The dynamics of religion: Meaning and change in religious traditions

by Peter Slater

A signal contribution to the burgeoning field of comparative philosophy of religion, The Dynamics Of Religion describes patterns of living faith in major world religion in a way which corrects misperceptions of them as archaic traditions trapped in the past. Packed with telling examples, this book shows how religions provide meaning and guidance for their followers; what the fundamental constituents of all religions are, including stories, symbols, solutions to the mystery of evil, and more; and how religions are dynamic processes that constantly change and adapt over time. The author concludes that truth comes not from the dogmatic retelling of any single master story, but from the dynamic interplay between stories old and new. What is distinctive in each tradition is not any single set of unchanging meanings but the character of the life lived. The Dynamics Of Religion is exhilarating and essential reading for anyone interested in the way religions begin, structure themselves, and develop through time.

Paperback

Published January 1, 1978