Religion as Anxiety and Tranquillity [antikvár]

PrefaceThis work is an articulation of what has been one of the deepest interests of the author for many years; in fact it is the crystallization of a very extensive study. It has been thought advisable to publish this work in the condensed essay form in which it is as, for one thing, it has so come about that it fully expresses what the author wants to communicate and, for another, there has been mounting in his mind a certain impatience to share his thought with scholars and ordinary people around the world who have the same concern as he - and they may prove to be far more numerous than suspected.It will be noticed that throughout these pages there lurks a desire to see (not necessarily in this work, but more likely in the work of others who may respond to it in due time) that comparative religion is built on a new foundation. In this work the tack followed has been to make comparative religion join the destiny of philosophy (in the genuine and everlasting sense and not in the petty sense with which 'philosophy' has currently come to be associated). But this path has its perils, most of all because philosophy itself has never been able to come of age. However, when philosophy realizes the (paradoxical) reason why, it can put on courage: like religion itself, it cannot come of age because it was born old. This common destiny must be suffered; even the picayuneness of some forms of philosophy is part of it.In writing this, every effort has been made to use plain and simple language only, except where absolutely necessary, and to avoid professional jargon. It is hoped that the result is satisfactory.The author shares the satisfaction which comes from the completion of this work with the one person in this world, who more than any others has helped to usher it in and has suffered with him and thought with him through all its stages, his wife, as she has known better than anyone else that this book expresses one of the profoundest concerns of the author in recent years.J. G. Arapura