In this episode of Liminal Living, Tom Rundel welcomes theologian and author Bruce Epperly back for his third appearance to discuss his new book, Healing the World: Whitehead, Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure on Spiritual and Planetary Transformation. Their conversation flows through themes of hope, mysticism, process theology, and spiritual imagination in a world in need of healing.

They explore how Francis of Assisi, Clare, and Bonaventure embodied a spirituality of simplicity and interconnection that can inspire today’s efforts toward peace, ecological care, and compassionate living. Bruce also shares insights from Alfred North Whitehead’s process philosophy, drawing connections between divine immanence and the living presence of God within creation.

From stories of pilgrimage in Ireland to reflections on hope amid political despair, the conversation invites listeners to see each moment as sacred, each small act as part of healing the moral and spiritual fabric of the world.

Chapters

1. Pilgrimage and Peace in Ireland – Bruce recounts his trip with Gareth Higgins and Diana Butler Bass, exploring lessons from Northern Ireland’s peacemaking for today’s polarized world.
2. Hope Beyond Despair – Discussing the moral arc of history, Jeremiah’s field, and faith in uncertain times.
3. The Inspiration for Healing the World – How synchronicity, Whitehead, and Francis converged in Bruce’s creative and theological journey.
4. Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure – Mini-biographies and their radical simplicity, feminism, philosophy, and spiritual clarity.
5. Process Theology and Mysticism – The union of Whitehead’s philosophy with Franciscan spirituality; God as immanent, relational, and present in all things.
6. Reimagining Prayer and Presence – Tom shares a personal story about reframing prayer and blessing through a process-oriented, Celtic lens.
7. Healing vs. Curing the World – Bruce’s distinction between transformation and domination; hope through faithful small acts.
8. The Song That Cannot Be Taken Away – Francis’s joy on his deathbed and the spiritual defiance of singing amid darkness.

Prophetic Healing and Hope – Speaking truth with compassion, judgment as healing, and love as resistance.

Invitation to Participate – Bruce encourages listeners to join the movement of healing through group study, contemplation, and daily acts of love.

Takeaways

• Hope is active—it’s “buying a field” for a future you may never see.
• Healing begins in small acts; the world changes one moment at a time.
• Francis and Clare broke boundaries between rich and poor, male and female, human and non-human.
• God is not distant or supernatural but interwoven through all of creation.
• Prayer is not about summoning God but awakening awareness of divine presence already within the moment.
• True spirituality bridges barriers—between people, faiths, and even species.
• Prophetic healing names injustice while seeking reconciliation, not destruction.
• Music and joy are sacred resistance against fear and despair.
• Each person contributes to the ongoing creation through small faithful actions aligned with love.

Links

web: https://www.drbruceepperly.com/

Book: Healing the World: Whitehead, Francis, Clare, Bonaventure

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