The Idea of God in Early Religions

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

25338

Title

The Idea of God in Early Religions

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

F. B. Jevons explores the evolution of the concept of God from early communal consciousness to developed theology. Examining fetishism, totemism, and harvest rites, the text argues that the divine emerges from shared human experience rather than abstract logic, bridging the gap between intellectual ideas and spiritual reality.

Summary up to 500 words

In 'The Idea of God in Early Religions,' F. B. Jevons investigates the origins of religious thought within the 'common consciousness' of early communities. He argues that before the individual 'self' was distinguished from the community, powers superior to man were conceived not as private fetishes but as communal gods. Jevons posits that the idea of God is not merely a verbal proposition but an experienced fact inseparable from the being of God. He critiques the notion that religious concepts are purely intellectual inferences, asserting instead that the being of God is discovered through direct experience and shared emotion. The text traces the development of these deities from vague, nameless forces associated with specific species, such as corn or maize, to personalized deities with proper names. Jevons analyzes the transition from irregular sacrifices made in times of distress to annual harvest festivals. He argues that this shift transformed the religious focus from appeasing wrath to thanking a benevolent giver. While occasional sacrifices in times of alarm highlighted the god's power to punish, recurring annual rites emphasized the god's goodness as the provider of harvest. Consequently, these festivals evolved into solemn feasts of thanksgiving. Jevons demonstrates how ritual and custom solidify these divine concepts through examples ranging from Australian totemism to Aztec vegetation goddesses. He notes that in early stages, deities were often identified with the species they represented rather than individual specimens, lacking complete personality or proper names. As rituals became obligatory customs, the offerings became sacred, and the nameless beings manifested in the plants or animals they governed, eventually acquiring names like 'Ceres' or 'Chicomecoatl.' The work presents religion as a natural evolution of human social consciousness. Jevons illustrates that as the individual self emerged, the distinction between the private desires of the individual (served by fetishes) and the welfare of the community (served by gods) became clear. Ultimately, the book presents the divine as a reality found within the collective experience of humanity, where the divine is realized through an active, mutual intercourse with higher powers rather than logical inference alone.

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Categories

• Religion
• Philosophy