The Evolution of God by Robert Wright: From Wrath to Love
Are the sacred texts of the Abrahamic, monotheistic religions the inerrant word of God? Robert Wright, author of The Evolution of God, would answer, no. Rather The Bible and the Koran reveal humanity’s evolving conception of what started out as one god among many others, and eventually came to be the “one true God.”
In The Evolution of God, Wright charts the cultural evolution of humanity’s increasing moral imagination, illustrated by people’s conception of divinity, from tribal societies of the distant past to our global society that we find ourselves in today. As the human circle of inclusion has increased from one’s tribe, chiefdom, nation-state, empire to one’s democratic state in the global milieu, so has the extension of the Golden Rule.
Wright shows this by examining the cultural evolution of the tribes of Israel, and the monotheism it eventually produced that became the Christianity of Paul, all in the course of about 2500 years. According to Wright, monotheism as we know it did not suddenly burst on to the scene out of no where as a divine revelation, but evolved from a pantheon of competing gods. The Evolution of God is an historical account, in part, of how Yahweh, in his humble beginnings, was merely a specialized god in a polytheistic society, and how Yahweh became the one and only God of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
The book concurrently investigates the expansion and contraction of “the moral imagination,” as Wright calls it, as the concept of God evolves, noting that in times of cooperation and symbiosis within and between tribes, chiefdoms, nation-states and empires the golden rule (the extension of good will) expands accordingly. It is at those times that we find The Bible imploring us to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. During times of conflict, struggle and war we see the opposite like in this passage from the Book of Deuteronomy:
As for the towns of these peoples that the Lord your God [Israel’s Yahweh] is giving you as an inheritance, you must not let anything that breathes remain alive.
And that’s human nature. When times are good, and everything is humming along, it is in our best interest to nurture and encourage peace. When we feel threatened by another cultural composition of people, the laurel leaf is retracted and fear fuels hostility.
Though The Evolution of God contains a materialist explanation of humanity’s concept of the divine, Wright does leave open the possibility that we are composed in some measure of an evolving divine heritage, more like an unfolding algorithm compelling us toward universal love, as opposed to being under the direction of a bearded, bi-polar deity in the sky.
What might qualify as evidence of a larger purpose at work in the world? For one thing, a moral direction in history. If history naturally carries human consciousness toward moral enlightenment, however slowly and fitfully, that would be evidence that there’s some point to it all. At least, it would be more evidence than the alternative–if history showed no discernible direction, or if history showed a downward direction: humanity getting more morally obtuse, more vengeful and bigoted.
Ultimately Wright leaves us with a strong sense that religion, as expressed in its sacred texts, tells us more about our culturally evolving selves than divinely revealed origins and mandates. But, like Wright states, “If you approach the spiritual quest…with the humble skepticism of modernity rather than the revealed certainty of the ancient world–then a rational appraisal of the situation may prove more uplifting.”
The Evolution of God should be required reading for curious, open-minded believers and non-believers alike.
But what about Noah’s Ark eh? Why aren’t evil ducks in charge?
I wish I could see evidence that people have evolved spiritually, that societies are really less bigoted and vengeful. Maybe when all the world is connected via the interwebs and ceiling cat sees everyone masturbating simultaneously, there will at last be peace and enlightenment.
I would argue that humanity has progressed through the ages. Compare the America of 1960 to the present day. Would you rather be a person of color in 2010 or way back then?Imperfection will always abound, but things get better even if gradually. Two steps forward and one step back. Particularly I think if you look at the millennials, they are set to really change things for the better. They are smarter and more opened minded than any other generation in history. I’m optimistic.
This was pure brilliance. It was so good that seconds after I posted it to Reddit the site collapsed and I’m not kidding 🙂 Congratulations to The Lawyer!
Great post and a very good book, Lawyer. Another great book is the “History of God” by Karen Armstrong.
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http://www.amazon.com/dp/0345384563
Actually, you and MH gave me that book for x-mas a few years back. Wright cites and quotes that back in E of G.