Non-Dualistic

Discussion in 'Questions?' started by Jeffg, Jun 25, 2019.

  1. Jeffg

    Jeffg Active Member

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    So I have come accross the term "non-dualistic" a couple of times recently, once in a newsletter from Contempaltive Outreach/Centering Prayer , another in a local groups material near where I live. Anybody have any insigths/thoughts/discussion on it ? A friend of mine says its kind of a Buddhist/Hindu thing, but under certain conditions is OK, but can be worked through to Pelagiagism. So, any comments about it would be helpfull
     
  2. Peteprint

    Peteprint Well-Known Member Anglican

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    My exposure to the term comes primarily from studying Hinduism, in particular the schools of Vedanta. Adi Shankara proposed the Advaita philosophy (non-dualism), claiming that all is God; we are essentially ignorant of the fact. Sri Ramanuja proposed Visistadvaita (qualified non-dualism). Of course none of this is here or there, as far as Anglicanism is concerned. I have never heard of non-dualism in reference to Christian theology, though perhaps I have overlooked it.
     
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  3. Liturgyworks

    Liturgyworks Well-Known Member Anglican

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    It comes up in heresiology, specifically when comparing Christianity to the Gnostic religions, to neo-Platonism, to Manichaenism, and by extension to Zoroastrianism, especially older forms of Zoroastrianism where Ahura Mazda, the good God, and Angra Mainyu, the evil devil, were equal in power and fighting a cosmic war on even ground.

    Taoism is also dualistic but does not attach moral evaluation to the yin and yang; rather goodness is to be in harmony with the alternating rhythms of Yin and Yang (a path known as the Tao, meaning way), and badness is to be in discord with these rhythms.

    In Gnosticism, there is a duality between the good, spiritual world and the evil material world; matter is inherently evil and that is why Gnostics rejected the idea of the Incarnation as such; the idea of our Lord actually taking on material form vs. merely appearing to be human (Docetism) horrified them.

    I have to confess I am only familiar with dualism in this context, and, not being an ardent admirer of the Hindu faith, am not familiar with the Hindu use of the term.
     
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