Religion after Religion
In the nihilistic aftermath of World War II, the efforts of emerging phenomenologist Mircea Eliade, Judaist Gershom Scholem, and Islamicist Henry Corbin formed the discipline of the History of Religions (in Ascona, Switzerland). Their annual meetings, reprinted in the distinguished journal Eranos-Jahrbuch, crystallized a numinous approach to religion that has yet to be overthrown in the academy. Wasserstrom (Judaic studies, Reed Coll.) presents here an account of their theories, arguing that they saw "religion after religion" as a mystical meta-rationalism. Neither a biographical study nor an academic introduction to their work, this thematically driven intellectual history covers their academic output in areas such as poetics, mysticism, and ethics. A powerful and evocative work for mature and informed readers only, this is highly recommended for upper-level religion and religious history collections.ASandra Collins, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary Lib.Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.