Comparative Religion

by Alan Coates Bouquet

Comparative Religion

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Philosophy, History

328 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1941

Reviews

[Danilo Scardamaglio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Devo dire che ha il merito di sapersi addentrare in una materia complessa con una semplicità ed una linearità disarmante. È un'ottima introduzione, soprattutto per chi non ha alcuna nozione in merito: ovviamente per la sua brevità (400 pagine circa in cui vengono trattate le più importanti religioni della storia umana) non è un testo esauriente, ma comunque fornisce le conoscenze base. Mi aspettavo fosse più presente la componente comparativa, così come riporta il sottotitolo, mentre invece ho apprezzato e non poco la presenza di testi sacri per ogni religione trattata. Se si sorvola sull'anglocentrismo che ogni tanto appare nel corso della trattazione, o di qualche descrizione razziale, Bouquet, nonostante fosse un diacono, riesce anche ad essere molto oggettivo, aspetto da non sottovalutare, soprattutto nella prima metà del Novecento.

[pal:) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Leggere un saggio di storia comparata delle religioni degli anni '50 è stato un po' surreale e alla fine, parlando onestamente, non mi ricordo una ceppa. Però figo ci sta

[Ruby Jusoh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Pelican Original. Quite an enjoyable read. It reads more like a summary of institutionalised religions around the world. Do keep in mind that it was written by a white professor in the 1960s. Well-intended but very much based on colonialist lens. Am in love with the whole preloved feel to it.

~

I have definitely improved when it comes to reading classics. Yeay!

[Christopher Costanzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Book, albeit somewhat dated, has the admirable quality of being both scholarly and easy to read. At first, I was put off because the author is a professional religionist—an Episcopal priest---and I thought that it would be impossible for such an author to treat the subject objectively. But I was wrong.
Unlike many books on the subject, it is not merely a description of various religions that developed in human history. Instead, it relates human religion to a deep understanding of the cultures, societies and economies where they originated.
One of the virtues of the book is the author’s analytical approach, and his final conclusion as to the classification of religions according to type. He notes that some religions seek to affirm the world, others seek to escape the world, and others seek to transform the world. He also confirms the observations of other scholars as to certain qualities that pervade different kinds of religious thought, such as struggle, repose, unrest, infinity, asceticism, compassion, humility, love, and others.
In dealing with comparative religion, the author starts by discussing the origins of the religious impulse in Neolithic times, and then notes the so-called “Golden Age of Religious Creativity” covering the last millennium of the pre-Christian era. Much has already been written on the remarkable coincidence that during that millennium religious introspection and formulation came to a climax in widely disparate places, which many observers attribute to the slow consolidation of societies everywhere into organized units requiring consistent spiritual attitudes and common doctrinal formulas.
The author describes the development of religion in the ancient Near East, India, China and Japan. He discusses the growth of Hebrew and Christian religions, and then the later coming of Islam. He also devotes a short chapter to mysticism---the direct experience of the holy---which, in some form of other, has practitioners within the orbit of various religions.
In all, I find Comparative Religion, by Alan Coates Bouquet a very illuminating and incisive book, written in masterly style. Definitely a worth-while read.

[Samuel Eastlund · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very readable introduction to the history and thought of the major world religions. Beginning with ancient religions and proceeding to polytheistic religions, the geographic and cultural origins of religions are outlined. Bouquet then deals with 'The Phenomenon of India', before proceeding to China & Japan, Hebrew & Christian religion, Islam, and finally a brief chapter on mysticism (which was surprisingly helpful).

Bouquet is one of those slightly liberal Christians in the Church of England around the time of the WWII, and some of the things he says in this book wouldn't sit comfortably with evangelicals today (or evangelicals back in his time either). Nevertheless, he is keen to stress the supremacy and finality of Christian religion, and I think sees it as the final 'world religion'. I hope he is right, but I don't think things are tending in that way. At the very least, entrenched ideologies in China and the Islamic world, the growth of experiential evangelicalism in the global south, and the apparent death of Christendom in the west doesn't bode well. But this is unrelated to the book.

Bouquet regularly comments on the race of the people in which the religions began, which is actually a welcome insight if only because you couldn't find an intelligent soul commenting on it today!

I think that this book could be rewritten in a more systematic way, but as it is I think it a great introduction and only a few pounds to buy second hand.

[Jorge · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very biased book giving an Anglican point of view of world religions... still can be useful to a certain extent for an introduction to different world religions.

[Dylan Rudling · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of an outdated book on such an important (and touchy) subject. Still, an interesting look into the many themes and formulas that go into the psyche of a religion. The chapters on early religion were pretty good, as well as the Islam and Christianity chapters. Turns out this was the first book I've read that has explained Jainism to me - a fascinating faith.