The Meaning of God in Human Experience

'The Meaning of God in Human Experience' is a profound philosophical inquiry into the nature of religious life and the foundations of spiritual belief. Written by the distinguished American philosopher William Ernest Hocking, this work stands as a cornerstone of early 20th-century idealism, seeking to reconcile the rigor of intellectual philosophy with the depth of subjective religious experience.Hocking explores the central premise that the divine is not a distant abstraction but an essential presence encountered within human consciousness and social reality. Through a detailed analysis of mysticism, worship, and the psychology of faith, the text argues that the knowledge of God is a necessary condition for a coherent understanding of the world and the self. By bridging the gap between empirical observation and metaphysical thought, the work examines how the perception of the absolute influences human ethics, creativity, and the structure of society.This treatise remains a vital resource for students of theology and philosophy, offering a systematic and deeply reflective account of how religious conviction shapes the human condition. It provides a timeless exploration of the interplay between the finite individual and the infinite, making it an essential read for those interested in the historical development of the philosophy of religion.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.