Mystical Theology

From Swami Abhayananda, the author of History of Mysticism and Body And Soul, comes a succinct yet balanced formulation of €˜the Perennial Philosophy€ in this, his latest book, entitled Mystical Theology. It is a book based on the mystical experience of the author, who claims no affiliation with any specific religion, but rather asserts that his theology is the metaphysical legacy of the many mystics, or seers of Divine reality, throughout history, and is therefore universal. He traces the beginnings of mystical theology to the ancient Greeks, suggesting that, since the time of Plotinus, few substantial developments have occurred, and that mystical theology, in its universal sense, has remained virtually the same till now. According to the author, the newest considerations to have bearing upon mystical theology have come in recent centuries from the developments in our understanding of the origin and constituency of the physical universe, brought about through the contributions of empirical science.
A significant portion of this book is devoted to an explication of the human soul and its integral connection with the physical universe, specifically with the changing dynamics of the solar system. Much emphasis is placed upon the purification (or evolution) of the soul, and its ascent to God through the power of grace, an ascent that is beautifully and convincingly described by the author as an inner awakening to one€s transcendent Self. In this little book of Mystical Theology, Swami Abhayananda succeeds in presenting a comprehensive and reasoned theology that accurately reflects the mystic€s vision and is at the same time compatible with current scientific evidence.