The Evolution of Religion: How Religions Originate, Change, and Die - Paperback

by Alex Shelby (Author)

"The Evolution of Religion" is exactly what the title suggests, and beyond. It traces religion's origins back to the first instincts of morality, through the archaic blossoming of polytheism, to the modern branching of creeds from the agnostic East to the monotheistic West. It also conducts an in-depth analysis of religion's organic and synthetic qualities. The organic aspect is demonstrated through consistencies between biology and theology, ranging from similarities in their 'tree-of-life' diagrams to specific phylogenetic characteristics. The synthetic facet is showcased through coinciding patterns with such manmade conventions as government, culture, economics, and technology. What isn't clearly revealed is a supernatural quality, prompting us to delve into the psychology behind worship and why many of us are "addicted to faith".

Author Biography

Alex Shelby is a screenwriter in the greater Los Angeles area whose passions run the gamut from music to drawing, to cooking. Recent debates on the existence of God have revived one of Alex's dormant obsessions: religion. Since social media has begun to flourish there's a wave of theological information available, but not everyone knows the best places to look. Alex's goal is to consolidate this information for his readers to enjoy, as well as share some of his own theories in an attempt to answer the eternal question "Is there a God?"