His experience at the Holy Sepulchre, where he learns about the turf wars Christians have fought for centuries on the ground where Jesus suffered, died, and was buried, underscores his belief that “we live in a fractured world.” Wilson covers a lot of ground in his book, taking glances not only at his own worldview but sharing what he’s learned as a spiritual seeker about the great world religions. Wilson then ponders the rituals humans use to say goodbye to their loved ones. Wilson’s search for a glass bowl leads him to reflect on how amused his father would be that his son the TV star was running through Target, searching for a better bowl. The idea of washing and praying over his father with a plastic container is horrifying to him, and he races to a nearby store for something more appropriate. When he needs a bowl for the ritual washing prescribed by his faith, Wilson panics, realizing he might have to use a Tupperware bowl. Readers may quibble over theological nuances, but Wilson’s raw and heartfelt descriptions of tending to his father’s body in preparation for the funeral are deeply touching. They can inspire us to long for spiritual transformation. or, they can open us to thinking about higher questions. These evils can overwhelm us, can make us doubt. He names many of the modern plagues that bring so many people to despair in the goodness of God: drug addiction, suicide, mental illness, racism, sexism, climate change, and the COVID pandemic, to name just a few. He hopes to convince readers that matters of the spirit are important and that the essence of all humans “longs for higher truth and journeys toward heart-centered enlightenment and, dare I say it, God.”Ĭatholic readers will find much to appreciate from Wilson’s ponderings. Rather, he wants to spark discussion, thought, and a spiritual revolution. Wilson expects disagreement from his readers, and he isn’t looking to proselytize anyone. In life, it’s a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit, which is why it is called a “temple.” We look forward to the day when the souls of the deceased will be reunited with their bodies and glorified in union with the resurrected Christ. Reflecting on his father’s death, Wilson writes about “that still, vacant body on that hospital bed in the ICU,” saying that it “was simply a suit once wore.” For Catholics, the body is far more than a “suit” to be shed at death. He’s sharing some of what he’s learned, hoping it will be of use to readers.Ĭatholics won’t necessarily agree with some of Wilson’s ideas. He’s not an expert, he says, just someone whose life experiences brought him to ponder the big questions. Wilson acknowledges readers might find it surprising that someone best known for playing the awkward salesman, Dwight Schrute, in The Office would be writing about spirituality. The result was Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution. His path through family traumas, addiction, and mental health struggles had him grappling with life, death, “the Big Guy Upstairs,” and, most important, things of the spirit. A lifelong spiritual seeker and a member of the Baháʼí Faith, Wilson longed to share spiritual ideas that had been percolating in his mind for many years. Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution By Rainn Wilson (Hachette Go, 2023)Īctor Rainn Wilson’s quarantine project was a book he says he’d been wanting to write for years.
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