Beyond Monotheism: Discerning the Sacredness in Nature (SUNY series on Religion and the Environment)

Argues that nature in all of its aspects is its own creative, sustaining, sacred, salvific ground-and is the most appropriate focus today of ardent religious faith. In Beyond Monotheism, Donald A. Crosby carefully and respectfully examines the experiential, rational, moral, religious, philosophical, and scientific reasons alleged by philosophers, theologians, scientists, and others for believing in the existence of a single personal God.He concludes that these reasons, while fascinating and historically important, are neither universally compelling nor, for him, personally convincing.Nor is monotheism an essential feature of all vital religious faith, as the fact of long-lasting, deeply nourishing forms of non-monotheistic faith such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Daoism convincingly show.Crosby contends, instead, that nature itself in all its grandeur, mystery, and profound workings is inherently sacred and richly deserving of the reverence, faith, and commitment formerly reserved for God