| Abstract |
"Contemporary evolutionary biology has abandoned the colonialist "ladder of progress" approaches utilized by late 19th- and early 20th-century cultural anthropologists to study the history of religions and of cultures in general. The focus of the field in the 21st century is on shared similarities and historical relationships among different groups and cultures. Lance Grande, a prominent systematist in this field, is the first to investigate the historical diversification of religious ideologies worldwide. The book demonstrates how the widespread human attraction to the supernatural led to the formation over time of organized religions--the cyclically oriented Asian faiths, Asian and western polytheisms, Abrahamic monotheism, traditional and reform Christianity, the gnostic mystery religions, and Islam--and the impact that these diverse religions had on the societies in which they were embedded. He has developed a unique graphic system of evolutionary trees to demonstrate these connections, arguing that all religious traditions are interrelated despite the often violent debates between them. A broader understanding of these historical connections and shared characteristics may, he hopes, promote a better climate of tolerance and acceptance"-- Provided by publisher. |
