Do We Need Religion?

“At a time when public discussion of religion seems polarized between religious fundamentalists and hard secularists, who in their own way are equally fundamentalist, it is refreshing to have a book that reminds us that religion is not a kind of primitive and false scientific theory, but a kind of experience, the experience of self-transcendence. Joas’s reflections on religious experience and the ways it can be articulated are developed in dialogue with major contemporary thinkers such as Charles Taylor, Paul Ricoeur, and Jürgen Habermas. Open-minded and sensitive both to religious claims and to secular criticisms, Joas has made an enormous contribution to the serious discussion and understanding of religion.”
—Robert Bellah, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University of California–Berkeley and coauthor of Habits of the Heart and The Good Society.

“Joas offers a prescient collection of essays on the contemporary relevance of religion. … [He] is a clear writer, and the appeal of the topics discussed should hold the interest of any reader interested in the phenomenon of religion. Joas’s work deserves a large audience.”
—Anglican Theological Review