmuid O'Murchu - Theology Coming of Age Diarmuid O'Murchu, a member of the Sacred Heart Missionary Order, and a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin Ireland, is a social psychologist whose early working life had been in social ministry, predominantly in London, UK. In more recent years he has worked as a workshop leader and group facilitator, conducting programmes on Adult Faith Development across several countries. He is a widely read author, with many of his books listed on this webpage. Now as a retired missionary, he lives in Dublin, Ireland. Books: When the Disciple Comes of Age: Christian Identity in the Twenty-first Century Doing Theology in an Evolutionary Way Divine Radiance in Human Evolution Ecological Spirituality Website: diarmuidomurchu.com Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group Summary and transcript of this interview Interview recorded May 17, 2025 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 The Paschal Journey: Crisis Leading to Awakening 00:00:35 Introduction of Diarmuid O'Murchu: Theology Coming of Age 00:02:19 Defining Theology: Rational vs. Revealed 00:05:15 Re-examining Traditional Theology & The Role of Experience 00:08:06 Narrative Theology and Spirit Connecting with Spirit 00:09:08 Expanding Perspectives: Cosmic Reality and Human Evolution 00:12:00 God's Story for Humanity: A 7-Million-Year Journey 00:15:16 Paradigm Shift in Christian Theology: Reworking the Tradition 00:18:41 Incarnation: Jesus as Affirmation, Confirmation, and Celebration 00:21:07 The Exclusivity of Jesus and Other Religions 00:25:08 Impact of Institutionalized Understandings (Anthropology & Theology) 00:26:29 Tracing Issues to the Agricultural Revolution and Patriarchy 00:30:26 Exponential Pace of Change and Adapting Worldviews 00:34:49 Action Follows Thought: The Importance of Shifting Consciousness 00:40:10 Transcendental Meditation and the Power of AI 00:45:01 Ethical and Moral Values in Contemporary Spirituality 00:48:38 God as the Great Birther: A Feminine, Embodied Divine 00:55:00 Moving from "Soul" to "Spirit Energy" 00:59:06 Einstein & Hans-Peter Dürer on Spirit and Matter 01:02:44 Uniqueness vs. Superiority in Creation 01:04:49 The Interconnectedness of All Beings 01:08:27 "Companionship of Empowerment" vs. "Kingdom of God" 01:15:07 Women in Early Christianity & The Shift to Hierarchy 01:20:20 Interpreting Jesus's Miracles: Parables of Action 01:28:45 Closing Thoughts and Diarmuid's Work 01:29:00 Indigenous Wisdom: The Great Spirit and Connection to Land 01:32:11 The Challenge of Engaging with Ancestral Wisdom 01:36:08 Diarmuid's Books and Website 01:37:09 Next Interview Preview: Jürgen Zeewey 01:38:13 End