If God made everything, who made God? This question has intrigued people - from young children to philosophers - from the earliest times until the present day, and provided opponents of religion with some of their strongest artillery. Did God "create man in his own image"? Or was it the other way around? In And Man Created God renowned scholar Robert Banks explores the history of this question from its earliest vocalization in the ancient world to its most famous historical proponents. In the process he reveals the many ways in which men have made gods, and the many reasons why. This book is sure to challenge and inform anyone with a general interest in religion, the new atheism, or wanting to discover what (if any) elements of their idea of God are man-made. Banks' conclusions are surprising for believers and non-believers alike: for whether or not you believe in God, your concept of God may need to be revised.
Autorentext
Robert Banks is an award-winning author. He has held many prestigious posts at the Australian National University and Fuller Theological Seminary, and is now an Associate of the Centre for the History of Christian Thought and Experience at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
Zusammenfassung
Is God a human invention?With 'And Man Created God,' Robert Banks embarks on a passionate discussion that explores the origins of God: How did God come to exist if he was responsible for making everything in the first place? This is an example of a question that religious believers may find difficult to answer.The question was first asked by Ancient Greek philosophers and has continued to be asked by both believers and atheists. Robert Banks wants to find an answer. He will guide you through the history of the objection and consider insights from ancient Greek philosophers as well as more modern-day objections from Freud, Marx and other great analytical minds.'And Man Created God' is a fascinating book that comprehensively explores all possibilities and opinions about the origins of God. Robert Banks has produced a fascinating book that can be considered particularly useful for somebody who holds an interest in religion or new atheism. Ultimately, the book explores the issue of whether God could be the product of man, rather than the other way around.
Inhalt
Contents
Acknowledgments 7
Foreword 9
Part One: Back on the Public Agenda 15
1. The Renewal of an Old Attack on Religion 17
Part Two: Early Advocates of a Sceptical View 33
2. A New Challenge to the Gods 35
3. Its Later Uptake and Turnaround 45
Part Three: Four Leading Modern App roaches 61
4. God as the Product of Human Wishes: Ludwig Feuerbach 63
5. God as a Substitute for Oppressive Conditions: Karl Marx 80
6. God as a Projection of Repressed Desires:Sigmund Freud 96
7. God as the Symbol of Human Potential: Erich Fromm 112
Part Four: A Time for Self-Examination 131
8. Facing Up to the Personal Challenge 133
Notes 149