We begin a new series, From the Producer’s Desk, and Barry discusses why religion persists. While the expectation seemed to be that as we became more “enlightened,” religion would slowly disappear, that clearly hasn’t happened. In fact, even when societies or groups reject formal belief, they don’t stop doing the things religion does. Where does this drive to the “numinous” come from and what does it say about us?
Literature:
- The Open Boat. The Open Boat and Other Tales of Adventure. Doubleday, 1898
- America: Religions and Religion. 5th ed., Wadsworth, 2013
- Mortal Lessons. “The Kiss.” Simon & Schuster, 1976
- The Three-Body Problem. Translated by Ken Liu, Tor Books, 2014.