Charles Francis Potter (1885–1962)

Existem muitas teorias sobre a origem da religião, porém, com uma certeza: criar deuses é algo que os homens sempre fizeram. Em cada período histórico e cultural, novas concepções acerca de Deus surgiram, mas a fé em um ser sagrado prevaleceu em quase todas as culturas.
O livro História das Religiões trata, de uma forma séria e consistente, a religião como ciência e também, a história e a religião dos grandes povos que surgiram na Mesopotâmia, Palestina, Egito, Grécia, Roma, Índia, China, Japão, Israel entre outras regiões, além do Cristianismo. O livro contém ainda um apêndice sobre mitologia.… (plus d'informations)

In 1933, the author Charles Francis Potter co-signed the Humanist Manifesto and published this fascinating book of "facts" that are drawn from the Judeo-Christian Bible. Potter began as a Baptist preacher, moved to Unitarian pulpits, advised Clarence Darrow during the Scopes Trial (1925), and finally joined Julian Huxley, John Dewey, Albert Einstein, and Tomas Mann as founders of the Humanist Society.

Potter takes the text of the Bible beyond the clearly waning religious and literary aspects, and plunges into its vital human interest dimensions. That is, the "human interest"--and no other book even approaches the Bible in this category. Much of the Holy Scriptures are simply omitted from teaching, and Potter puts this material back into our lives.

"The Bible is the richest collection of human 'case histories' and observations on life that was ever bound between two covers. It is full of drama and melodrama, of blood and thunder, of intrigue and hate, of greed and hot lust. It throbs with life, bizarre and beautiful, sublime and ridiculous." Indeed, in the Hebrew, it reads as salty, and not coincidentally, Rabelaisian. [viii]

Potter leaves theology out of this work, and does not attempt to "prove" anything. A lifelong Sunday school teacher, fluent in Greek and Hebrew, Potter gives us the rich stories ripped free of theological chains. He poses lists of Questions to whet both the imagination and curiosity, and then cites Scripture for the answers. Filled with treasure.

Thirty topics are listed in the Contents, and are all subjects of interest to practical and curious people. Everything from bugs to food, sex to death, marriage music and miracles, as well as angels and demons. One section is listed as "Of interest to students of Comparative Religion". Another thirty questions are of "Scientific Interest" -- for example, where Isaiah condemned astrology, Daniel condemned magi and predictors and liars, and noting Deuteronomy 18:9 and II Kings 21:6. He then lists 32 "Naive Ideas About God", asks 86 questions of General Interest, and 35 "Folk Questions with a Catch to Them", all with answers provided with citations to Scripture.… (plus d'informations)