Theological materialism

Theological materialism follows the extrovertine or Evolutionary Path in interpreting the divine in the real world and in deepest part of the senses, and secondarily follows the introvertine or Involuntary Path which confines itself to the mystical experience of the spiritual God Within or the Father Within seen as outside the world of the senses, but which is not. Most religions are fundamentally the same in the mystical experience of the God Within as seen in the involuntary path of most relgions, although they interpret the experience in different ways, seeing the form of the divine as God, the Brahman, the universal self, the void, Nirvana, and so on. Theological materialism says that knowledge of the God Within from the Inward Path can lead to the next knowledge of the Outward Path to Godhood attained and shaped by material and supermaterial evolution.

The highest religious experience is often said to be the awareness of absolute union with the divine, and much ascetic discipline is required for this experience, which changes the body and the mind with strict ascetic discipline so that we may experience the divine, examples have been fasting, ridding the body of all desires, etc. The awareness of the God Within usually involves the old idea of the separation of the material from the spiritual, the soul from the body. But theological materialism sees Godhood as in the world, as material although supermaterial, at the zenith of evolution, which brings a more immediate, more natural, more real and even more credible sense Godhood---we are less evolved versions of the highest evolved Godhood which material life is seeking. That is the "likeness of God."

Theological materialism can bring science and philosophical naturalism into religion, although they will have to stretch a bit to do so. This can also bring ecumenism between the feuding great religions in that they already experience a similar God in the Involuntary Path. Then we can join the great adventure of materially evolving to Godhood in the cosmos by way of the Outward Path.

Deeper philosophical aspects of theological material can be found here.