One Cosmos under God: The Unification of Matter, Life, Mind and Spirit

by Robert W. Godwin

One Cosmos under God is an extraordinary book that takes the reader on an intellectual and spiritual journey through the whole of creation. It dares to venture where language cannot go, into the "mind of God" prior to the creation, through to the "mind of the saint" who transcends the culturally conditioned ego, escapes history, and merges with the divine mind.This book is intended to be both serious and entertaining, like an intellectual amusement park ride through the whole of creation. It operates under the premise that if God exists, He has a very sophisticated sense of humor, and the book makes many important points in an ironic or punning way, including in the opening "creation story" and the closing "Cosmobliteration" of language into mystical oneness.

315 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2004

Reviews

[Magnus Itland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I consider the author a friend of sorts, I honestly don't think this book will fit a large audience. Still, it deserves better than being unknown. It is an "integral" book bridging science and spirit, something that was until fairly recent history the default position of any scientist. These days, it is hard enough to bridge two nearby fields of science. Godwin draws on a wide range of sources, but only a little is seen from each, and all in his own style. Some of the prose is... not quite English as we know it. This is intentional, an attempt to "unsaturate" topics that most of us tend to have nailed down before we were old enough to actually understand them.

The author's underlying view and conclusion is thoroughly religious, but it takes a form that probably would get him thrown out of any religious denomination he would not be ashamed to join. He has later gathered a small presence of fertile eggheads on the Net with his blog, which is far more mature (and far more offensive). The book is not particularly shocking though, unless you are a fundamentalist of either religion or science. If you can live with Ken Wilber, you can live with this, and it is easier to read. Well, except for the ... poetic(?) parts at the beginning and end. Take courage, it is only a few pages. Most of the book is quite readable and even sometimes amusing.

[Rob Springer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finnegans Wake meets the Upanishads, Genesis meets A Love Supreme. Godwin does a jazzy improv on the deep questions of life. With sources as diverse as Schuon and Sri Aurobindo, Bion and Balthasar his blog, onecosmos.blogspot.com is the deepest source of spiritual insight I have ever encountered. It is also likely to offend, as Bob's views will offend liberals, conservatives, atheists and fundamentalists (of all stripes). I expect my views might offend Bob, which doesn't phase me, either.