| Author |
Allen, Grant, 1848-1899 |
| Title |
The Evolution of the Idea of God: An Inquiry Into the Origins of Religions
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| Note |
Reading ease score: 51.0 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.
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| Contents |
Preface -- Christianity as a religious standard -- Religion and mythology -- The life of the dead -- The origin of gods -- Sacred stones -- Sacred stakes -- Sacred trees -- The gods of Egypt -- The gods of Israel -- The rise of monotheism -- Human gods -- The manufacture of gods -- Gods of cultivation -- Corn- and wine-gods -- Sacrifice and sacrament -- The doctrine of the atonement -- The world before Christ -- The growth of Christianity -- Survivals in Christendom -- Conclusion.
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| Credits |
Produced by David Widger from page images generously
provided by the Internet Archive
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| Summary |
"The Evolution of the Idea of God: An Inquiry Into the Origins of Religions" by Grant Allen is a comprehensive treatise on the psychological and historical development of the God concept, written in the late 19th century. The book aims to explore the evolution of the idea of deity, tracing its roots from early primitive beliefs through polytheism to the more advanced notions found in monotheistic faiths, particularly Christianity. Allen's investigation is structured around three main parts: the origin of polytheism, the transition to monotheism, and the development of the idea of a triune God in Christianity. The opening of the work sets the stage for this ambitious inquiry by delineating the various schools of thought regarding the nature of religious belief. Allen discusses how humans have grappled with the concept of God, from the most rudimentary understandings in savage societies to the complex theological ideas present in contemporary Christianity. He emphasizes that his approach is not to disprove existing beliefs but to understand the psychological processes that led to their formation. By employing historical documents and examining primitive practices, he aims to elucidate how the worship of many gods transitioned into the worship of a singular, all-powerful deity, ultimately leading to the rich tapestry of religious thought exemplified in modern theologies. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
BL: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Religion: General, Miscellaneous and Atheism
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| Subject |
Religion
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| Subject |
God
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| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
57581 |
| Release Date |
Jul 25, 2018 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Feb 25, 2021 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
299 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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