MSI Press Blog

  From  A Theology for the Rest of Us by Arthur Yavelberg .   Maybe the most frustrating problem facing so many today is the feeling of helplessness that comes from feeling overwhelmed. Access to information, through the Internet and other media, was supposed to be a panacea, a way to access information so that we can all make intelligent choices for ourselves. As it happens however, there has been so much information, tsunamis of data from all kinds of experts on just about any topic imaginable, that most of us, the rest of us, are drowning and panicked.   Available at:  Amazon (paperback and e-book) Barnes & Noble MSI Press webstore (25% discount with coupon code FF25) Book description If God exists and is good, why is there evil? Avoiding such questions underlies the spiritual emptiness and anxiety in today's world. A Theology for the Rest of Us explores how to approach the divine through Eastern and Western religious traditions without dogma, ch...

  The diversity of religions across the world can seem bewildering — thousands of traditions, each claiming insight into the sacred. Yet this multiplicity isn’t a sign of confusion; it’s a sign of humanity’s deep and varied search for meaning. 1. The human impulse toward transcendence Every culture, from the earliest hunter-gatherers to modern societies, has asked the same questions: Why are we here? What happens when we die? How should we live? Religion is one of the oldest ways humans have answered those questions. It gives structure to mystery, turning awe into ritual and fear into hope. Because human experience differs by geography, history, and temperament, the answers differ too — producing many religions rather than one. 2. Culture shapes belief Religions grow from the soil of culture. Desert peoples imagine God in terms of light and water; forest peoples imagine spirits in trees and rivers. The environment, language, and social structure all shape how the divine is under...

  . Across centuries, mystics in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have sought the same thing — direct experience of the Divine . Though their languages and symbols differ, their hearts speak a shared truth: that God is not only to be believed, but encountered . ✡️ Jewish Mysticism — The Hidden Light Roots: Emerged from ancient prophetic visions and later developed into Kabbalah (meaning “receiving”). Focus: Understanding the hidden structure of creation and the soul’s ascent toward divine unity. Key ideas: Ein Sof — the Infinite, beyond comprehension. Sefirot — ten emanations through which divine energy flows into the world. Tikkun olam — spiritual repair of creation through righteous living. Practice: Meditation on sacred letters, study of Torah as mystical revelation, ethical refinement. Tone: Intellectual yet deeply devotional — the mystic as scholar and lover of divine mystery. Essence: To know God by tracing the hidden light within creation. ✝️ Christian Mysticism — T...