Amythia: Crisis in the Natural History of Western Culture

by Loyal Rue

A provocative analysis of the ways our culture suffers amythia
 
Amythia results when cosmology and morality are not effectively integrated by a root metaphor, and the only possibility for the future is to transpose the old Christian God as Person to a root metaphor that is even older in origin, the concept of the Covenant tradition inherited from Israel but now understood in a nonsupernaturalist manner.
 
Rue asserts that amythia is a critical condition within the natural history of Western culture. The argument of the book begins with a theoretical perspective on the place of human culture within the scope of natural history and proceeds to establish the conceptual foundations for a natural history of culture.
 
Following an overview of the natural history of Western culture to expose the origins and depth of the contemporary intellectual and moral crisis, Rue moves on to specify and justify the limits of distinctiveness and plausibility appropriate for the task of transposing Covenant tradition. Finally, an appeal is made to the mythmakers of contemporary culture to take up the challenge of amythia.
 

223 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1989

About the author

Loyal Duane Rue is an American philosopher and writer whose research focuses on naturalistic theories of religion. He is Professor Emeritus in the philosophy and religion departments at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.