Uneasy about religion but not sure why? A God of Our Invention will make it clear. Daniel Kohanski has spent decades working on problems of religion. Starting from a solid background in Conservative Judaism, he has studied law, Talmud, history, philosophy. He has researched the sources and pored over the scholarship and gotten much help from scholars along the way. Kohanski has achieved a book that historians of religion are calling “a wide-ranging introduction to Jewish and Christian theology,” “a most fruitful analysis of both traditions,” and “a stimulating contribution to vital discussions in Biblical studies and the science of religious history.” A God of Our Invention takes the reader from the gods of the Ancient Near East to the modern threat of global climate change. It explains how one of those ancient nations, the Israelites, came up with an idea of a single God who rules over all, and how Christians used—and misused—Jewish ideas to become the leading power in Europe and to dominate much of the world. A God of Our Invention will explain: How Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of Jerusalem led to the Israelites’ believing in one god; - When the Jews began to believe in personal immortality and judgment after death; - Why the Roman conquest of Judaea was critical to the birth of Christianity; - Why the Jews have always been indifferent to Jesus—and why Christians can’t accept that; - How Christians went from being pacifists to calling for holy war; - How the insistence that the world is about to end has impacted the way we deal with sex, life, death, and global climate change; - How doubt and reality combined to break Christianity’s hold on power. A God of Our Invention is the book for anyone who has questions about western religion but doesn’t know where to start looking for answers. If you want to know why religion has such an impact on your life when you’re not religious, this book is for you. And if you want to know how religion can still do good in the world, this book is also a must-read. Buy A God of Our Invention for a clear understanding of the world we live in today! "[A] compelling analysis of two major Abrahamic religions: Judaism and Christianity. . . . unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, seminary, synagogue, college, and university library Judaic & Christian Studies collections." -Midwest Book Review "A uniquely critical, honest, readable and wide-ranging introduction to Jewish and Christian Theology. . . . This is a book which should be highly recommended to first-year religious studies students, in terms of both its style and content."—Bernard S. Jackson, Alliance Professor of Modern Jewish Studies Emeritus, University of Manchester "Traditional theology all too often presents assertions and even preconceived doctrines instead of pursuing and posing questions. Here is an author who questions basic assumptions of Hebrew Bible-interpretation and also his own childhood convictions. After painstaking research in Ancient Near Eastern history and Biblical exegesis Daniel Kohanski now presents his own conclusions on religion, God, Torah. His work certainly is a stimulating contribution to vital discussions in Biblical studies and the science of religious history."-Erhard S. Gerstenberger, Prof. em. Marburg University "It will be an invaluable resource for students and others interested in the end of world idea as a long-term and continuing current in the history of the Western world." Bertram Gordon, Professor of History Emeritus, Mills College. The book's narrative effectively condenses well-known academic scholarship on the history of Judaism and Christianity into an approachable read that's specifically aimed at a general audience. The book's impressive research, backed by nearly 700 footnotes and 20 pages of references, is enhanced by an engaging writing style that eschews jargon. . . . A well-researched, concise history of the development of two Abrahamic faiths. — Kirkus Reviews