Description
Book SynopsisThis is an accessible and informative introduction to the basic facts of religion and to the ways scholars and other people have dealt with religion over the centuries. Bolle's purpose is to provide a serious study that makes sense of religion and religious events in the world.
Trade Review“Aptly titled, this is a scintillating and intellectually satisfying survey of centuries of serious religious study focusing less on the specifics of different traditions than on the question why we worship. Drawing on the varied disciplines of philosophy, theology, anthropology, and history and the expertise of past masters of the history of religion—Ibn Khaldun, Max Müller, G. van der Leeuw, Raffaele Pettazzoni, Mircea Eliade, and countless others—Bolle is eager to provide a hermeneutics for the 21st century, offering an updated explanation and understanding of what religion is and why we should know about it. Bolle covers both Eastern and Western traditions, and because his first rule is that ‘you should listen to the people whose religion you try to comprehend,’ readers cannot help but to have their view of religions deepened and broadened. Extensive bibliographies at the end of each chapter will fuel interest and authoritatively guide librarians seeking to build their own collections. Recommended for all academic libraries and large public libraries.” -- Library Journal
