The making of religion

Book Description HTML

First published in 1887, this early work of comparative mythology remains a vital resource to students and devotees of ethnography, history, and world legends. Lang's stunningly comprehensive overview of pre-scientific thinking provides an important perspective on the worldviews that molded and continue to influence modern thought. In this, the first of two volumes, Lang begins with a minimum definition of religion-"the belief in a primal being, a Maker"-explores the differences between mythology and religion, discusses the problems of seeking the origins of the belief in a deity, and examines totem-ism, nature myths, and creation stories from around the globe, including Greece, Asia, Australia, Africa, and the New World. Scottish journalist and author ANDREW LANG (1844-1912), the son of t...