Customer Reviews

The Biology of Religious Behavior: The Evolutionary Origins of Faith and Religion

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I approached this book with some trepidation. I wanted to keep my life of faith and yet I like viewing the world objectively, through the eyes of scientists. There's a whole lot to think about here. The authors are pretty much respectful of the different religions (with occasional lapses). As a Christian, I found I could read, absorb and remain faithful; I think of Christ as the light and when we move towards the truth we move closer to Christ. I love what I learned here. It is an exceptional book, full of meaning, that manages to bridge religion with science. Scientists interested in human behavior will love it because the authors are fearless in their pursuit of the truth about the how and why of faith and religion. They refer to a mountain of research to back up their assertions. Be prepared, it's not light reading and yet it's more than pure textbook.

Dr. Jay Feierman, with a group of internationally known and respected experts, has put together this very readable and useful study of religion as it has evolved from primitive times until today. At the biological and behavioral levels, "what unites the world's religions is far greater than what divides them," is the theme of the book! Teachers, devout clergy, everyone interested in knowing why religion and "evolution" are not contradictory, must read this well written work.

Michael R. Saso, PhD, (Professor, Comparative Religion/Social Anthropology)

The Amazon.com add still says that the book is for ages 9 - 12 as of July 2, 2009. It has said that for several weeks. This is a mistake. The book is definitely not for children. Hopefully, the ages 9 - 12 will be removed soon. The other places the book is listed, such as the ABC-CLIO publishers web page, does not say it is for ages 9 - 12. Sorry for any inconvenience. The publisher is aware of the problem and is working to fix it.

Jay R. Feierman

Editor, The Biology of Religious Behavior