A Theology of Love
Reimagining Christianity Through A Course in Miracles
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $14.99
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Kathleen Roche-Zujko
-
By:
-
Richard Smoley
About this listen
A spirituality based on love, not fear
• Shares key, inspiring teachings from A Course in Miracles as well as Hinduism, Buddhism, Gnosticism, and the Sefer Yetzirah, the oldest known Kabbalistic text
• Cites philosophical wisdom from Kant, Blake, Jung, and Gurdjieff, alongside cognitive science, to reveal how the world is not difficult and flawed, but our fear-based mind-sets lead us to see it that way
• Offers a path to help you regenerate from the “fallen” state and experience God as infinite love and light
In the West, theology has almost always meant Christian theology—a hodgepodge of beliefs that are hard to make sense of. Why, for example, should an all-loving, merciful God have gotten mad at the human race because someone ate a piece of fruit six thousand years ago? And why would he send part of himself down to earth to be tortured to death? These beliefs, stated baldly, are nonsensical. Millions of people are realizing this and losing their faith. The time has come to reenvision Christian theology without contradictory teachings laced with fear. It is time for a theology of love and miracles.
Richard Smoley reframes Christian theology using logical, consistent, and easy-to-understand teachings of unconditional love and forgiveness. He draws inspiration not only from the Bible, but also from Hinduism, Buddhism, Gnosticism, and from esoteric and mystical teachings, such as A Course in Miracles and the Sefer Yetzirah, the oldest known Kabbalistic text. He explains how the “fallen” state of the human condition, not one of sin but of oblivion, leads us to experience the world as flawed and problematic—not wholly evil, but not wholly good.
Citing philosophical wisdom from Kant, Blake, Jung, and Gurdjieff, alongside cognitive science, Smoley reveals how it is not the world that is flawed, but the way we see the world. Sharing key teachings from A Course in Miracles, he shows that our fear-based mind-sets—often filled with anxiety, suffering, and shame—lead us to feel separated from God when, in fact, we are all extensions of a God of infinite love and light.
Offering a path to help you regenerate from the “fallen” state and see the real spiritual world and loving God that lies behind it, the author provides ways for each of us to craft our own self-consistent theology. He also lays out a vision for the future of spirituality, a path for present-day religion to transform into something higher and more universal.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2019 Richard Smoley. All Rights Reserved. (P)2019 Inner Traditions Audio. All Rights Reserved.Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Seven Games of Life
- And How to Play
- By: Richard Smoley
- Narrated by: Alan Carlson
- Length: 5 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Life can seem to be a serious business. We could also look at it as a game—or a series of games. They include survival, love, power, pleasure, courage, creativity, and the Master Game! In this insightful book, Richard Smoley gives a lively but profound account of these games. He talks about how we play them, the mistakes we make, and how we can play them best. The culmination is the Master Game. Richard explores practices from the great spiritual traditions to show how to reach this mastery. If you play this game, you will reach new heights of wisdom, courage, kindness, and performance.
-
-
Great book would recommend
- By AG on 10-21-24
By: Richard Smoley
-
Inner Christianity
- A Guide to the Esoteric Tradition
- By: Richard Smoley
- Narrated by: Richard Smoley
- Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Definitively read by author Richard Smoley, this audio version of Inner Christianity brings a clear understanding to the listener of the complex universe of esoteric knowledge. Topics include esoteric orders past and present, inner traditions, Sophia and Mary, and Gnosticism, as well as well as the mystical body of Christ.
-
-
This book is a modern classic for the esoteric
- By Allen on 04-17-13
By: Richard Smoley
-
Forbidden Faith
- The Secret History of Gnosticism
- By: Richard Smoley
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The success of books such as Elaine Pagels's Gnostic Gospels and Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code proves beyond a doubt that there is a tremendous thirst today for finding the hidden truths of Christianity - truths that may have been lost or buried by institutional religion over the last two millennia. In Forbidden Faith, Richard Smoley narrates a popular history of one such truth, the ancient esoteric religion of gnosticism, which flourished between the first and fourth centuries AD, but whose legacy remains even today, having survived secretly throughout the ages.
-
-
Excellent start to finish
- By Stefan Switzer on 06-07-21
By: Richard Smoley
-
Hidden Wisdom
- A Guide to Western Inner Traditions
- By: Richard Smoley, Jay Kinney
- Narrated by: Ethan Sawyer
- Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The co-editors of Gnosis magazine explore the many esoteric traditions that Western culture has to offer. While terms from Eastern spiritual practices such as Zen, mantra, and karma have become part of our daily lexicon, the traditions of Western spirituality have been largely unexplored by people searching for non-mainstream routes to spiritual experience. But for those who identify with Western culture, Western religious traditions have their own wisdom teachings that are more suitable to their needs and expectations.
-
-
Interesting, enjoyable, not too deep
- By DBruno1987 on 03-03-15
By: Richard Smoley, and others
-
The Deal
- A Guide to Radical and Complete Forgiveness
- By: Richard Smoley
- Narrated by: Richard Smoley
- Length: 3 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here is the greatest "deal" you will ever find: This concise, deeply practical guide shows how to forgive anyone who has ever hurt you and to receive a payback of enormous personal satisfaction and inner peace. "What I am offering you in this book is the best deal you have ever gotten in your life, or ever will. Even though I know nothing about you, I'm willing to make this claim with complete certainty."
-
-
Thank you for writing this
- By Amazon Customer on 06-19-19
By: Richard Smoley
-
A Course in Miracles Made Easy
- By: Alan Cohen
- Narrated by: Alan Cohen
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A Course in Miracles (ACIM) - the self-study spiritual-thought system that teaches the way to love and forgiveness - has captivated the minds and captured the hearts of millions of people. Delivering inner peace where fear and pain once prevailed, its universal message is unsurpassed in its power to heal. Yet many students report that they have difficulty grasping the principles or keeping up with the lessons. So even while they yearn for the spiritual freedom the course offers, they put the book aside, hoping to get to it one day.
-
-
A Must Listen
- By Kimberly on 10-07-17
By: Alan Cohen
-
Seven Games of Life
- And How to Play
- By: Richard Smoley
- Narrated by: Alan Carlson
- Length: 5 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Life can seem to be a serious business. We could also look at it as a game—or a series of games. They include survival, love, power, pleasure, courage, creativity, and the Master Game! In this insightful book, Richard Smoley gives a lively but profound account of these games. He talks about how we play them, the mistakes we make, and how we can play them best. The culmination is the Master Game. Richard explores practices from the great spiritual traditions to show how to reach this mastery. If you play this game, you will reach new heights of wisdom, courage, kindness, and performance.
-
-
Great book would recommend
- By AG on 10-21-24
By: Richard Smoley
-
Inner Christianity
- A Guide to the Esoteric Tradition
- By: Richard Smoley
- Narrated by: Richard Smoley
- Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Definitively read by author Richard Smoley, this audio version of Inner Christianity brings a clear understanding to the listener of the complex universe of esoteric knowledge. Topics include esoteric orders past and present, inner traditions, Sophia and Mary, and Gnosticism, as well as well as the mystical body of Christ.
-
-
This book is a modern classic for the esoteric
- By Allen on 04-17-13
By: Richard Smoley
-
Forbidden Faith
- The Secret History of Gnosticism
- By: Richard Smoley
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The success of books such as Elaine Pagels's Gnostic Gospels and Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code proves beyond a doubt that there is a tremendous thirst today for finding the hidden truths of Christianity - truths that may have been lost or buried by institutional religion over the last two millennia. In Forbidden Faith, Richard Smoley narrates a popular history of one such truth, the ancient esoteric religion of gnosticism, which flourished between the first and fourth centuries AD, but whose legacy remains even today, having survived secretly throughout the ages.
-
-
Excellent start to finish
- By Stefan Switzer on 06-07-21
By: Richard Smoley
-
Hidden Wisdom
- A Guide to Western Inner Traditions
- By: Richard Smoley, Jay Kinney
- Narrated by: Ethan Sawyer
- Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The co-editors of Gnosis magazine explore the many esoteric traditions that Western culture has to offer. While terms from Eastern spiritual practices such as Zen, mantra, and karma have become part of our daily lexicon, the traditions of Western spirituality have been largely unexplored by people searching for non-mainstream routes to spiritual experience. But for those who identify with Western culture, Western religious traditions have their own wisdom teachings that are more suitable to their needs and expectations.
-
-
Interesting, enjoyable, not too deep
- By DBruno1987 on 03-03-15
By: Richard Smoley, and others
-
The Deal
- A Guide to Radical and Complete Forgiveness
- By: Richard Smoley
- Narrated by: Richard Smoley
- Length: 3 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here is the greatest "deal" you will ever find: This concise, deeply practical guide shows how to forgive anyone who has ever hurt you and to receive a payback of enormous personal satisfaction and inner peace. "What I am offering you in this book is the best deal you have ever gotten in your life, or ever will. Even though I know nothing about you, I'm willing to make this claim with complete certainty."
-
-
Thank you for writing this
- By Amazon Customer on 06-19-19
By: Richard Smoley
-
A Course in Miracles Made Easy
- By: Alan Cohen
- Narrated by: Alan Cohen
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A Course in Miracles (ACIM) - the self-study spiritual-thought system that teaches the way to love and forgiveness - has captivated the minds and captured the hearts of millions of people. Delivering inner peace where fear and pain once prevailed, its universal message is unsurpassed in its power to heal. Yet many students report that they have difficulty grasping the principles or keeping up with the lessons. So even while they yearn for the spiritual freedom the course offers, they put the book aside, hoping to get to it one day.
-
-
A Must Listen
- By Kimberly on 10-07-17
By: Alan Cohen
-
How God Became God
- What Scholars Are Really Saying About God and the Bible
- By: Richard M. Smoley
- Narrated by: Richard M. Smoley
- Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This epic, thrilling journey through Bible scholarship and ancient religion shows how much of Scripture is historically false - yet the ancient writings also resound with theologies that crisscrossed the primeval world and that direct us today toward a deep, authentic inner experience of the truly sacred.
-
-
Just Okay.
- By Thom on 10-28-21
-
The Dream
- The Extraordinary Revelation of Who We Are and Where We Are
- By: David Icke
- Narrated by: David Icke
- Length: 18 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
David Icke has become world-famous for his work exposing today’s fast-unfolding global dystopia more than three decades before it became reality. They laughed then. But he didn’t stop there. He went further. Icke knew that the world of the "seen" was only a reflection of something far deeper that ultimately originates with a non-human force in another reality.
-
-
After reading my second Icke
- By Oliver on 12-10-23
By: David Icke
-
Living from a Place of Surrender
- The Untethered Soul in Action
- By: Michael A. Singer
- Narrated by: Michael A. Singer
- Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 2017, Sounds True launched the first-ever online course with Michael A. Singer, the best-selling author of The Untethered Soul and The Surrender Experiment. The program features eight profound and inspiring all-new sessions drawn from Singer’s 50 years as a spiritual teacher (and a highly successful business entrepreneur). Living from a Place of Surrender brings you the same perspective-shifting, spiritually liberating teaching sessions for letting go of stress and fear and aligning with the flow of life in the moment.
-
-
This book is enough... but take your time with it.
- By SoccerGeek on 02-21-20
-
Never Forget to Laugh: Personal Recollections of Bill Thetford, Co-Scribe of A Course in Miracles
- By: Carol M. Howe
- Narrated by: Carol Howe
- Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
First-hand accounts chronicle the life and spiritual journey of Bill Thetford, a brilliant, accomplished psychologist, and one of the world's foremost authorities on ego development. Bill's own path to awakening provides a timeless guide to releasing grievances, replacing them with grace and peace of mind.
-
-
Lovely, entertaining, fascinating. . .simply wonderful!
- By Jay in Hawaii on 02-21-22
By: Carol M. Howe
-
The Disappearance of the Universe
- Straight Talk About Illusions, Past Lives, Religion, Sex, Politics, and the Miracles of Forgiveness
- By: Gary R. Renard
- Narrated by: Gary R. Renard
- Length: 15 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What would you do if you were sitting quietly in your living room when a mysterious couple appeared from out of nowhere-and then told you they were “ascended masters” who had come to reveal some shocking secrets of existence and teach you the miraculous powers of advanced forgiveness? When two such teachers appeared before Gary Renard in 1992, he chose to listen to them (and ask a lot of impertinent questions). The result is this startling book: an extraordinary record of 17 mind-bending conversations that took place over nearly a decade, reorienting the author’s life.
-
-
The Truth my spirit had yearned for
- By Amazon Customer on 09-08-23
By: Gary R. Renard
-
Egregores
- The Occult Entities That Watch Over Human Destiny
- By: Mark Stavish
- Narrated by: Mark Stavish
- Length: 4 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of most important but little known concepts of Western occultism is that of the egregore, an autonomous psychic entity created by a collective group mind. An egregore is sustained by belief, ritual, and sacrifice and relies upon the devotion of a group of people, from a small coven to an entire nation, for its existence. An egregore that receives enough sustenance can take on a life of its own, becoming an independent deity with powers its believers can use to further their own spiritual advancement and material desires.
-
-
Not Bad, Not Great
- By Lonescout on 08-10-19
By: Mark Stavish
-
Change Your Mind
- Deprogram Your Subconscious Mind, Rewire the Brain, and Balance Your Energy
- By: RJ Spina
- Narrated by: RJ Spina
- Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Change Your Mind uses revolutionary teachings to help rewire your subconscious mind and bring balance to your energy. Through a fourteen-day journaling exercise, you’ll uncover the mental programming already affecting you, and then apply specialized activities to counteract it. RJ guides you every step of the way, providing meditations, mindfulness practices, and more. He demonstrates how to not only meet the real you, but also maintain and express it through numerous activities you can easily integrate into your daily life.
-
-
OMG! What a shock!
- By Suzie Schuder on 08-24-23
By: RJ Spina
-
Lost Books of the Bible: The Great Rejected Texts
- By: Joseph B. Lumpkin
- Narrated by: Dennis Logan
- Length: 53 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Lost Books of the Bible: The Great Rejected Texts - 18 of the most sought-after books available, which shed light on the evolution of our faith, our theology, and our church. Translations and commentary by the author of the best-selling book The Lost Books of Enoch, Joseph Lumpkin.
-
-
Outstanding book.
- By Jesse on 03-20-19
-
Pistis Sophia: A Gnostic Gospel
- By: G.R.S. Mead
- Narrated by: Barry J Peterson
- Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Pistis Sophia is a Gnostic text discovered in 1773, possibly written between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD. The existing manuscript, which some scholars place in the late 4th century, relates one Gnostic group's teachings of the transfigured Jesus to the assembled disciples (including his mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, and Martha). In this text, the risen Jesus had spent eleven years speaking with his disciples, teaching them only the lower mysteries. After eleven years, he receives his true garment and is able to reveal the higher mysteries revered by this group.
-
-
Pistis Sophia Review
- By Anonymous User on 08-29-21
By: G.R.S. Mead
-
A Course in Miracles: Text, Vol. 1
- By: Dr. Helen Schucman - scribe
- Narrated by: Jim Stewart
- Length: 37 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A Course in Miracles, also known as "the Course" or ACIM, was scribed by Dr. Helen Schucman. It is a self-study course that aims to assist listeners, readers, and students in achieving spiritual transformation. Book 1: The Text is largely theoretical, and sets forth the concepts on which the Course's thought system is based. Its ideas contain the foundation for the lessons in Book 2, the Workbook for Students.
-
-
Not useful for real course students
- By Kalen on 08-12-12
-
The Demonologist
- The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren - The True Accounts of the Paranormal Investigators Featured in the film 'The Conjuring'
- By: Gerald Brittle
- Narrated by: Todd Haberkorn
- Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
If you think ghosts are only responsible for hauntings, think again. The Demonologist reveals the grave religious process behind supernatural events and how it can happen to you. Used as a text in seminaries and classrooms, this is one book you can't put down. For over five decades, Ed and Loraine Warren have been considered America's foremost experts on demonology and exorcism. With over 3,000 investigations to their credit, they reveal what actually breaks the peace in haunted houses. Don't miss the Warrens in the new blockbuster movie The Conjuring.
-
-
WARNING!: THIS IS BASED ON REAL CASES,TERRIFYING!
- By eric on 08-05-13
By: Gerald Brittle
-
The Universal Christ
- How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope for, and Believe
- By: Richard Rohr
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his decades as a globally recognized teacher, Richard Rohr has helped millions realize what is at stake in matters of faith and spirituality. Yet Rohr has never written on the most perennially talked about topic in Christianity: Jesus. Most know who Jesus was, but who was Christ? Drawing on scripture, history, and spiritual practice, Rohr articulates a transformative view of Jesus Christ as a portrait of God’s constant, unfolding work in the world.
-
-
Off the Reservation
- By Amazon Customer on 07-04-19
By: Richard Rohr
Critic reviews
"If there is anything that can help humanity towards an age of the Holy Spirit (the subject of a wonderful discussion in chapter 17), it is surely radical forgiveness. For the vision of such love, and help along the way of living it, we can be grateful to both A Course in Miracles and Richard Smoley." (John Plummer, Quest)
“I literally cannot think of another scholar who could reasonably attempt what Richard Smoley not only attempts but succeeds in doing in A Theology of Love. Smoley constructs a new, mysterious, utterly practical, and broadly gnostic Christian-based approach to life; it is one of mysticism, questioning, critical belief, and personal change. Some contemporary scholars possess the intellect, some possess the inner experience - but none, other than Smoley, possess both, and in sufficient amounts, to achieve this unprecedented task. When you read A Theology of Love you will understand why Richard is our generation’s premier independent scholar of spirituality.” (Mitch Horowitz, PEN Award-winning author of Occult America and The Miracle Club)
“In our increasingly secular world, people hunger for a way of harmonizing their actual spiritual experiences and their inner knowing with religious traditions that no longer affirm them. In A Theology of Love, Richard Smoley shows how this is possible. This is a powerful contribution, powerful because it is also simple and uncomplicated. To those who grieve that Christianity has lost its way because of its sellout to tawdry, unprincipled politicians, Smoley’s message is CPR for the soul.” (Larry Dossey, MD, author of One Mind)
Related to this topic
-
Forbidden Faith
- The Secret History of Gnosticism
- By: Richard Smoley
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The success of books such as Elaine Pagels's Gnostic Gospels and Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code proves beyond a doubt that there is a tremendous thirst today for finding the hidden truths of Christianity - truths that may have been lost or buried by institutional religion over the last two millennia. In Forbidden Faith, Richard Smoley narrates a popular history of one such truth, the ancient esoteric religion of gnosticism, which flourished between the first and fourth centuries AD, but whose legacy remains even today, having survived secretly throughout the ages.
-
-
Excellent start to finish
- By Stefan Switzer on 06-07-21
By: Richard Smoley
-
Stories We Tell Ourselves
- Making Meaning in a Meaningless Universe
- By: Richard Holloway
- Narrated by: Richard Holloway
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Throughout history we have told ourselves stories to try and make sense of what it all means: our place in a small corner of one of billions of galaxies, at the end of billions of years of existence. In this new book Richard Holloway takes us on a personal, scientific and philosophical journey to explore what he believes the answers to the biggest of questions are.
-
-
Effortlessly profound
- By Consi on 09-28-21
By: Richard Holloway
-
The Naked Now
- Learning to See as the Mystics See
- By: Richard Rohr
- Narrated by: Rick Adamson
- Length: 5 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The enlightenment you seek in other religions has been present in Christianity from the beginning. Richard Rohr, a global leader in spiritual awakening, helps you recognize the forces (such as ego resistance and dual thinking) that separate you from your deeper self. Then, drawing from Gospels and the greatest Christian contemplatives, he shows you what it means to be spiritually awake. You will learn why your ego resists change and growth, what is useful about popular ideas such as the law of attraction, what Jesus, the first mythical leader in the West, can teach you.
-
-
exceptional insights on Christianity
- By Mister E on 04-15-20
By: Richard Rohr
-
Eager to Love
- The Alternative Way of Francis of Assisi
- By: Richard Rohr
- Narrated by: John Quigley O.F.M.
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Francis of Assisi is one of the most beloved of all saints. Both traditional and entirely revolutionary, he was a paradox. He was at once down-to-earth and reaching toward heaven, grounded in the rich history of the Church while moving toward a new understanding of the world beyond. Franciscan Father Richard Rohr helps us look beyond the birdbath image of the saint to remind us of the long tradition founded on Francis' revolutionary, radical, and life-changing embrace of the teachings of Jesus.
-
-
Richard Rohr Should Read Richard Rohr
- By Cloud Captain on 10-18-14
By: Richard Rohr
-
50 Spiritual Classics
- By: Tom Butler-Bowdon
- Narrated by: Richard Poe
- Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Discover the books that have already changed the lives of millions. This unabridged guide to the literature of the spirit surveys 50 of the all-time classics, giving you their key ideas, insights, and applications - everything you need to know to start benefiting from these legendary works.
-
-
useful as review or starting point
- By connie on 01-03-09
-
The Meaning of Happiness
- The Quest for Freedom of the Spirit in Modern Psychology and the Wisdom of the East
- By: Alan Watts
- Narrated by: Kern Schmidt
- Length: 7 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Deep down, most people think that happiness comes from having or doing something. Here, in Alan Watts’s groundbreaking third book (originally published in 1940), he offers a more challenging thesis: authentic happiness comes from embracing life as a whole in all its contradictions and paradoxes, an attitude that Watts calls the “way of acceptance.” Drawing on Eastern philosophy, Western mysticism, and analytic psychology, Watts demonstrates that happiness comes from accepting both the outer world around us and the inner world inside us,
-
-
Good Concepts Hard to Follow Along
- By Ryan on 04-13-20
By: Alan Watts
-
Forbidden Faith
- The Secret History of Gnosticism
- By: Richard Smoley
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The success of books such as Elaine Pagels's Gnostic Gospels and Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code proves beyond a doubt that there is a tremendous thirst today for finding the hidden truths of Christianity - truths that may have been lost or buried by institutional religion over the last two millennia. In Forbidden Faith, Richard Smoley narrates a popular history of one such truth, the ancient esoteric religion of gnosticism, which flourished between the first and fourth centuries AD, but whose legacy remains even today, having survived secretly throughout the ages.
-
-
Excellent start to finish
- By Stefan Switzer on 06-07-21
By: Richard Smoley
-
Stories We Tell Ourselves
- Making Meaning in a Meaningless Universe
- By: Richard Holloway
- Narrated by: Richard Holloway
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Throughout history we have told ourselves stories to try and make sense of what it all means: our place in a small corner of one of billions of galaxies, at the end of billions of years of existence. In this new book Richard Holloway takes us on a personal, scientific and philosophical journey to explore what he believes the answers to the biggest of questions are.
-
-
Effortlessly profound
- By Consi on 09-28-21
By: Richard Holloway
-
The Naked Now
- Learning to See as the Mystics See
- By: Richard Rohr
- Narrated by: Rick Adamson
- Length: 5 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The enlightenment you seek in other religions has been present in Christianity from the beginning. Richard Rohr, a global leader in spiritual awakening, helps you recognize the forces (such as ego resistance and dual thinking) that separate you from your deeper self. Then, drawing from Gospels and the greatest Christian contemplatives, he shows you what it means to be spiritually awake. You will learn why your ego resists change and growth, what is useful about popular ideas such as the law of attraction, what Jesus, the first mythical leader in the West, can teach you.
-
-
exceptional insights on Christianity
- By Mister E on 04-15-20
By: Richard Rohr
-
Eager to Love
- The Alternative Way of Francis of Assisi
- By: Richard Rohr
- Narrated by: John Quigley O.F.M.
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Francis of Assisi is one of the most beloved of all saints. Both traditional and entirely revolutionary, he was a paradox. He was at once down-to-earth and reaching toward heaven, grounded in the rich history of the Church while moving toward a new understanding of the world beyond. Franciscan Father Richard Rohr helps us look beyond the birdbath image of the saint to remind us of the long tradition founded on Francis' revolutionary, radical, and life-changing embrace of the teachings of Jesus.
-
-
Richard Rohr Should Read Richard Rohr
- By Cloud Captain on 10-18-14
By: Richard Rohr
-
50 Spiritual Classics
- By: Tom Butler-Bowdon
- Narrated by: Richard Poe
- Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Discover the books that have already changed the lives of millions. This unabridged guide to the literature of the spirit surveys 50 of the all-time classics, giving you their key ideas, insights, and applications - everything you need to know to start benefiting from these legendary works.
-
-
useful as review or starting point
- By connie on 01-03-09
-
The Meaning of Happiness
- The Quest for Freedom of the Spirit in Modern Psychology and the Wisdom of the East
- By: Alan Watts
- Narrated by: Kern Schmidt
- Length: 7 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Deep down, most people think that happiness comes from having or doing something. Here, in Alan Watts’s groundbreaking third book (originally published in 1940), he offers a more challenging thesis: authentic happiness comes from embracing life as a whole in all its contradictions and paradoxes, an attitude that Watts calls the “way of acceptance.” Drawing on Eastern philosophy, Western mysticism, and analytic psychology, Watts demonstrates that happiness comes from accepting both the outer world around us and the inner world inside us,
-
-
Good Concepts Hard to Follow Along
- By Ryan on 04-13-20
By: Alan Watts
-
Things Hidden
- Scripture as Spirituality
- By: Richard Rohr O.F.M.
- Narrated by: John Quigley O.F.M.
- Length: 10 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Bible is meant to be about transformation, not merely information. In Things Hidden, Richard Rohr invites you to experience Scripture as spirituality - as a living text that can breathe new life into your relationship with God and change your way of seeing the world.
-
-
excellent and inspirational in the insights
- By Nana on 11-03-22
-
Irrational Man
- A Study in Existential Philosophy
- By: William Barrett
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 13 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Widely recognized as the finest definition of existentialist philosophy ever written, this book introduced existentialism to America in 1958. Irrational Man begins by discussing the roots of existentialism in the art and thinking of Augustine, Aquinas, Pascal, Baudelaire, Blake, Dostoevski, Tolstoy, Hemingway, Picasso, Joyce, and Beckett. The heart of the book explains the views of the foremost existentialists - Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Sartre. The result is a marvelously lucid definition of existentialism and a brilliant interpretation of its impact.
-
-
heady
- By A. Antine on 07-28-22
By: William Barrett
-
The Case for God
- By: Karen Armstrong
- Narrated by: Karen Armstrong
- Length: 16 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Moving from the Paleolithic age to the present, Karen Armstrong details the great lengths to which humankind has gone in order to experience a sacred reality that it called by many names, such as God, Brahman, Nirvana, Allah, or Dao. Focusing especially on Christianity but including Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Chinese spiritualities, Armstrong examines the diminished impulse toward religion in our own time, when a significant number of people either want nothing to do with God or question the efficacy of faith. Why has God become unbelievable?
-
-
Great recasting of how God should be interpreted
- By John Doyle on 02-18-11
By: Karen Armstrong
-
Jesus and the Lost Goddess
- The Secret Teachings of the Original Christians
- By: Timothy Freke, Peter Gandy
- Narrated by: Rory Barnett
- Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Drawing on modern scholarship, the authors of the international best-seller The Jesus Mysteries decode the secret teachings of the original Christians for the first time in almost two millennia and theorize about who the original Christians really were and what they actually taught. In addition, the book explores the many myths of Jesus and the Goddess and unlocks the lost secret teachings of Christian mysticism, which promise happiness and immortality to those who attain the state of Gnosis, or enlightenment.
-
-
Great information, however now outdated
- By Patriot RN - Doc on 03-12-19
By: Timothy Freke, and others
-
Eternal Life
- A New Vision
- By: John Shelby Spong
- Narrated by: John Morgan
- Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bishop John Shelby Spong, author of Jesus for the Non-Religious, Why Christianity Must Change or Die, Sins of Scripture, and many other books, is known for his controversial ideas and fighting for minority rights. In Eternal Life: A New Vision, a remarkable spiritual journey about his lifelong struggle with the questions of God and death, he reveals how he came to a new conviction about eternal life.
-
-
Excellent questions... wishy-washy answers
- By cynthia on 10-17-09
-
The Heretic's Handbook
- By: Jonathan Black
- Narrated by: Simon Mattacks
- Length: 2 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Heretic’s Handbook, the internationally bestselling author of The Secret History of the World has collected and codified ancient, secret wisdom from around the world, formulating a complete philosophy on how to live a happy and successful life. An acclaimed author and public speaker, Black shows how this body of knowledge has been declared ‘heretical’ both by the established church and by today’s atheistic intellectual elite.
-
-
great
- By Amazon Customer on 08-01-23
By: Jonathan Black
-
Hidden Wisdom
- A Guide to Western Inner Traditions
- By: Richard Smoley, Jay Kinney
- Narrated by: Ethan Sawyer
- Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The co-editors of Gnosis magazine explore the many esoteric traditions that Western culture has to offer. While terms from Eastern spiritual practices such as Zen, mantra, and karma have become part of our daily lexicon, the traditions of Western spirituality have been largely unexplored by people searching for non-mainstream routes to spiritual experience. But for those who identify with Western culture, Western religious traditions have their own wisdom teachings that are more suitable to their needs and expectations.
-
-
Interesting, enjoyable, not too deep
- By DBruno1987 on 03-03-15
By: Richard Smoley, and others
-
The Givenness of Things
- Essays
- By: Marilynne Robinson
- Narrated by: Coleen Marlo
- Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The spirit of our times can appear to be one of joyless urgency. As a culture we have become less interested in the exploration of the glorious mind, and more interested in creating and mastering technologies that will yield material well-being. But while cultural pessimism is always fashionable, there is still much to give us hope.
-
-
Mostly thoughts on religious things
- By Adam Shields on 01-26-16
-
The Heart of Christianity
- Rediscovering a Life of Faith
- By: Marcus J. Borg
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
World-renowned Jesus scholar Marcus J. Borg shows how we can live passionately as Christians in today's world by practicing the vital elements of Christian faith. For the millions of people who have turned away from many traditional beliefs about God, Jesus, and the Bible, but still long for a relevant, nourishing faith, Borg shows why the Christian life can remain a transforming relationship with God. Emphasizing the critical role of daily practice in living the Christian life, he explores how prayer, worship, Sabbath, pilgrimage, and more can be experienced as authentically life-giving practices.
-
-
book worth rediscovering for both head and heart
- By connie on 06-30-12
By: Marcus J. Borg
-
Medieval Wisdom for Modern Christians
- Finding Authentic Faith in a Forgotten Age with C.S. Lewis
- By: Chris R. Armstrong
- Narrated by: Jon Gauger
- Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Many Christians today tend to view the story of medieval faith as a cautionary tale. Too often, they dismiss the Middle Ages as a period of corruption and decay in the church. They seem to assume that the church apostatized from true Christianity after it gained cultural influence in the time of Constantine, and that the faith was only later recovered by the 16th-century Reformers or even the 18th-century revivalists. As a result, the riches and wisdom of the medieval period have remained largely inaccessible to modern Protestants.
-
-
A splendid introduction to Medieval faith from an Evangelical perspective
- By Daniel on 03-07-20
-
Good Without God
- What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe
- By: Greg Epstein
- Narrated by: David Marantz
- Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A provocative and positive response to Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, and other New Atheists, Good Without God makes a bold claim for what nonbelievers do share and believe. Epstein's Good Without God provides a constructive, challenging response to these manifestos by getting to the heart of Humanism and its positive belief in tolerance, community, morality, and good without having to rely on the guidance of a higher being.
-
-
Speaker sounds too robotic
- By Lisa S. on 08-27-21
By: Greg Epstein
-
Surprised by Hope
- Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church
- By: N. T. Wright
- Narrated by: James Langton
- Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For years, Christians have been asking, "If you died tonight, do you know where you would go?" It turns out that many believers have been giving the wrong answer. It is not heaven. Wright outlines the present confusion about a Christian's future hope and shows how it is deeply intertwined with how we live today. Wright asserts that Christianity's most distinctive idea is bodily resurrection, and provides a magisterial defense for a literal resurrection of Jesus. Wright then explores our expectation of "new heavens and a new earth".
-
-
A valuable yet partial lens for viewing mission
- By Scott Macdonald on 01-16-19
By: N. T. Wright