Related Books: Tradition and Religion Today
Related Audio/Video: Huston Smith, One God/Only God: The Mystic and the Monotheist

Publisher
Huston Smith offers his passionate, vital message about the suffocation of the human spirit in a world dominated by materialism, consumerism, educational elitism, and a governmental and legal system without morality. Despite the widespread opinion that these are halcyon days for religion, Smith shows how current popular spiritual trends merely mask a deeper disease. In the tradition of Stephen Carter's The Culture of Disbelief, this compelling social critique probes the three major historical periods—traditional, modern, and postmodern—that have brought us to our current spiritual crisis. Illustrated with stories from Huston Smith's personal experience and encounters with many of the leading scientific and religious thinkers of our time. Why Religion Matters is a highly original and thought-provoking read that will generate debate for years to come.

Los Angeles Times  
Smith's love of spirited debate makes this an intellectually exciting book, as accessible to the layman as to the scholar. His familiarity with a vast range of sources of scientific, philosophical and religious writing allows him to engage the best of human minds, sometimes in disagreement, sometimes gently scolding, always with a genuine delight in the quality of thought and argument. Those who have enjoyed his lively appearances on public television shows will find that spirit of passionate intellectual curiosity present in this book.
 
Christian Science Monitor  
Told with a wonderful blend of wit, wisdom and humility...like a good conversationalist, Smith leaves plenty of room for response.
 
Library Journal  
Smith, the respected author of the classic best seller The World's Religions and former professor of religion and psychology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technolgy, now adds a brilliant and accessible title that challenges the religious dimensions of human life. In the first part, he considers the accomplishments and deficiencies of each of three historical periods--traditional, modern, and postmodern--critiquing how each era has contributed to our contemporary spiritual malaise. Not satisfied with simply judging the past, Smith focuses the second part on the future, offering hopeful alternatives to build renewed spiritual vigor. Passionate and inspiring, Smith employs personal stories and experiences with leading religious, philosophical, and scientific thinkers. This is truly a book of wisdom to accompany readers through the metaphorical tunnel into the light of a new millennium. Recommended for public and academic libraries.--John-Leonard Berg, Univ. of Wisconsin, Platteville Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
 
Publisher's Weekly  
In this challenging but accessible book, Smith ardently declaims religion's relevance, taking on luminaries, such as Carl Sagan and Stephen Jay Gould, who hold that "only matter exists" and suggest that religion relates only to "subjective experiences." Smith defines such thinking as scientism, an unfortunate worldview distinct from science, which, in and of itself, he celebrates. But scientism, Smith says, contributes to "modernity's tunnel," a metaphorical structure that hides the metaphysical from view. He argues that "scientists who are convinced materialists deny the existence of things other than those they can train their instruments on," but in reality have "discovered nothing in the way of objective facts that counts against traditional metaphysics." Smith's arguments are reminiscent of Philip Johnson's Darwin on Trial; in fact, he nods appreciatively to Johnson's work. However, Smith's stature as a scholar probably affords him more credibility among scientists than evangelicals such as Johnson enjoy. Moreover, Smith's disarming toneDreplete with perfectly placed anecdotes and quipsDtempers the audacity of his theses and the difficulty of his subject matter. While he may be vulnerable to critiques that inevitably arise when non-scientists engage and challenge scientific claims, Smith demonstrates an impressive grasp of physics and biology, and defers to scientists who share his concerns. Most gratifyingly, after spending the book's first half implicating science, philosophy and the media in the marginalization of religion, Smith spends the second half elucidating and affirming metaphysical worldviews and imagining ways for science and religion to partner more equitably in the future. (Jan.) Forecast: Science and religion books are certainly hot right now (see PW's Religion Update, Nov. 20). That popularity, coupled with Smith's sterling reputation (buoyed by his recent five-part PBS series on religion with Bill Moyers) will propel sales. Harper San Francisco plans a 50,000-copy first print run and a $35,000 promotional budget. Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.
 

Contents

	Acknowledgments
	Preface
	Introduction	1
Pt. 1	Modernity's Tunnel	7
Ch. 1	Who's Right About Reality: Traditionalists, Modernists, or the Postmoderns?	11
Ch. 2	The Great Outdoors and the Tunnel Within It	23
Ch. 3	The Tunnel as Such	42
Ch. 4	The Tunnel's Floor: Scientism	59
Ch. 5	The Tunnel's Left Wall: Higher Education	79
Ch. 6	The Tunnel's Roof: The Media	103
Ch. 7	The Tunnel's Right Wall: The Law	121
Pt. 2	The Light at the Tunnel's End	135
Ch. 8	Light	137
Ch. 9	Is Light Increasing: Two Scenarios	145
Ch. 10	Discerning the Signs of the Times	154
Ch. 11	Three Sciences ant the Road Ahead	174
Ch. 12	Terms for the Detente	187
Ch. 13	This Ambiguous World	205
Ch. 14	The Big Picture	213
Ch. 15	Spiritual Personality Types	234
Ch. 16	Spirit	255
	Epilogue: We Could Be Siblings Yet	272
	Index	279