Our communion with God largely rests on our intellectual understanding of Him. Throughout history, humanity has taken varied positions both for and against God. Even among believers, the idea of God has been approached in vastly different—and at times, even diametrically opposed—ways.
Though God is essentially one, the idea of God is not. The God of spirituality differs from the God of religion. The God of Eastern traditions diverges from the God of Western theology, just as both contrast with the Gods of indigenous faiths. New Atheists denounce the very notion of God, while philosophers often hold a more nuanced or conflicted view. Classical science has long remained skeptical of all things spiritual, whereas modern science increasingly converges with spiritual insights.
This book is an earnest attempt to examine the idea of God through the lenses of spirituality, monotheism, polytheism, atheism, philosophy, psychology, and science. In the approaching Golden Age, we are likely to witness deeper integration among these diverse streams. This book stands, on one hand, as a humble contribution toward that integration—and on the other, as a pathway for the thoughtful seeker to more clearly define their personal understanding of God, so as to live in alignment with Him more fully.