{"product_id":"religion-and-power-no-logos-without-mythos-scholarly","title":"Religion and Power: No Logos without Mythos - Scholarly","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of Religion and Power: No Logos without Mythos the reviewer finds a thoughtful, argument-driven book for readers who want to probe the relationship between faith and political authority. David Martin challenges familiar oppositions - most notably the claim that politics is rational while religion is irrational - and the book's single biggest reason to read is its insistence that both religion and politics share a common \u003cstrong\u003emythic basis\u003c\/strong\u003e, which reframes debates about violence, solidarity and rationality in public life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComparative argument:\u003c\/strong\u003e Martin shows how religion and politics can be compared on the same terms by tracing their shared foundations rather than treating one as inherently rational and the other as irrational.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eResponse to Habermas:\u003c\/strong\u003e The book directly contests Juergen Habermas by arguing that contrasting faith with political reason is misleading and overlooks common mythic structures.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCritique of New Atheism:\u003c\/strong\u003e Martin offers a clear rebuttal to Richard Dawkins and similar critics, arguing that their approach is unscientific and overlooks political parallels.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eViolence and solidarity:\u003c\/strong\u003e The author situates the proclivity to violence in religion alongside nationalism and political ideology, emphasizing social solidarity and power dynamics as shared roots.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAccessible scholarly tone:\u003c\/strong\u003e The writing balances academic argument with readable prose, making complex theoretical disputes approachable for interested general readers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book will serve historians, students of religion and politics, and engaged readers who want a nuanced challenge to both Habermasian and New Atheist accounts; it is best for those comfortable with analytic argument and conceptual history. The focus on comparative mythic structures makes it suitable for seminars on religion, state power, and nationalism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders looking for a polemic, a purely empirical case study, or a brief introduction to theology may prefer a different title; Martin's emphasis is theoretical and argumentative rather than an extended ethnography or a popular expose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClear, focused rebuttals to both Habermas and New Atheist positions that sharpen contemporary debate.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHelps reframe discussions about violence by linking religion, nationalism and political ideology under a shared concept of power and solidarity.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReadable scholarly prose that makes complex ideas accessible without oversimplifying.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe book is argument-centered and does not provide extensive empirical case studies, which some readers may expect when violence and politics are discussed.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReligion and Power: No Logos without Mythos\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDavid Martin\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePrimary focus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRelation of religion and politics\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eKey targets\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eJuergen Habermas; Richard Dawkins and New Atheists\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMain themes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMythic basis, power, violence, social solidarity\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAudience\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eStudents, historians, readers of religion and political theory\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReligion and Power: No Logos without Mythos is a valuable choice for readers seeking a rigorous, conceptually driven challenge to neat separations between religious irrationality and political rationality. Its focused rebuttals and emphasis on shared mythic structures make it good value for anyone studying religion and state power who wants a concise, thoughtful intervention.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the book argue that religion causes violence?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMartin argues that violence is not unique to religion but is a shared feature of religion, nationalism and political ideology rooted in power and social solidarity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this a theoretical or empirical work?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe book is primarily theoretical and argumentative, engaging with thinkers like Habermas and Dawkins rather than presenting extensive new field data.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho are the main intellectual targets?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe author directly addresses Juergen Habermas and critiques Richard Dawkins and New Atheists for an oversimplified view of religion.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"David Martin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48261867208923,"sku":"1472433599","price":199.63,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/51_z4wGMCxL._SL1360.jpg?v=1778227365","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/religion-and-power-no-logos-without-mythos-scholarly","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}