This book takes a multi-dimensional and multi-disciplinary approach to religion, religiosity and theology from their earliest beginnings to the present day. It uniquely brings together the natural sciences and theology to explore how religious practice emerged and developed through the four sections into which the book is organized: Evolutionary biology; Philosophical linguistics, psychology and neuroscience; Theology and Anthropology.

The volume features an international panel of contributors who develop an innovative picture of religion as a culturally-created social institution; religiosity as a more personal and subjective anthropological element of people expressed through religion; and theology as the study of god. To survive in changing times, living systems - a good characterization of religion, religiosity and theology - all must adaptively evolve.

This is a vital study of a rapidly burgeoning field. As such, it will be of great interest to scholars in religious studies and theology as well as in the psychological, sociological, and anthropological study of religion.

About the Author

Jay R. Feierman retired as Clinical Professor of psychiatry at University of New Mexico in 2006. He has degrees in zoology and medicine with post-doc specialization and Board Certification in psychiatry. Almost all of his academic publications in both psychiatry and religion have been from the perspective of human ethology, the evolutionary biology of behavior. He has organized a number of international conferences on the evolutionary and biological aspects of religion. He also edited The Biology of Religious Behavior: The Evolutionary Origins of Faith and Religion (2009) and has a number of articles and book chapters in this area.

Lluis Oviedo is full professor of Theological Anthropology (Antonianum University, Rome); and invited professor in the Theological Institute of Murcia (Spain) for questions of religion, society and culture. Has published the books: Secularization as a Problem; Altruism and Charity; The Christian Faith and the New Social Challenges; and is Co-Editor with A. Runehov of the Encyclopedia of Sciences and Religions. His research focuses on new scientific study of religion and its theological impact, and issues about secularization and religious social dynamics.

Book Information
ISBN 9780367777142
Author Jay R. Feierman
Format Paperback
Page Count 302
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 453g