Richard Rohr Books In Order

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Richard Rohr is an American Franciscan priest and spiritual author based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He received ordination as a Roman Catholic priest in 1970 and established the New Jerusalem Community in Cincinnati in 1971. Later 1987, he founded the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque. Some of Rohr’s prominent literary works include The Universal Christ, Falling Upward, and Everything Belongs. His spiritual perspective draws deeply from Christian mysticism and the perennial tradition. In 2011, PBS recognized him as “one of the most widely acclaimed authors and speakers on spirituality worldwide.”

Rohr was born in Kansas in 1943 and obtained his Master of Theology degree from the University of Dayton in 1970. He entered the Franciscan order in 1961, eventually being ordained as a priest in 1970. In 1971, Rohr founded the New Jerusalem Community in Cincinnati, Ohio, and later took the initiative to establish the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1986. He currently holds the founding director and academic dean positions at the Living School for Action and Contemplation, which is associated with the CAC.
Rohr’s notable achievements include his book The Universal Christ, a New York Times Bestseller in 2019. His work has garnered attention in Catholic and broader Christian circles, sparking popularity and controversy. Rohr’s influence extends beyond the confines of Christianity, attracting individuals from diverse faith backgrounds and those who identify as spiritual but not religious. He has been a guest on Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul Sunday program twice and featured on author Brené Brown’s podcast.

Besides writing renowned spiritual writings such as From the Wild Man to Wise Man and The Naked Now, Richard Rohr has written a profound and impactful book titled Falling Upward.

This book delivers a clear and invigorating message: the spiritual journey is not static. At some point in your life, you will face a crisis. If you remain open to it, you will transition into a phase of spiritual renewal, tranquility, and empathy that was previously unimaginable.
Rohr’s conceptual framework heavily draws inspiration from the ideas of Carl Jung. He assumes that the spiritual journey unfolds in two distinct stages. During the first half of life, individuals focus on self-establishment, career-building, forming relationships, and crafting their identity. This phase often leads people to seek order and religious routines, shaping their habits and molding them according to family and community norms and practices.

In Falling Upward, Rohr articulates the responsibilities and concerns of the first half of life. Then, he navigates the adventures of the second half, where the primary aim is spiritual maturity. To put it differently, the first stage involves constructing a robust container for one’s identity. In contrast, the second stage entails filling that container with the substance of one’s most profound and authentic self.

The initial half of life centers on fulfilling what Rohr terms “ego needs”: identity, security, boundaries, order, safety, relationships, affirmation, and a degree of success. Rohr suggests that everyone requires their share of a “narcissistic fix,” and the absence of it often compels individuals to search for alternative ways to satisfy these needs, resulting in a lingering sense of woundedness. These needs are best met when raised in a more conventional or conservative environment emphasizing law, tradition, loyalty, respect, and responsibility. Such an environment tones down the ego, preventing it from becoming an all-consuming force. Maturity demands navigating the creative tensions between adherence to rules and exercising freedom. Thus, the purpose of the first half of life is to lay the foundation or create the structure that will be enacted or filled during the second half.

However, beyond the strengths of these elements lies a deeper aspect of life, characterized by an innate longing for “home.” This profound yearning can only be quenched when our true selves find union with the Divine. This longing may prompt individuals to leave the security of their first phase of life in pursuit of their true spiritual home.

Transitioning into the second half of life involves accepting the tragic aspect of existence, grappling with necessary suffering, delving into shadow work, venturing out of one’s comfort zone into the unknown, adopting a both/and perspective, becoming generative, viewing life as more participative than assertive, embracing simplicity, and radiating joy. These facets of spiritual maturity are not attained without struggle, pain, doubt, sadness, loneliness, failure, and loss. They require time and resilience, so wise individuals often live long lives, demonstrating their ability to confront the challenges and obstacles along the spiritual path.

Rohr frequently draws from the teachings of Jesus in the gospels to illustrate how Jesus, whom he regards as the first non-dualistic teacher in the West, exemplified the characteristics of a second-half-of-life person. Jesus attempted to convey his wisdom to a predominantly first-half-of-life culture, history, and church, resulting in judgment, exclusion, and his crucifixion. Additionally, Rohr references various world mythologies to illustrate that the wisdom of the second half of life and the transformative journey it necessitates are deeply embedded in the collective unconscious of humanity, as reflected in epic tales like Homer’s “The Odyssey,” which predates Christ by seven centuries.

In 2019, Father Richard Rohr published The Universal Christ book. Over the course of his many years as a widely acclaimed spiritual teacher, Richard Rohr has assisted countless individuals in understanding the significance of faith and spirituality. However, there has been a notable absence in Rohr’s body of work regarding Jesus, perhaps one of the most enduringly discussed figures in Christianity. While most people have some knowledge of who Jesus was, the question of who Christ is remains shrouded in uncertainty. Is “Christ” merely a surname appended to Jesus’s name? Frequently, Rohr observes, our perceptions have been restricted by cultural influences, religious debates, and the inherent human inclination to position ourselves as the focal point of the narrative.

Rohr embarks on a journey, drawing from scripture, historical context, and spiritual practices, to unveil a transformative perspective on Jesus Christ as a representation of God’s ongoing and evolving work in the world. He suggests that “God loves things by becoming them,” emphasizing that Jesus’s existence was intended to proclaim that humanity has never been separate from God except by its self-imposed choices. As we rediscover this fundamental truth, faith evolves into something more profound than a quest to establish Jesus’s divinity. It explores our capacity to discern the divine presence surrounding us, within us, and in every person we encounter.

This thought-provoking and pragmatic work, The Universal Christ, offers profound hope and visionary insights. It invites us to reflect upon how God liberates and expresses love for all that exists.