In The Valley of the Shadow

Book Review.

Kugel, James L.  In The Valley of the Shadow.  On the foundations of religious beliefs.  Free Press.  2011.

J.K.-Starr Professor of Literature at Harvard University (emeritus).  Lives in Jerusalem, Israel.

Comment.  Henry.

I picked this book up at the library.  My selection of books is made based on title and a quick look at intros and/or prefaces.  This book has neither.  The motivation for this book came as a result of a diagnosis of terminal cancer.  That created certain anticipation for me as to where the author might be going.  The academic, researched focused approach was a disappointment to me.  This is an academic thesis on the different aspects of religion.  It is not what I had anticipated.

James describes his initial response to the diagnosis of terminal cancer as a stoppage of the background music of life. (15)  He turns to the topic of religion and its “vanity” (23) as he explains his experience with chemotherapy.  Religion is portrayed as an experience of the brain much like epilepsy.  There is a “‘God spot’ in the human brain.” (61) 

The world of the soul is a “stark world” (89) indeed.  The reality of suffering and death especially of innocent people raises the “sickening question” (153) about God being the source of good and evil.  The development of monotheism ended the significance of omens.  Scholars agree that there isn’t any difference between religion and magic. (192)

henrydirksen.blogspot.com