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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 all religions, including their own Christianity, were of a common origin and similar essence.  Historically speaking, of course, the religions appeared at different times and in different places, but philosophically speaking, they appeared for similar reasons. Obviously religions are quite differentiated from one another and speak different faith-languages. Nontheless, it can be argued that they come from a common root that 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.   

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 common origin and similar essence.  Historically speaking, of course, the religions appeared at different times and in different places, but philosophically speaking, they appeared for similar reasons. Obviously religions are quite differentiated from one another and speak different faith-languages. Nontheless, it can be argued that they grow from a common root that 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 said to emerge from a single identifiable concern, universally common to the human heart.  The following article is presented in the [[spirit]] of that same inquiry.   

==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.