Release date is 2014-08-02

Science and superstition -- The theory of loan-gods, or borrowed religion -- Magic and religion -- The origin of the Christian faith -- The approaches to Mr. Frazer's theory -- Attemps to prove the Sacæan criminal divine -- Zakmuk, Sacæa, and Purim -- Mordecai, Esther, Vashti, and Haman -- Why was the mock-king of the Sacæa whipped and hanged? -- Calvary -- The ghastly priest -- South African religion -- 'Cup and ring:' An old problem solved -- First-fruits and taboos -- Walking through fire -- Appendices: Mr. Tylor's theory of borrowing. The martyrdom of Dasius. The ride of the beardless one.

Produced by Marc D'Hooghe (Images generously made available by the Internet Archive.)

"Magic and Religion" by Andrew Lang is an anthropological study written in the early 20th century. The work focuses on the interplay between magic and religion, examining their definitions, historical precedence, and cultural significance across various societies. Lang contemplates complex theories of religious origins, particularly those proposed by scholars like E.B. Tylor and J.G. Frazer, while also aiming to establish his own views on the subject. The opening of the book establishes a critical tone towards existing theories of magic and religion, laying out Lang's intent to examine the evolution of religious thought. He discusses the increasing interest in the origins of religion, highlighting the dangers of speculative hypotheses that can arise from insufficient evidence. Lang presents his stance that while magic may have implications in early belief systems, the understanding of religion as a structured concept, marked by the worship of deities, must also be addressed. He begins to outline the contents of the essays that follow, indicating that his exploration will include topics such as the theory of "loan-gods," the existence of moral creative beings in various cultures, and critiques of fellow scholars' hypotheses about the nature and development of these beliefs. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Original publication data not identified