THE PURPOSE OF RELIGION: ENLIGHTENMENT, MEANING AND LOVE IN JEWISH, CHRISTIAN AND ISLAMIC SYMBOLOGY
"This fascinating book takes us to the inner sanctum of spiritual meaning. It demonstrates the senseless absurdity of religious hatred and bigotry, and is filled with amazing insights into scriptural passages that have perplexed generations of scholars. I was especially moved by Cort's exploration of the Sacred Feminine”
- Rev. Janet McKinstry, Pastor, Artist, and Author
“Metaphor and myth come alive and are full of wonder. Arcane ritual points beyond itself and disturbing Bible and Qur’an stories show a deeper, more mysterious, and profoundly inspirational meaning. I loved reading this book – rather meditatively because it is detailed and rich – and letting its hopeful message sink in.” - Louisa Gilder, author of The Age of Entanglement: When Quantum Physics was Reborn “In ‘The Purpose of Religion’, Andrew Cort offers a unique perspective that gives new life to ancient text. This journey through philosophy, theology, numbers, music, and symbology provides considerable insight into where harmony may be found in reality. Cort's interpretations of scripture are thoroughly thought out, and eloquently articulated.” - Rabbi Ari Rosenberg, Hevreh of Southern Berkshire
"Dr. Cort delves into the often murky waters of scripture and its interpretation and comes out with this luminous gem, "The Purpose of Religion." No stone is left unturned as he explores the history, symbols, and evolution of our Near East spiritual traditions. The most impressive aspect is just how deeply he goes into the material and the balance of fact and interpretation. A fine addition to the libraries of laymen and scholars alike."
- Andrew Bowen, author of Triune
"This magnificent book really requires the reader to think and ponder because it is so rich with new ideas and perspectives. It is well-written, scholarly, and authoritative. I liked the emphasis on narrative and stories, as that is a special interest of mine. (I have co-authored a workshop on "personal mythology" and also teach a course on that topic at Saybrook University.) Dr.Cort is absolutely right suggesting that if scriptures were read as metaphors and parables, an underlying unity would emerge that is lost by fanatics who insist on literal interpretation."
- Stanley Krippner, PhD, Saybrook University, San Francisco, CA