I find religions infinitely fascinating. I'm glad to have read this to improve my knowledge. I also found it interesting that Smoley linked his work to A Course in Miracles which is widely quoted by Gabby Bernstein.

This is a very strange book. You might think it is a dry theological thesis but it is anything but... Mr Smoley uses psychology, philosophy and every science possible to try and develop a new way of thinking about religion. He refers to "The Course in Miracles" as a framework for discussion but he also uses Jung, Blake, Kant, Philip K Dick, and Kaballah...

In the Middle Ages people lived in squalor and went to the Church to be with beauty and up lifting ideals. The author believes this is not possible today when "American culture is indifferent or hostile to beauty in all but the shallowest and most commercial forms... The typical American church looks like a veterans' hall with a large cross hanging at the back." I'm sure this is true of more than just America.

Another quote that spoke to me was "... it is misguided to mock the old gods. The gods are not the issue. What we must do is mock the dogmatic frame of mind that turns gods into idols. Similarly with political, economic, and sociological systems, however beguiling."

The author reassures that it is possible to work with The Course without any ties to a specific conventional religion. He says The Course probably appeals most to people described as "spiritual but not religious." which I think describes me.

There is a lot of reading here and the bibliography is huge. I wished I'd had a hard copy of the book so I could photocopy the bibliography and go looking for some of the books. Recommended if you want to delve into The Course in Miracles but have been put off by the religious idea of it or if you want an interesting and well written look at modern theology.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

This is a more practical read than you might think. Definitely recommended for any devotees of Marianne Williamson and/or a Course in Miracles.

Richard Smoley’s “A Theology of Love,” is a deeply thought-provoking treatise on the nature of love through a theological/spiritual lens; particularly navigating through relevant texts in The Course of Miracles. I was expecting to find a shallow, woo-woo text, that makes you feel all tingly but has no real depth. I was definitely wrong. I will be working through the spiritual nuggets found in this text for quite some time. Excellent work, Richard!

What would it mean to do theology with the assumption of God as ultimate mystic? Smoley explores the human adventure described in scriptures through the lens of input from various philosophical and religious traditions. He explores the limits of our imagination and understanding - and asks, what is reality if we don't understand much about anything (besides what we can experience with our senses)? It's an intriguing and dangerous idea - an one that leaves room for a lot of speculation and wild imagination.

Perhaps my biggest concern is the supposition that we can place limitations on God's revelation of himself in the Bible. Is what he tells us enough? Did he reveal himself to us in a true and provable way? Or is it our responsibility as humans to go beyond what we read to speculate on what God might be like and what the universe could be about?

Do we need to add some wildness and unlimited possibility to our theology?

Maybe - but here's my caution: without the anchor of a vibrant relationship with God through Christ, are we cliff-jumping into academic and philosophical silliness? Smoley's mixture of invention and mystical traditions makes this a no-go for me. It's interesting, but too far from the God who reveals himself in scripture to make it a serious contender for a way of life ... or as wisdom that could lead to a more profound or accurate theology of God-with-us.