Freeing God from Theology

In this book, the author, Cliff Ratzlaff, presents the idea that theological definitions of God are not only confusing but also implicated in so many of the social problems afflicting the world of people on planet Earth. God as a spiritual concept, however, invites discussion of seeing God in each other. Spirituality of necessity ends wars, alienation, enemies, hate, and wrath. The author includes reference to Gestalt psychology and to the writings of Martin Buber to help us experience spirituality in a way that frees us. As we free God from theology, we invite experience of God in our I Am experience. To be is equivalent to to be in union and unity with the infinite God of the infinite universe. When we meet others, we look for God in them. If you look for God, you see God. The religious experience of God is the experiences sacred presence: presence without location.

Ratzlaff makes much of Gestalts figure-ground phenomenon involved in human perception. The human seeks to put order on chaos, rule over the unruly, and direct over lostness. The experience of transcendence helps us to validate our self-awareness. The person is always sacred, godlike, and holy. God as our experience is inclusive of our fellows. God is love, acceptance, order, and life itself. It all makes sense as soon as one releases God from the fences we have put him in. Those fences are theologies. Among the worst theology to ever be imposed on the chaos of human essence is the Nicene Creed. Pauls description of Yeshua of Nazareth was a gross distortion grabbed by both Constantine of Rome and the church. Rome liked Nicaea; the pope liked Nicaea. Behold politicized theology and theologized politics, followed by the grossest distortion in human history; Nicaea led to the Dark Ages, the demonization of women, the witch trials, the Inquisition, fundamentalism of the reformation and contemporary Islam. Islam started during the Dark Ages.

Awareness and practice of spirituality releases God from the fences of theology. When you free God, you free yourself.