Explaining Christian Origins and Early Judaism: Contributions from Cognitive and Social Science

by Ilkka Pyysiäinen (Editor)

The contributors of the volume draw on cognitive and social science, suggesting fresh ways of approaching Christian origins and early Judaism. Its multidisciplinary and radically new perspective to its subject matter is highly relevant for all scholars of religion.

328 pages, Hardcover

First published November 15, 2007

Reviews

[Agilitycape]

The authors completely ignore the biblical backdrop of Christianity! Pyysiäinen explicitly states that ""Christianity" did not emerge as a philosophy or a theology but as a social movement." He thinks the bodily resurrection was a later embellishment because the disciples didn't know where Jesus was buried -- he very consciously ignores all the theological points such as Paul's in 1 Corinthians 15:17 "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins." Not only this, but he fails to characterize what the essence of Christianity as a "social movement" was.

Pascal Boyer is mentioned 85 times in this collection of essays - clearly a big influence on all the authors of the study. Dan Sperber is mentioned 30 times. Harvey Whitehouse 70.

This collection of essays is more about culture in the abstract (not religion), from a sociological and "cognitive" ("religion" explained by certain brain mechanisms) perspective than about Christianity in specific -- "and Early Judaism" only briefly mentioned in passing. For the authors culture and religion are almost interchangeable. István Czachesz: "My suggestion is that religious ideas emerge as a necessary side-effect of the sophisticated “flocking rules” of human societies. The large-scale dynamics of human societies emerge as we make decisions based on interactions with our neighbors as well as on simulations of unknown, distant, and foreign human individuals. Some of the latter simulations are maintained in stabilized, stereotyped, and socially transmitted forms, such as national stereotypes." He is describing the formation of a society, not of culture, and certainly not of religion!