THE CONTEMPORARY MEETING OF EAST AND WEST
Understanding Two Great Spiritual Traditions and Human Sensibilities
| East | East-West | West |
| Pantheistic: “All Is the Divine Self” | Qualified Non-Dualism Hindu Theism Theistic Mysticism Process Pan-en-theism Open Theism | Monotheistic: “There Is Only One God” |
| “I-Am” “True Self” | “I-Thou” “Lover-Beloved” Coincidence of Opposites: We Are One & We Are Two | “Thou Art” “Wholly Other” |
| Transcendent Integral, Identical IMMANENT | Transcendence (Beyond) Identity & Relationship Immanence (Within) | TRANSCENDENT Incarnational, Relational Immanent |
| Mythic Archetypes | Mythical & Historical | Historical Events |
| Symbol of the Divine Mother “Ma” | “Mother-Father God” | Symbol of the Divine Father “Abba” |
| Spirit is Essence-Existence Spirit is God-Goddess Spirit is Consciousness-Energy | Unity & Plurality | God is Creator & Sustainer God is Reconciler & Liberator God is Indweller & Transformer |
| Essence/Emanation Identity | Divine Necessity & Freedom Human Necessity & Freedom | Creator/Creation Distinction |
| Integral, Mystical | Beauty, Love, Goodness, Truth | Numinous, Prophetic |
| Psychological “Both-And” | Psychological Insight And Ethical Integrity | Ethical “Either-Or” |
| Beauty & Ugliness Are One Truth & Illusion Are One Good & Evil Are One Love & Hate Are One Light & Darkness Are One | Beauty & Ugliness Are Related Truth & Illusion Are Related Good & Evil Are Related Love & Hate Are Related Love & Darkness Are Related | BEAUTY vs. Ugliness TRUTH vs. Illusion GOOD vs. Evil LOVE vs. Hate LIGHT vs. Darkness |
| Being, Consciousness, Bliss Unity, Diversity, Harmony | Consciousness & Conscience Eros & Agape; Sophia & Logos | Justice, Mercy, Peace Faith, Hope, Love |
Richard C. Lang, Omega House
The Institute for Creative Human Development
1 comment:
Eastern traditions speak not of religion but rather as the world as such. While Western religions speak of the world as the negation of nothingness. Strictly speaking a merger of these spiritual modalities is not a possibility. However certain mystical strands in the western traditions have taken a very eastern wisdom that sees nothingness paradoxically as a essential characteristic of godhood.
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