MSI Press Blog

  excerpt from Introductory Lectures on Religious Philosophy by Dr. Amir Sabzevary From Chapter 1. Introduction to Religious Philosophy [Lester: So this is a course on religion. What do you mean exactly by “religion,” or by “philosophy”?] There is this wonderful animal called a salmon fish, which of course begins life as a tiny egg. By the sheer force of the water, this egg soon finds itself at the bottom of a river and after a few weeks, the shell opens and out comes a fish. At the bottom of the river, this fish makes lots of friends, buys a house, has children, and has everything that could possibly make it happy. In other words, life is really good for this salmon. Without any warning though, she gets attacked by her own psychology. Don’t ask me how it happens, but one morning the fish says to herself, “I don’t belong here. This is not my home. I have a house, but it’s no longer livable. I have a relationship, in which I feel profoundly alone. I have children, but they’re all l...

  MSI Press has added to its collection of affiliated books a self-published book by MSI Press author, Dr. Amir Sabzevary: An Interpretative Introduction to Western Religion s: This book is an antidote to contemporary philosophical, religious-spiritual markets and trappings. The book details the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual subtleties and complexities that exist and are experienced on the quest towards wisdom: the qualities that teachers of wisdom must possess, what is expected from seekers after truth, the teacher-student relationship, the importance of love, the stages of spiritual evolution, and the nature of a spiritual community. This book offers a rare and uncommon glimpse into the inner or esoteric dimensions of the three great Western religious traditions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Using everyday language and examples, the book offers understandable accounts of some of the core and complex practices and teachings of these great traditions. Those ...

Released today! More than a series of lectures, this collection of dialogues addresses the following questions: Can one be religious in modern, predominantly secular environments? What social and psychological functions do religions serve? Can one truly learn to live religious philosophies in the modern era? Professor Sabzevary's intellectual dexterity is matched only by his clarity, not only into perennial religious questions but also the modern condition. Far from leaving religious concepts in the lofty confines of tradition, Professor Sabzevary speaks a religious language with a modern tongue. Rather than simply detailing the nuances of various religious philosophies, Dr. Sabzevary's dialogues place these nuances within the lives of his students, thus evoking a startling intimacy. More than an ecumenical discourse, these lectures move in a profound depth that cannot but tap into the wellspring from which all religious philosophies draw their substance. Avai...