Beyond Monotheism

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—if we have the wit, determination, imagination, and receptivity of heart and mind to search for and find them there. Nature, Crosby argues, is its own basis or ground—and nature, properly understood and revered, is through and through sacred ground and, as such, an appropriate focus of profoundly evocative, hopeful, meaningful, and sustaining religious faith. In the midst of global climate change, widespread species extinctions and endangerments, and fast-approaching earth-wide ecological disaster, Beyond Monotheism calls attention to another religious way of life, one of singular relevance and importance for our time.

Donald A. Crosby is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Colorado State University. His recent books include Sacred and Secular: Responses to Life in a Finite World, also published by SUNY Press, and Amicable Ambiguity: The Indispensable Value of Vagueness, Open-Endedness, and Uncertainty.