God Is Dead, Long Live the Gods: A Case for Polytheism
Gus DiZerega
Llewellyn, June 8, 2020
Published as a paperback. ISBN 9780738762722
Gus DiZerega is not a new name for Wiccan Rede readers. He has previously written 3 articles (see links below). Many of his ideas in these, and other articles, have culminated in this book: God is dead.
On the back cover we read:
Powerful New Perspectives on the Integration of Science and Spirit
“Examining the relationship between polytheism and quantum physics, biology, and ecology can open new vistas of sacred discovery. God Is Dead, Long Live the Gods develops a bold new vision for polytheism’s evolving role in our society and in our individual and collective spiritual experiences.
Join author Gus diZerega as he explores contemporary science to show why consciousness is a fundamental aspect of reality and why polytheistic experiences are as varied as the vast array of living organisms that enrich our world. This book shows why monotheism is actually a form of polytheism, and it explores fascinating spiritual concepts such as thought forms, mystical experiences, shamanism, spiritual healing, and universal love.
Whether you’re interested in the mind-bending implications of emergence theory or want to know if the universe is alive, you will discover transformative answers and a new integration of science and spirituality.”
Probably more shocking and mind-blowing to those of the Abrahamic faiths than to neo-pagans, the idea that monotheism is fraught with misconceptions and at best ‘fuzzy logic’, this book is fascinating.
In the chapter, ‘The incoherence of Monotheism’ Gus argued: “the idea of monotheism is incoherent and has led to endless strife and slaughter by combining it in coherence with demands that some version of it dominates all other religious points of view. With religious freedom, monotheism fragments into many different deities with devotees of each claiming theirs is the only one.”
As Gus points out ‘religious freedom’ has offered us the opportunity to chose how we interpret mystical experiences and perhaps why many people prefer to speak today of being ‘spiritual’ rather than ‘religious’.
For anyone interested in Interfaith or Interreligious dialogue this book is a must.
Articles by Gus DiZerega previously published in Wiccan Rede Online:
Viewing the world through Pagan eyes, Part I
Viewing the World through Pagan Eyes, Part II: Memes as Organisms
Viewing the World through Pagan Eyes, Part III: Memes, Thought Forms and the issue of cultural appropriation
The reality of place and the energy of the land
