The Evolution of the Idea of God: An Inquiry Into the Origins of Religions

"The Evolution of the Idea of God: An Inquiry Into the Origins of Religions" by Grant Allen is a detailed exploration into how people's understanding of God has changed over time, from very early and simple beliefs to more complex ones such as Christianity. It looks at the change from believing in many gods to believing in just one, and then how that single god is understood in different ways, like the idea of a triune god. The book kicks off by talking about different ways of thinking about religion and how people have tried to understand God throughout history, from basic ideas in early societies to the complicated religious ideas we have today. The author uses historical information and looks at old customs to show how the idea of worshiping many gods turned into worshiping one powerful God, which then led to different religious beliefs.