The Emergence of God: A Rationalist Jewish Exploration of Divine Consciousness

by David W. Nelson

Overview

In a culture firmly grounded in scientific thought, it has become common to think of “God” as the label we use for natural law, the creative, organizational forces in the universe, rather than as a great, omniscient Being. Is it possible to imagine such a God as being conscious? This is the question at the heart of this book. Through an exploration of human consciousness, emergence theory, and Jewish thought and belief, David Nelson constructs an intriguing new model by which we may think about God as a sentient Self without sacrificing our commitment to rationality. This bold, innovative approach will challenge believers and skeptics alike, and will lead readers of all faiths to think deeply about God, community, and the experience of being human.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761865834
Publisher:	University Press of America
Publication date:	05/01/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	164
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

David W. Nelson teaches religion and Jewish studies, and serves as campus rabbi at Bard College in Annandale on Hudson, New York.

Table of Contents

Chapter One: In Search of God’s Consciousness
Chapter Two: The Brain, the Mind, and Consciousness
Chapter Three: The Emergence of God
Chapter Four: Emergent God and Mitzvot/Commandments
Chapter Five: Scrutinizing the Model
Chapter Six: The Ultimate Mitzvah
Chapter Seven: Exploring Loneliness
Epilogue: A Brief, Final Thought: But What if I’m Wrong?
Index

Editorial Reviews

David Nelson addresses a difficult subject with honesty: How can there be God, given what we know about the world? His answers provide a surprising and extraordinary new way to think about God and Judaism.. .. We searchers are on a new path and David Nelson guides us with scholarship, wisdom, and spiritual sensitivity to the searcher as well as to the doubter.

William Cutter

A rigorous scientific worldview can seem incompatible with profound religious faith. In this surprising and creative book, David Nelson shows us how quite the opposite could be the case: how modern emergence theories of consciousness might support a theology of personal faith intimately interconnected with community. This book is an ambitious attempt to craft a compelling theology that is at once firmly grounded in Judaic tradition and simultaneously respectful of modern scientific understanding.

Lynn Andrea Stein

David Nelson boldly tackles the question of what a life of faith could possibly mean in the light of new scientific discoveries. I am deeply moved by the author's willingness to face up to theological issues raised by science. This book deserves the close attention of everyone struggling to understand what the word "God" means in the age of science.

John F. Haught