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Title: A History of Religious Ideas by Mircea Eliade, Alf Hiltebeitel, Diane Apostolos-Cappadona ISBN: 0-226-20404-9 Publisher: University of Chicago Press (Trd) Pub. Date: March, 1988 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $27.50

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Average Customer Rating: 4 (1 review)

Rating: 4
Summary: The Apex of the Trilogy
Comment: Why this particular volume is out of print when the other two can still be purchased is a mystery. Amazon.com has a mistake in their review - it is not the third or final volume of the series; it is the second volume and is subtitled: "From Gautama Buddha to the Triumph of Christianity." The final volume is subtitled: "From Muhammed to the Age of Reforms".

This volume is the best of the three, dealing with such divergent religious ideas as Buddhism, Hinduism, other Eastern religions, Judaism and Christianity. One should never forget that these three books are about religious ideas - not religion per se, and as such, the discussion is of a more theoretical nature. Philosophical concerns bubble to the surface as we began to ask ourselves why we worshipped as we did.

A very clear explication and history of Eastern thought is thoroughly discussed. New concepts are introduced as religious thought ranges from the morality of Chinese wise men to the pantheon of Hindu gods to the godless (but soon to be god) teachings of Buddha. As he notes, Buddha never attempted to present his teachings with any kind of structure. The various groupings and sayings were assembled after his death by his disciples. The same can be said of Jesus.

In discussing Judaism he stresses its utter uniqueness in the belief in only one god, Yahweh. This could be accomplished once the Israeli's forswore their primitive animism and saw God not as just a protector but as a Creator as well. The beginnings of Christianity are an exciting read with the maelstrom of religious ideas encircling and thriving off one another - Mithraism, Gnosticism, Manichaenism, the Ebionites, Greek gods...and out of this mix, Christianity triumphed having borrowed something from each of these groups.