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Summary
Summary
In this enlightening and entertaining work, Charles Panati explores the origins of hundreds of religious rituals, customs, and practices in many faiths, the reasons for religious holidays and sacred symbols, and the meanings of vestments, sacraments, devotions, and prayers. Its many revelations include:
* Why the Star of David became the Jewish counterpart of the Christian cross
* What mortal remains of the Buddha are venerated today
* How the diamond engagement ring became a standard
* That the first pope was a happily married man
* How Hindu thinkers arrived at their concept of reincarnation
* Why Jews don't eat pork, why some Muslims don't eat certain vegetables, and how some Christians came to observe meatless Fridays
Sacred Origins of Profound Things is an indispensable resource for all those interested in the history of religion and the history of ideas--and an inspiring guide to those seeking to understand their faith.
Author Notes
Charles Panati , a former physicist and for six years a science editor for Newsweek , has made a career out of exploring the origins of things. He is the author of thirteen fiction and nonfiction books, including the bestselling Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things . He lives in Long Island, New York.
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Sprightly, wry and irreverent, Sacred Origins of Profound Things attempts to explain the arcana of religious practice and dogma like prayer, celestial personae, moral codes, festivals, saints, evil, heaven, hell and miracles. Panati digs up fascinating curios while clearly explaining fundamental tenets of the world's religions. But his Religion 101 remains an awkward hybrid of brief journalistic entries (Panati is a former science writer at Newsweek) and short essays. Furthermore, not all "profound things" are covered equally or thoroughly. The religions of Asia are barely touched on, and aboriginal religions not at all. Of Judaism, Islam and Christianity, it is the last, and Catholicism in particular, that forms by far the largest part of the book. While readers looking for a quick answer will find useful the explanations of why religions affirm this or that belief, they will be frustrated by the lack of an index and the book's narrative rather than encyclopedic structure. Illustrations not seen by PW. (Dec.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Library Journal Review
Few books in the theological literature are simply fun to read and this is one of them. Panati (Panati's Parade of Fads, Follies, and Manias, HarperCollins, 1991) has written an informative and entertaining book on the origins of religious ideas, sacred items, worship practices, holy symbols, and holidays. Although he discusses wonderful puzzlements such as why Jews don't eat pork, he also explores the origins and history of more pressing, controversial, present-day concerns such as the bans on homosexuality, married priests, and birth control. His book has a few shortcomings. Although it advertises itself as a book on world religions, the emphasis is mainly on Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, with only a smattering of other faiths. Also, there is a lack of footnoting, making the work unhelpful to serious scholars. But these minor complaints pale next to the wealth of information provided here. (Index not seen.) Recommended for public libraries.Glenn Masuchika, Chaminade Univ. Lib., Honolulu (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
