What is God — a person, a Creator, an impersonal Absolute, the ground of being, or a name for the ultimate source of reality? This book examines the question across monotheistic traditions, Indian and East Asian thought, classical and modern philosophy, mysticism, and the natural sciences. It distinguishes God from gods, spiritual beings, Creator concepts, Brahman, Dao, emptiness, and other ideas that are often treated as equivalent even when their structures differ. It also examines the problem of evil, divine hiddenness, omnipotence, free will, religious diversity, cosmology, evolution, neuroscience, consciousness, miracles, and prayer. Rather than beginning with belief or disbelief, the book asks what kind of claim is being made, what evidence could support it, and where religious, philosophical, mystical, and scientific language must remain distinct. The final chapters compare eight models of God and offer a provisional answer while keeping the question open.
AI transparency statement: Material portions of this English edition were prepared with generative AI for translation, editorial drafting, and selected diagrams under the authors’ direction. The authors reviewed, revised, organized, and approved the final text and remain responsible for the published edition.