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Beginning around the turn of the last century a number of German Protestant [[theology|theologians]] became interested in the question of the essence and origin of religion.  Underlying this interest was the assumption that their own religious tradition--Christianity--shared a common origin and essence with other religions.  The idea is that while religions have clearly evolved and differentiated from one another, they are ultimately branches growing from a common root.  In theory, that common root can be identified in terms of a universal human concern or existential condition.  Some prominent leaders of this effort include [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Adolf_Harnack_and_the_Search_for_Missing_Christianity Adolf Harnack] ['''the presence of the eternal within time'''], Friederich Schliermacher ['''the feeling of absolute dependence'''), and Rudolph Otto ['''the idea of the holy'''].  In each case religion was understood to emerge from a single identifiable concern, universally common to the human heart.  The following article is presented in the [[spirit]] of that same quest.   

Beginning around the turn of the last century a number of German Protestant [[theology|theologians]] became interested in the question of the essence and origin of religion.  Underlying this interest was the assumption that all religions, including their own Christianity, were of a common origin and similar essence.  The idea is that while religions have clearly evolved and differentiated from one another and speak different faith-languages, they are ultimately branches growing from a common root.  In theory, that common root can be identified in terms of a universal human concern or existential condition.  Some prominent leaders of this field of inquiry include [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Adolf_Harnack_and_the_Search_for_Missing_Christianity Adolf Harnack] ['''the presence of the eternal within time'''], Friederich Schliermacher ['''the feeling of absolute dependence'''), and Rudolph Otto ['''the idea of the holy'''].  In each case religion was understood to emerge from a single identifiable concern, universally common to the human heart.  The following article is presented in the [[spirit]] of that same quest.   

==Preface==

==Preface==

In addressing the subject of the origins of religion one is always in danger of offending the devout who believe that true religion originates only through [[divine]]ly given [[revelation]], or the [[skeptic]]s who maintain that religion is a human cultural product and thus heavily contrived if not outright [[fiction]]al.  My hope is that what I present here represents a "third way."  I will state in advance that my while my theory is fully humanistic and phenomenological, it by no means repudiates the possibility or [[reality]] of revelation.  I do claim, however, that religion as an attitude arises in the human heart prior to revelation, and insofar as revelations do exist they are, with few [[Sui Generis|exceptions]], sought and/or recognized by those hearts and minds that are religiously prepared for them, a priori.  

In addressing the subject of the origins of religion one is always in danger of offending the devout who believe that true religion originates only through [[divine]]ly given [[revelation]], or the [[skeptic]]s who maintain that religion is a human cultural product and thus heavily contrived if not outright [[fiction]]al.  My hope is that what I present here represents a "third way."  I will state in advance that my while my theory is fully humanistic and phenomenological, it by no means repudiates the possibility or [[reality]] of revelation.  I do claim, however, that religion as an attitude arises in the human heart prior to revelation, and insofar as revelations do exist they are, with few [[Sui Generis|exceptions]], sought and/or recognized by those hearts and minds that are religiously prepared for them, a priori.