Religion as Make-Believe: A Theory of Belief, Imagination, and Group Identity

Drawing on a range of hard evidence, Neil Van Leeuwen shows that the psychological mechanisms underlying religious belief are the same as those enabling imaginative play. He argues that we should therefore understand religious belief as a form of make-believe that people use to define their group identity and express the values sacred to them. Contents Prologue: The Parable of the Playground 1. The Attitude Dimension 2. A Theory of Cognitive Attitudes 3. Religious Credence Is Not Factual Belief 4. Evidence around the World 5. To “Believe” Is Not What You “Think” 6. Identity and Groupish Belief 7. Sacred Values 8. The Puzzle of Religious Rationality Epilogue: The Playground Expanded Notes References Acknowledgments Index