Evolution of Religions

Lance Grande is the Negaunee Distinguished Service Curator, Emeritus, of the Field Museum of Natural and Cultural History in Chicago. He is a specialist in evolutionary systematics, paleontology, and biology who has a deep interest in the interdisciplinary applications of scientific method and philosophy. His many books include Curators: Behind the Scenes of Natural History Museums (2017) and The Lost World of Fossil Lake: Snapshots from Deep Time (2013).

• Preface: A Modern Evolutionary Approach to History of Religion StudiesIntroductory Section: Applying Evolutionary Theory and Philosophy to Aspects of Human Culture1. Religions, Classification, and Phylogenetic Pattern2. Explaining Hypothetical Patterns with Evolutionary Process TheoryMain Section: The Historical Diversification (Evolution) of Religions3. Early Supernaturalism and the Development of Organized Religion4. Indigenous Eastern Organized Religion and Asian Cyclicism5. Afro-Euro-Mediterranean Organized Religion, Beginning with Old World Hard Polytheism6. Linear Monotheism7. The Early Diversification of Abrahamic Monotheism8. Traditional Christianity9. Reformation Christianity10. Biblical Demiurgism: A Subgroup of “Gnosticism”11. IslamSummary Section: Four Historical Trends in the Evolution of Religions and Considerations for the Future of Humanity12. Organized Religions and the Evolution of Human SocietyAcknowledgmentsGlossary of Select TermsNotesChapter CitationsReferencesFigure CreditsSubject Index

Grande’s big, bold book will test many readers [… ] But it should be given serious attention by anyone interested in fresh approaches to the study of religion.