The beginnings of how religion came to distinguish itself from other aspects of human life is succinctly described and explained ... A challenging discourse into the foundations of religion as a separate idea and topic of study. Scholars and students of theology will benefit most from the thought-provoking concepts presented throughout.
Miles...offers a quick, sophisticated dash through world history ... While Miles’s account apparently selects data through the lens of 'history of ideas,' a clearer sense of the social and political dynamics in the historical conflicts he mentions could add depth to his analysis ... readers intrigued with the questions Miles raises will find his new book, and especially his 'concluding unscholarly postscript,'filled with a prominent scholar’s provocative insights.
...[a] shrewd analysis ... Miles’s provocative thesis is powerful and unsettling. Any student of theology will be enlightened by this deeply satisfying work.
After an unnecessarily long introduction—at roughly one-fifth the length of the book, the preface wears out its welcome—the author examines the idea of religion, an ill-defined yet universal concept ... Within this global story, Miles succinctly encapsulates what is essentially the history of religious studies, including particular scholars and authors who made surprisingly vast contributions to the world’s understanding of religion. The author’s use of his own personal story in this already-small volume is not particular helpful. However, his presentation of a fascinating and rarely understood background to modernity’s way of thinking is worth the read. A brief but beneficial guide to where 'religion as we know it' comes from.
