Evolution of Religion

Nature Religions / Animism

The Idea of God From earliest times

humans have worshipped / revered / feared spirits or powers that they believe to be superior to themselves

These spirits they believed to be responsible for the existence and functioning of the world around them

The God Concept Animism: A belief in countless numbers and

nameless, shapeless spirits who exist in nature and were rather fearsome in character

Polytheism: the belief in many gods. These gods could be identified by name; they possessed individual characteristics; and they usually had a specific role or function to perform in nature

Monotheism: the concept that a single Supreme Being as the creative principle of the universe and the object of human worship.

Evolution of the God Concept???

Monotheism

Polytheism

Animism

Does religion follow a straight evolutionary path?

Answer: ??????

Evolutionism Darwinism gave way to the evolutionist school of thought,

the belief that evolutionist theory could be applied to cultural anthropology including the study of religion

It purports:1. Evolution follows a uniform development, obeying similar

laws and passing through similar stages, though not at a similar rate

2. Evolution progresses very slowly in time3. Evolution proceeds in all cases from lower to higher forms

Critique!!

Evolution of the God Concept??? Does religion follow a straight evolutionary

path?

Answer: NO

Religion: Prehistoric PeoplesA general overview

Australopithecus (2,000,000 years ago)

No evidence of “religious awareness”

Homo Erectus: (500,000 years ago)

Practiced cannibalism (eating only the brain)

Why only the brain? (nutritional or religious practice?)

Religion: Prehistoric Peoples Burial Customs:

Burying the dead is unique to humans. The common procedure of other animals is to abandon the dead

Religion: Prehistoric Peoples Homo Sapien Neanderthal (100,000 years

ago) (species disappeared about 30,000 years ago)

France 1908 – Archeological site1. Body on its side2. Head cushioned on a pile of flint3. Body in the fetal position4. Body surrounded by carefully worked

stones, tools and animal bones5. Consistent burial customs discovered in

other archeological sites of this time

Meaning????

Religion: Prehistoric Peoples Homo Sapien Sapien: (30,000 years ago)

True representation of modern day humans Burial customs refined from Homo Neanderthal

Sapien1. Body covered with ornaments2. Weapons and food also buried along with the body3. Painting the dead with red ochre4. Binding the dead

Significance!!1. Discovery of tools, weapons and food suggests the belief

in an afterlife. What form did this afterlife take?

2. Red paint suggest magical significance. Red represents blood – giving the dead vitality for the afterlife

3. Body positioning facing east towards the rising sun suggesting a belief in a

resurrection In the fetal position – Earth like a womb, from which it is

reborn

4. Binding the dead – fear of the dead, Fear of being haunted / spirit.