MSI Press Blog

1. The Question How is the Divine described? Not just named — but imagined, experienced, related to. Is God a person? A force? A mystery? A presence? 2. The Human Angle You hear someone say “God is love.” Another says “God is justice.” Another says “God is everything — and nothing.” You wonder: Are we talking about the same thing? Or are we using one word for many realities? 3. The Inquiry Across religions, the Divine is described in radically different ways — yet often with overlapping themes. Monotheistic Traditions Christianity : God is personal, triune (Father, Son, Spirit), both transcendent and immanent. Described as love, light, shepherd, king, redeemer. Islam : Allah is one, merciful, just, and beyond comparison. Known through 99 names — each revealing a facet of divine character. Judaism : God is singular, holy, relational, and mysterious. Often referred to as HaShem (“The Name”) — emphasizing reverence and unknowability. Dharmic Traditions Hinduism : The Di...

  Arthur Yavelberg, author of the award-winning book,  A Theology for the Rest of Us , was recently interviewed on the Daily Soul Bytes podcast: "Exploring Definitions in Authenticity." This is the essence of Hinduism--that we are all part of the dream of Brahman/God. That needs to be properly understood. It doesn't mean, for example, that we "don't exist" and that we "disappear" when Brahman "wakes up." Having been "dreamt" ("created," to use Western terms) by Brahman, we become part of his consciousness--which is eternal. In that context, when the material part of us recognizes its eternal source, our realization and  Brahman's are two sides of the same coin. Put another way, just because our dreams are "dreams" doesn't mean they don't "exist." Such dreams become a part of us and may even be expressions of our natures and unconscious that, until the dream, of which we are not aware. Yo...