A Theology of Love
Reimagining Christianity through A Course in Miracles
by Richard Smoley
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Pub Date 5 Nov 2019 | Archive Date 29 Aug 2019
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Description
• Shares key, inspiring teachings from A Course in Miracles as well as Hinduism, Buddhism, Gnosticism, and the Sefer Yetzirah, the oldest known Kabbalistic text
• Cites philosophical wisdom from Kant, Blake, Jung, and Gurdjieff, alongside cognitive science, to reveal how the world is not difficult and flawed, but our fear-based mind-sets lead us to see it that way
• Offers a path to help you regenerate from the “fallen” state and experience God as infinite love and light
In the West, theology has almost always meant Christian theology--a hodgepodge of beliefs that are hard to make sense of. Why, for example, should an all-loving, merciful God have gotten mad at the human race because someone ate a piece of fruit six thousand years ago? And why would he send part of himself down to earth to be tortured to death? These beliefs, stated baldly, are nonsensical. Millions of people are realizing this and losing their faith. The time has come to reenvision Christian theology without contradictory teachings laced with fear. It is time for a theology of love and miracles.
Richard Smoley reframes Christian theology using logical, consistent, and easy-to-understand teachings of unconditional love and forgiveness. He draws inspiration not only from the Bible, but also from Hinduism, Buddhism, Gnosticism, and from esoteric and mystical teachings, such as A Course in Miracles and the Sefer Yetzirah, the oldest known Kabbalistic text. He explains how the “fallen” state of the human condition, not one of sin but of oblivion, leads us to experience the world as flawed and problematic--not wholly evil, but not wholly good.
Citing philosophical wisdom from Kant, Blake, Jung, and Gurdjieff, alongside cognitive science, Smoley reveals how it is not the world that is flawed, but the way we see the world. Sharing key teachings from A Course in Miracles, he shows that our fear-based mind-sets--often filled with anxiety, suffering, and shame--lead us to feel separated from God when, in fact, we are all extensions of a God of infinite love and light.
Offering a path to help you regenerate from the “fallen” state and see the real spiritual world and loving God that lies behind it, the author provides ways for each of us to craft our own self-consistent theology. He also lays out a vision for the future of spirituality, a path for present-day religion to transform into something higher and more universal.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781620559253 |
| PRICE | US$18.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 240 |
Featured Reviews
Mark K, Educator
Richard Smoley’s “A Theology of Love,” is a deeply thought-provoking treatise on the nature of love through a theological/spiritual lens; particularly navigating through relevant texts in The Course of Miracles. I was expecting to find a shallow, woo-woo text, that makes you feel all tingly but has no real depth. I was definitely wrong. I will be working through the spiritual nuggets found in this text for quite some time. Excellent work, Richard!
Reviewer 550239
This is a more practical read than you might think. Definitely recommended for any devotees of Marianne Williamson and/or a Course in Miracles.
Anne M, Reviewer
This is a very strange book. You might think it is a dry theological thesis but it is anything but... Mr Smoley uses psychology, philosophy and every science possible to try and develop a new way of thinking about religion. He refers to "The Course in Miracles" as a framework for discussion but he also uses Jung, Blake, Kant, Philip K Dick, and Kaballah...
In the Middle Ages people lived in squalor and went to the Church to be with beauty and up lifting ideals. The author believes this is not possible today when "American culture is indifferent or hostile to beauty in all but the shallowest and most commercial forms... The typical American church looks like a veterans' hall with a large cross hanging at the back." I'm sure this is true of more than just America.
Another quote that spoke to me was "... it is misguided to mock the old gods. The gods are not the issue. What we must do is mock the dogmatic frame of mind that turns gods into idols. Similarly with political, economic, and sociological systems, however beguiling."
The author reassures that it is possible to work with The Course without any ties to a specific conventional religion. He says The Course probably appeals most to people described as "spiritual but not religious." which I think describes me.
There is a lot of reading here and the bibliography is huge. I wished I'd had a hard copy of the book so I could photocopy the bibliography and go looking for some of the books. Recommended if you want to delve into The Course in Miracles but have been put off by the religious idea of it or if you want an interesting and well written look at modern theology.
I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.
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