This is a book about religion from a secular standpoint which
nevertheless takes its subject seriously. Contrary to some secularists I
don't think religion is likely to disappear any time soon, and here I
look at some of the reasons why it is likely to stay. The early
chapters consider a number of explanations for religion that are current
today; all provide elements of the answer though none is fully
satisfactory as it stands. In the remainder of the book I try to develop
a way of thinking about religion, using two main clues: language and
narrative. There are remarkable similarities in the ways in which we
learn both language and religion. As for narrative, I think that
religion is based more on telling stories than on assent to formal
belief systems. Narrative is how most religious people encounter their
religions. Humans are story-telling animals and for that reason alone
it is likely that religion will continue to exist. Another reason is the
capacity of the human mind to give rise to altered states of
consciousness; unlike, some, I think that these are important in shaping
our religious ideas.
New!: You can also get it as an e-book in a variety of formats,
including those for
Kindle and the Sony Reader. Please go to my Smashwords
page for further details.
CONTENTS
Preface
1: Introduction
2: Reductionist explanations
3: Taking religion seriously
4: Ancestral voices
5: Religion and language
6: Religion and narrative
7: Death and beyond
8: The religious temperament
Acknowledgements
Bibliography
Index
