What Is Religion: An Introduction [Paperback]

John F. Haught (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1990

Attempts to uncover what it is that religions have in common--the archetypal human need to find meaningful routes through life and to stay in touch with their spiritual potential.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

With an ecumenical sensitivity, Haught examines those elements common to the major religions and to religion generally. In language accessible to the lay reader, Haught first looks at the many ways in which religion has manifested itself by considering what he perceives as the four key elements of all religions: sacramentalism, mysticism, silence, and activism. He then discusses the value of religion and also considers the aims of religion, which he sees as reassurance, mystery, adventure, and morality, and the various challenges to religion: secularism, skepticism, and nihilism. Haught is familiar enough with all the major traditions so that he is able to make cogent comparisons, offering a good deal of basic information.
-Augustine J. Curley, Newark Abbey,
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Paulist Press (March 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080913117X
• ISBN-13: 978-0809131174
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #318,376 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not a beginners text..., December 16, 2007

By 

J. Roth (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What Is Religion: An Introduction (Paperback)

This is a wonderfully detailed and intense look at Religion.
However, you need to read and study the book before you are
actually ready to read and understand this book!!

Not a beginers book, but an intense journey through the
expressions, pathways, aims and critiques of Religion.
The author sets this book up to merge different points
together to understand the parts of religion and how
they work together to create the terms of a religion.

A wonderful book!!

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Too Speculative for Intro Text, January 30, 2006

By 

Reader From Aurora - See all my reviews

This review is from: What Is Religion: An Introduction (Paperback)

In "What is Religion" John Haught examines religion from a liberal socio-cultural perspective. I offer the following thoughts for potential readers. Haught is a capable writer - the text is generally well laid-out and quite readable. The book is divided into three primary segments:

- An introduction and brief overview of what he considers to be the primary approaches to religion: primitive, Hinduism, Buddhism and prophetic (Judaism, Christianity and Islam);
- An examination of different types of religious behaviors: silence, mysticism, sacramentalism and action; and.
- A discussion of some of the modern challenges to a religious worldview.

The work appears to be aimed as an introductory text in a religious studies class or comparative religion course. Haught approaches religion from a socio-cultural perspective. The crucial assumption to this tact is that religious beliefs are adaptive evolutionary developments rather than outlooks that possess any inherent truth value. In accordance with this view religion is "true" because we believe it, rather than believing it because it is true. This is certainly a legitimate approach to the history of religion and is quite common amongst nineteenth and early twentieth century commentators within the field of comparative religion.

I found the discussion of religious behavior to be particularly well handled and helpful. Given that the work is intended as an introductory text, however, some qualifying comments at the outset are warranted to identify assumptions and indicate that there are opposing views. Without this type of clarification some of his comments are misleading - Haught is prone to making highly speculative statements without the slightest equivocation or justification. For example, he makes several declarative statements regarding the supposed origins and evolutionary development of religious belief. Though his thesis in this regard is consistent with his worldview it is pure speculation. When all is said and done there is an absence of historic evidence in this regard and we have just don't know a great deal on this topic. In addition to this type of conjecture he often contradicts existing evidence and scholarly opinion without the slightest qualification. For instance, he claims that Judaism was not a clearly monotheistic religion prior to about 500 B.C.E! This opinion is on the fringe of contemporary scholarship. I am not saying that he shouldn't speculate (some of it is quite interesting) just that he should note that these are controversial - a couple of footnotes would suffice.

I agree with the author that there are underlying similarities between the different traditions - e.g. risk of over attachment to the material world. I think, however, that he takes Ecumenicalism too far, seeing agreement where it does not exist, and glossing over many significant differences between the faith traditions.

Overall Haught is not without skill as a writer and with some largely stylistic changes this would not be a bad introductory-level text. As it is, however, the text is too much of a fringe work to be of much help to its intended audience.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for teenagers to read, September 12, 2010

By 

Missladu "Missladu" (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: What Is Religion: An Introduction (Paperback)

I bought it for my teenager and he read it.
We discussed things from the book. Very informative