The Way Things Are

Conversations with Huston Smith on the Spiritual Life

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by Huston Smith,

Edited by Phil Cousineau

University of California Press

Due/Published March 2005, 338 pages, paper

ISBN 0520244893

"Where can we find what is ultimately meaningful? How can we discover what is truly worth knowing?" In one form or another Huston Smith has been posing these questions to himself--and the world--all his life. In the course of seeking answers, he has become one of the most interesting, enlightening, and celebrated voices on the subject of religion and spirituality throughout the world. The twenty-three interviews and essays in this volume, edited by cultural historian and filmmaker Phil Cousineau, offer a personal perspective on Smith's own personal journey, as well as wide-ranging reflection on the nature and importance of the religious quest.

In The Way Things Are, readers will find Smith in conversation with some of the world's most influential personalities and religious leaders, from journalist Bill Moyers to religion scholar Philip Novak, and recounting his personal experiences with such luminaries as Joseph Campbell, Aldous Huxley, Timothy Leary, Daisetz Suzuki, Ram Dass, and the Dalai Lama. Throughout these exchanges Smith speaks with passion and humor of his upbringing as the son of missionary parents in China, of the inspiring and colorful individuals he has known, and of his impressions of the different religious and philosophical traditions he has encountered. A fascinating view of the state of world religion and religious leadership over the past fifty years, the book also looks to the future with a final interview on the importance of the transcendent message of religion for the post-9/11 world.

Contents

 Preface: The Way Things Are for Huston Smith
No Wasted Journey: A Theological Autobiography

Introduction by Huston Smith

 PART ONE: THE HEART OF RELIGION
Chapter 1. The Way Things Are: An interview with Timothy Beneke
Chapter 2. The Primordial Tradition: An interview with John Loudon
Chapter 3. Winnowing the Wisdom Traditions: An interview with Mark Kenaston
Chapter 4. This Is It: An interview with Richard Marranca
Chapter 5. The Soul of the Community: An interview with Philip and Bridgett Novak
Chapter 6. Encountering God: An essay by Huston Smith

PART TWO: THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN SCIENCE AND RELIGION
Chapter 7. The Place of Science: An interview with Steve Reuys
Chapter 8. The Limits of the Scientific Worldview: An interview with Jeffrey Mishlove
Chapter 9. Science as the Oracle of Our Age: An interview with Michael Toms
Chapter 10. Science, Faith, and Infinity: An interview with Tracy Knauss and the Reverend Jack Young
Chapter 11. Toward a Partnership between Science and Religion: An interview with April Thompson
Chapter 12. The Battle for the Human Mind: An interview with Richard Gazdayka
Chapter 13. The New Paradigm: An interview with Richard Smoley and Jay Kinney
Chapter 14. Countering Scientism: An essay by Marsha Newman
Chapter 15. The Striking Parallels: An interview with Phil Cousineau

PART THREE: FROM PLATO'S CAVE TO THE ENCHANTED GARDEN
Chapter 16. The Sacred Dimensions of Everyday Life: An interview with Jeffrey Kane
Chapter 17. Demystifying Spiritual Practice: An essay by Huston Smith, with commentary by Sarah Ban Breathnach
Chapter 18. The Varieties of Religious Explorations: An interview with Jeffrey Mishlove
Chapter 19. Cleansing the Doors of Perception: An interview with Richard Scheinin
Chapter 20. Fathoming Psychedelic Mysticism: An interview with Timothy White
Chapter 21. The Wisdom of Faith: An interview with Bill Moyers
Chapter 22. Why Religion Matters Now More Than Ever: An interview with Phil Cousineau

References
Acknowledgments
Index