Give Me That Old-Time Religion takes readers on a provocative and fascinating journey through the origins of the world's religions and the remarkable people who created them.
From Zoroaster, Buddha, Confucius, and Muhammad to Martin Luther, Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy, L. Ron Hubbard, and dozens of lesser-known visionaries, rebels, reformers, mystics, and cult leaders, William Paul Lazarus explores the human stories behind faith. Some were sincere seekers of truth. Others were revolutionaries challenging religious authority. A few were fanatics, opportunists, or charismatic dreamers. All changed history.
Drawing on history, theology, archaeology, and modern scholarship, Lazarus examines how religions are born, how they evolve, and why beliefs once considered unquestionable often transform dramatically over time. Along the way, readers discover forgotten faiths, persecuted movements, enduring world religions, and the social forces that allow some ideas to flourish while others disappear.
Neither a defense of religion nor an attack upon it, Give Me That Old-Time Religion invites readers to consider a profound question: if every religion began with someone's vision, revelation, or reform, what does that tell us about faith itself?
Bold, thought-provoking, and deeply researched, this book is an illuminating exploration of humanity's endless search for meaning in a changing world.
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William Paul Lazarus became interested in religious history as a child and has never lost his enthusiasm for the subject. His interest has focused on the origin of beliefs. Raised in a Jewish family, he also regularly attended Catholic mass while in college and participated in Presbyterian programs. In addition, he taught ESL classes to Muslim students and became very familiar with their religion. He and his wife hosted Buddhists and Hindus as well. A Florida resident and veteran journalist with a master's degree in journalism from Kent State (OH) University, he has taught religious history classes at several colleges and universities, hosted two weekly radio programs and written various books on the subject, including Comparative Religion for Dummies (Wiley Press), Messiah: A History of One of the World's Most Enduring Ideas (Bold Venture Press) and Joy to the World: The Stories Behind Christmas Carols (Bold Venture Press). Novels on a religious theme include The Last Testament of Simon Peter (Halifax Press) and Revelation (Bold Venture Press).
