In the Beginning God: A Fresh Look at the Case for Original Monotheism

Christians believe that religion began when God created human beings and revealed himself to them. But is there scholarly evidence for this belief?


In the nineteenth century academic world a stormy debate took shape over the origin of religion. Scholars explored the ancient languages of mythology and then considered evolutionary anthropology. A dominant view emerged that religion began with animism — the reverent honoring of spirits — and from there evolved into higher forms, from polytheism...