September 13, 2009
Eric Thompson, Ph.D.
"What Is Religion and Where Does It Come From?"
Putting together insights from
evolutionary psychology, biology and the critical study of religion,
Dr. Thompson will survey the landscape of this question and
take sides on what he thinks the answer is.
In the process he will give a review of the very recent book The evolution of God by Robert Wright. Wright gives a very detailed exposition of the development of the god of the "Abrahamic" religions, gives an evolutionary explanation of religion in human culture and juan nature, but comes out fairly decidedly against the new atheists (Harris, Dennett,, Dawkins, Hitchens, etc.); he will assess Wright's claims that the history of religion points to some reality or higher purpose out there.
Eric Thompson is the only full-time professor of 
Religious Studies
at Santa Rosa Junior College, teaching courses in Hebrew Bible, New
Testament and early Christianity, World mythology and Western Religious
Thought. He teaches classic Hebrew and in addition, coordinates the
college's Religious Studies program which will soon be offered as
a major. He holds a BA in Religion-Philosophy and classical Greek
form Northwest College, Wyoming, an MA in Theology form Fuller Theological
Seminary, Pasadena, and a Ph.D. in Hebrew/Bible form the Graduate
Theological Union/U.C. Berkeley.
Flash Video of Eric's Talk on "What Is Religion And Where Does It Come From?"
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Books Reviewed by Eric
