A Comparative View of Religions

"A Comparative View of Religions" by Johannes Henricus Scholten is a study that looks at different religious systems and how they changed over time. The book studies religions using ideas related to psychology, to understand how different groups of people made sense of God and their connection to the divine. It compares how religious ideas grew, starting from simple beliefs and moving to more complicated systems. Scholten follows the path of religious ideas and actions in many cultures, beginning with basic forms like fetichism among native populations. Then moving through organized systems such as those in China, Egypt, Persian Zoroastrianism, and Indian religions like Brahminism and Buddhism. The study goes into detail about how each religion shaped its ideas about God and what is right, highlighting important people and core beliefs. It ends with a discussion of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, noting their history and shared ideas. The goal is to show how religious thinking has grown toward a more personal and moral idea of God.