The Nature of Man and God

About the Book

The search for understanding the meaning of the self and the nature of the Supreme Being has been the nub problem in history. Although these concepts have been expounded in all ages by innumerable philosophers, theologians, and other writers, the fact that they still remain nebulous indicates that more work is warranted in these perennial areas.

The Nature of Man and God deals with these two fundamental issues in a clear, concise, and down-to-earth manner. As a psychologist, the author has spent some thirty years investigating the issues in question. The study of the self led him, willy-nilly, to the reality of something that William James called "a More," or something that is popularly known as God. The author found close affinity between the reality of the self and the reality of the Deity. Owing to this affinity, the author proposes that a more palpable way of knowing the Deity is to know one's own true self. On the subject of the self. the author distinguishes between two types: a nominal self, which is a mere echo of the early experiences of the individual, and a transcendental self. the latter can be realized only when human beings set themselves to unlearn what they have been taught on such matters, rely on their inner resources, and become their own gurus-instead of following the instructions of self-proclaimed authorities.

Regarding the Divine nature, the author puts forth several challenging new theses. In particular, he enlarges on matters relating to ultimate concerns, the human task, freedom of will, responsibility, and theodicy, explicating why there is evil and suffering in the world.

The book invites the reader to reach for a higher plain of humanness. The topics covered are pivotal as the whole of humankind does indeed pivot around them. It is the author's conviction that none of the current personal or international crises can be effectively resolved until humans first learn who they are and what genre of supratemporal intellect powers the scheme of things in the world.

The book should appeal to multiple audiences; at a time when it seems nothing can disentangle the state of human affairs, there is a crying need for this kind of book. In particular, it should prove of great interest to all those sincerely seeking to know themselves and their God. the book also provides a workable tool for those seriously involved in improving the human lot, or those weary of on-going superficialities and trivialities of modern life.

About the Author

The author, who has adopted the name of Simon S. Godfrey, was educated at Columbia University, where he was a Fulbright Scholar. He has a Ph.D in psychology, and for years practiced psychotherapy, taught graduate courses, conducted workshops, and undertook extensive research on dreams. His intense involvement with the field of dreams led him to trespass on a path that, for millennia, has been the jurisdiction of religion and theology. He found that human nature is far greater than it has been depicted, that a superhuman power is at work in the world, and that there is a close affinity between humans and this superhuman power. Thus, he became disenchanted with the scientism of a discipline that had banished from consideration the self and other integrative concepts. This gave the author the freedom he needed to explore beyond the constraints set by the lore of formal psychology and navigate in the realm of metaphysics. Consequently, he can now express his views forthrightly and unapologetically, as is evident from his present work The Nature of Man and God: A New Look.