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Article: Centennial look at 'religious act'; William James' bold text lives on strongly today.
- Article from:
- The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, PA)
- Article date:
- April 3, 2002
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 The Philadelphia Inquirer. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Carlin Romano
_``Varieties of Religion Today'' by Charles Taylor; Harvard ($19.95)
When William James published "The Varieties of Religious Experience'' a century ago, he knocked religious thinking on its ear. Regarded then as America's greatest philosopher, James (1842-1910) derided hyper-intellectual theology and overly ritualized churches. He urged educated people not to confuse religion with either.
Instead, the celebrated Harvard professor, whose "pragmatism" sought to explain all ideas in light of their consequences, urged readers to understand religion as something quintessentially individual _ an emotional experience of the ...