Book Discussion: The Perennial Philosophy

[Quadrochosis]

I recently bought this book at the guidance of one of my professors, and, while I am not entirely through it, I am loving it so far. It has a lot of great quotes and arguments.

The basic premise of the book is that a great many of the world's religions draw from one universal truth, a divine presence that exists in every living creature, and to acknowledge this is to know God.

This is not a discussion of whether or not a God exists (there's plenty of topics for that) so please keep that out of here. This is a topic to discuss the book, and related arguments regarding universal truths, etc.

One really awesome passage from the chapter entitled "The Nature of the Ground" has a really great argument against legalistic thinking when it comes to faith.

God may be worshiped and contemplated in any of His aspects. But to persist in worshiping only one aspect to the exclusion of all the rest is to run into grave spiritual peril. Thus, if we approach God with the preconceived idea that He is exclusively the personal, transcendental, all-powerful ruler of the world, we run the risk of becoming entangled in a religion of rites, propitiatory sacrifices (sometimes of the most horrible nature) and legalistic observances. Inevitably so; for if God is an unapproachable potentate out there, giving mysterious orders, this kind of religion is entirely appropriate to the cosmic situation. The best that can be said for ritualistic legalism is that it improves conduct. It does little, however, to alter character and nothing of itself to modify consciousness.

Things are a great deal better when the transcendent, omnipotent personal God is regarded also as a loving Father. The sincere worship of such a God changes character as well as conduct, and does something to modify consciousness. But the complete transformation of consciousness, which is 'enlightenment,' 'deliverance,' 'salvation,' comes only when God is thought of as the Perennial Philosophy affirms Him to be-immanent as well as transcendent, supra-personal as well as personal-and when religious practices are adapted to this conception.

Let the discussion begin!

[Quadrochosis]

I guess no one knows about this book, or has read it?

[Seventh Son]

I guess no one knows about this book, or has read it?

'fraid not.

I'm not a college student (I'm assuming this is a read in college or something?) and I've never heard of the book. I doubt my local library has it either.