Jay R. Feierman (editor) - The Evolution of Religion, Religiosity and Theology: A Multi-Level and Multi-Disciplinary Approach

This book takes a multidimensional and multidisciplinary 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 parts 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 must adapt.

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

Jay R Feierman retired as clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of New Mexico in 2006. He has degrees in zoology and medicine with postdoc specialization and board certification in psychiatry. Almost all of his academic publications in 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. He has published the books Secularization as a Problem; Altruism and Charity; The Christian Faith and the New Social Challenges and is coeditor with A Runehov of the Encyclopedia of Sciences and Religions. His research focuses on the scientific study of religion and its theological impact and on issues about secularization and religious social dynamics.

The Routledge New Critical Thinking in Religion, Theology and Biblical Studies series brings high-quality research monograph publishing back into focus for authors, international libraries, and student, academic and research readers. This open-ended monograph series presents cutting-edge research from both established and new authors in the field. With specialist focus yet clear contextual presentation of contemporary research, books in the series take research into important new directions and open the field to new critical debate within the discipline, in areas of related study and in key areas for contemporary society.

Theologising Brexit

A Liberationist and Postcolonial Critique

Anthony G Reddie

Vision, Mental Imagery and the Christian Life

Insights from Science and Scripture

Zoltn Drnyei

Christianity and the Triumph of Humor

From Dante to David Javerbaum

Bernard Schweizer

Religious Truth and Identity in an Age of Plurality

Peter Jonkers and Oliver J Wiertz

Envisioning the Cosmic Body of Christ

Embodiment, Plurality and Incarnation

Aurica Jax and Saskia Wendel

The Evolution of Religion, Religiosity and Theology

A Multilevel and Multidisciplinary Approach

Edited by Jay R Feierman and Lluis Oviedo

For more information about this series, please visit: www.routledge.com/religion/series/RCRITREL

Edited by Jay R Feierman and Lluis Oviedo

First published 2020

by Routledge

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2020 selection and editorial matter, Jay R Feierman and Lluis Oviedo; individual chapters, the contributors

The right of Jay R Feierman and Lluis Oviedo to be identified as the authors of the editorial material, and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

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ISBN: 978-0-367-25026-3 (hbk)

ISBN: 978-0-429-28560-8 (ebk)

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