The origins of religion and of complex societies represent evolutionary puzzles,,,,,,–. The
'moralizing gods' hypothesis offers a solution to both puzzles by proposing that belief in …

Most social scientists endorse some version of the claim that participating in collective rituals
promotes social cohesion. The systematic testing and evaluation of this claim, however, has …

Whether upheld as heroic or reviled as terrorism, people have been willing to lay down their
lives for the sake of their groups throughout history. Why? Previous theories of extreme self …

In recent decades, a new scientific approach to understand, explain, and predict many
features of religion has emerged. The cognitive science of religion (CSR) has amassed …

“The Anthropology of Christianity is a very fine and stimulating set of essays, framed
elegantly by a terrific introductory piece by Fenella Cannell and a thoughtful, thought …

The comparative method is an integral part of religious studies. All the technical terms that
scholars of religion use on a daily basis, such as ritual, hagiography, shrine, authority …

Mystery cults are one of the most intriguing areas of Greek and Roman religion. In the
nocturnal mysteries at Eleusis, participants dramatically re-enacted the story of Demeter's …

The Sacred Is the Profane collects nine essays by William Arnal and Russell McCutcheon
that advance current scholarly debates on secularism-debates. The essays return, again …

This paper examines why fundamental freedoms are so unevenly distributed across the
earth. Climato-economic theorizing proposes that humans adapt needs, stresses, and …

Around the world and throughout history, in cultures as diverse as ancient Mesopotamia and
modern America, human beings have been compelled by belief in gods and developed …