Publisher's Synopsis
In a fast-paced narrative, packed with little known information as well as widely accepted research, The Descent of Religion traces the various stages of human evolution from the invention of sex to the present--stressing the essential matricentric nature of the human species from its origin in evolutionary biology through its historical and contemporary cultural expression. It takes the reader through early human evolution from the perspective of the Aquatic Ape Theory, then focuses on original religion, or what the author calls 'organic religion', and makes the argument that it must have been not only mothering-centred but thoroughly naturalistic--a matricentric concept of socialization for relating to everyone and everything around us. She also discusses how matricentric and androcentric religious belief systems evolved, clashed and influenced culture right through to the present day. The book's purpose is to open the eyes of a new generation to the exciting possibilities inherent in occasionally jumping right 'out of the box' to take a fresh look at old problems, and hopefully the understanding of our past will help us to find a viable, sustainable path into the future. The book is as excellent a source book for the intelligent conversationalist as it is for the student of human origins.
