Our Spiritual Crisis

by Nagler, Michael N.; Mudge, Lewis S.

• ISBN13: 9780812695816
• ISBN10: 081269581X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-07-21
• Publisher: Open Court

Summary

The crisis through which we are passing is a spiritual crisis, a paradigm shift, a painful stage of growth like a snake shedding its skin. Michael Nagler proclaims that the violence and dehumanization of our culture spring from spiritual impoverishment.

Author Biography

Michael N. Nagler is Professor Emeritus of Classics and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley, and founder of the University's Peace and Conflict Studies program.

Table of Contents

The Fourth Hsuan Hua Memorial Lecture	p. vii
A Brief Portrait of the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua	p. ix
Our Spiritual Crisis	p. 1
Commentary by Lewis S. Mudge	p. 35
Response and Audience Discussion	p. 45
Epilogue	p. 75
Notes	p. 97
The Institute for World Religions	p. 105
Index	p. 107
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

"The crisis through which we are passing is a spiritual crisis, a paradigm shift, a painful stage of growth like a snake shedding its skin. Michael Nagler proclaims that the violence and dehumanization of our culture spring from spiritual impoverishment." "Between the arrogance of scientism and the irresponsibility of commercial advertising, we are conditioned to believe that the fundamental reality is matter. Yet according to many leading scientists, the basic stuff of the cosmos is consciousness: quantum jumps are the events that ultimately constitute reality. Humans are not deterministically controlled cogs in a giant machine." "Much traditional religion, religion-without-spirituality, turns out to be ineffective in combating the forces of manipulation and control which lead us into mindless hatred and pointless wars. Nagler contends that the great spiritual mission of our time is the transition from a religion based on sacrifice to one based on meditation or "concentrated prayer," interior practice directed toward the more-than-human reality within us. And as we cultivate this meditative practice, we also need to become literate in nonviolence, learning the lessons taught by Gandhi before it is too late."--BOOK JACKET.