Frithjof Schuon

A comprehensive introduction to the life and work of the preeminent expositor of perennial philosophy.

Schuon asserts that to transcend religious differences, we must explore the esoteric nature of the spiritual path back to the Divine Oneness at the heart of all religions.

Collects the best essays by the religious philosopher on a variety of spiritual subjects.

This introduction to the writings of Frithjof Schuon (1907-1998), the pre-eminent spokesman of the Perennialist or Traditionalist school of comparative religious thought, is the first book to present a comprehensive study of his intellectual and spiritual message. In addition to a clear explanation of Schuon's message of metaphysics and the great religions, Oldmeadow includes an overview of Schuon's paintings and poetry, and insights on prayer and virtue in the spiritual life.

For the first time, this book collects from Schoun's vast corpus his writings on Christianity, including selections from his personal correspondence and other previously unpunblished materials.

This book explores the work of the religious philosopher Frithjof Schuon (1907–1998) by focusing on the way he develops his own expansive adaptations of traditional religious terms. As a leading proponent of perennial philosophical and religious thought, Schuon borrows widely from specific religious traditions, expanding the scope of traditional terminology—from upāya and yin-yang to "quintessential Sufism" and "vertical Trinity"—beyond their respective traditional definitions. This is one of Schuon's strengths as a thinker, but it can also be an obstacle to understanding his writings. This study develops the full implications of these key terms by first delving into their specific traditional denotations and, secondly, exploring their universal connotations in Schuon's universe of meaning. Such a task is particularly timely when both hardened religious identities and skepticism or hostility toward religious traditions increasingly clash with each other. The current questions and challenges surrounding cross-civilizational relations make such a contribution particularly needed and likely to receive a broader attention in the years to come.

Frithjof Schuon (1907–1998), the leading figure in the perennialist school of comparative religious thought, remains one of the most provocative voices on religion. Bridging the divide between seeker and scholar, Schuon challenges the prevailing notion that religion should be studied with agnostic neutrality. He speaks to those who are looking for greater interfaith understanding and a deeper penetration to the esoteric heart of specific traditions, while turning the tables on an increasingly noisy chorus of skeptics. In Splendor of the True, James S. Cutsinger selects essential writings that reflect the full range of Schuon's thought on religion and tradition, metaphysics and epistemology, human nature and destiny, sacred art and symbolism, and spirituality and contemplative method. In addition to Schuon's essays, the book includes a number of poems, artworks, and previously unpublished materials drawn from his letters, personal memoirs, and private texts for disciples. An introductory chapter provides a careful examination of Schuon as perennial philosopher, Sufi shaykh, and teacher of gnosis.