The Evolution Of Religion: An Anthropological Study

A piercing exploration of why humans believe reissued for a new age. Lewis Richard Farnell s landmark Anthropological Study of Religion returns, restored and reborn by Alpha Editions. In clear, compelling prose, The Evolution of Religion traces the development of religious thought from animistic roots and totemic practice through myth, ritual, polytheism, and the rise of ethical monotheism. Farnell combines field observations, comparative history, and philosophical inquiry to map the cultural evolution of religion, revealing how beliefs, institutions, and ceremonies shaped and were shaped by societies across human history. Readers will find lucid chapters on the origins of religious practices, religion and society, the anthropology of spirituality, and a rigorous religious evolution analysis that remains provocative today. Historically significant and literary in tone, this Lewis Richard Farnell book stands as a cornerstone in the history of religion and religious anthropology. Originally out of print for decades, this edition has been meticulously restored for today s and future generations retyped, proofed, and packaged with care. More than a reprint, it is a collector s item and cultural treasure: ideal for casual readers curious about the development of religious beliefs and for classic literature collectors and scholars of the anthropology of spirituality. Whether you study the development of religious beliefs, the origins of religious practices, or the broader anthropology of religion, this republished classic offers indispensable insight into the evolution of religion.