The Evolution of Religion

The Evolution of Religion: The Invention of our Gods is an easy to be read scholarly discourse on how religion emerged. It captures the unique-ness of the human brain size and structure, which eventually gave rise to the evolution of mental processes like imagination. Humans have the capacity for imagination and visualization and with this came the tendency to anthropomorphize the material universe.

Early societies roughly 50,000 years ago started demonstrating signs of animism, which is the idea of injecting supernatural agents working behind nature. From animism the religious germ mutating into the more complexly organized systems of religious experiences and participations.

This book powerfully and refreshingly demonstrated how ancient humans developed organized religions and the eventual transition from polytheism to monotheism. Also, it poignantly shows the relationship between religious thoughts and the later developments of some of our most impactful enterprises. For example, the Evolution of religion: The Invention of our Gods shows the relationship between religions and morality, science, human sexuality and politics.

Religion is approached in a very objective manner but holding onto the theme that our pervading religious experiences are inescapably who we are as a species. I look at the immense contributions of religion and juxtaposed it with its many atrocities. Religion is not attack or treated as a malignant tumor permanently fixed upon our consciousness. Rather is a natural outgrowth of our uniquely structured brain. And from this innate propensity for religiosity was built upon for the purpose social cohesion.

The Evolution of Religion: The Invention of our Gods is a must read for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of Religion and its evolution.