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This book provides a systematic and logical approach to the origins of religion. Many common themes are shown to exist between Christianity and earlier Pagan religions that go back in time centuries before Christianity itself. Carpenter makes an effort to get to the very roots of religion in this book. He's trying to uncover where our religious concepts first originated, and reveals an evolutionary sequence which starts with phallic and procreative cults as having the earliest known impact. Following this came a cult of magic, much along the lines of Frazier's The Golden Bough, where spirits and earth divinities were worshipped. Lastly, came the belief in actual God-figures that came down from heaven. A big part of early religion also concerns the consciousness. (Amazon)

Excerpt:'The subject of Religious Origins is a fascinating one, as the great multitude of books upon it, published in late years, tends to show. Indeed the great difficulty to-day in dealing with the subject, lies in the very mass of the material to hand—and that not only on account of the labor involved in sorting the material, but because the abundance itself of facts opens up temptation to a student in this department of Anthropology (as happens also in other branches of general Science) to rush in too hastily with what seems a plausible theory. The more facts, statistics, and so forth, there are available in any investigation, the easier it is to pick out a considerable number which will fit a given theory. The other facts being neglected or ignored, the views put forward enjoy for a time a great vogue. Then inevitably, and at a later time, new or neglected facts alter the outlook, and a new perspective is established.'

Excerpt:'The subject dealt with in this book is one of great, and one may say growing, importance. Whether it is that the present period is one of large increase in the numbers of men and women of an intermediate or mixed temperament, or whether it merely is that it is a period in which more than usual attention happens to be accorded to them, the fact certainly remains that the subject has great actuality and is pressing upon us from all sides. It is recognised that anyhow the number of persons occupying an intermediate position between the two sexes is very great, that they play a considerable part in general society, and that they necessarily present and embody many problems which, both for their own sakes and that of society, demand solution. The literature of the question has in consequence already grown to be very extensive, especially on the Continent, and includes a great quantity of scientific works, medical treatises, literary essays, romances, historical novels, poetry, etc. And it is now generally admitted that some knowledge and enlightened understanding of the subject is greatly needed for the use of certain classes—as, for instance, medical men, teachers, parents, magistrates, judges, and the like.'

First published in 1921, this vintage book looks at paganism and Christianity, exploring their various connections and analysing where these similarities came from and what they mean. Edward Carpenter (1844 – 1929) was an English philosopher, poet, and pioneering activist for gay rights. He had many notable friends including the Bengali polymath Rabindranath Tagore and celebrated American poet Walt Whitman; and also corresponded with many famous figures, including Jack London, Mahatma Gandhi and Annie Besant, amongst others. Contents include: “Solar Myths and Christian Festivals”, “The Symbolism of the Zodiac”, “Totem-Sacraments and Eucharists”, “Food and Vegetation Magic”, “Magicians, Kings and Gods”, “Rites of Expiation and Redemption”, “Pagan Initiations and the Second Birth”, “Myth of the Golden Age”, “The Savior-god and the Virgin-mother”, “Ritual Dancing”, “The Sex-Taboo”, etc. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new biography of the author.

Edward Carpenter was a prominent English philosopher and poet. Carpenter was well-known by his peers throughout the world and he is also famous for being an early advocate of rights for homosexuals. Pagan and Christian Creeds is Carpenter's attempt to find the root of religion. Carpenter believed that self-consciousness and fear led to the different religions throughout history.

Late studies in the Psychology of Sex have led to some interesting speculations with regard to the poet Shelley; and it is with pleasure that I write a few lines by way of introduction to the following paper by my friend, George Barnefield, which puts very clearly, as I think, some points in Shelley's temperament which have hitherto been neglected or misunderstood, and which call for renowned consideration.Not having myself made a special study of the Modern Psychology, I do not pretend to certify to the absolute truth of the theories put forward by Mr. Barnefield, but I do certainly think, after due consideration, that they are worthy of very careful study.

Love and Death are two major facets of the whole of human existence and in The Drama of Love and Death, Carpenter attempts to analyse the interplay of love and death in everyday life. Originally published in 1912, this study focuses on how love and death are perceived and treated in the history of humankind and how these views evolved up until the early twentieth century. This title will be of interest to students of Sociology and Anthropology.

Originally published in 1887, Edward Carpenter's England's Ideal and other Papers on Social Subjects is a collection of his essays in the field of Social Science with a focus on English society at the time of writing. His writing was so influential that there was a near constant demand in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries for this work to be reprinted with this particular edition being published in 1919. Papers included in this volume discuss issues such as labour, trade and property and all provide insight into the English class structure as well as illuminating Carpenter's socialist values. This title will be of interest to students of sociology.

Originally published in 1917 in the midst of World War I, Carpenter argues that industry in pre-war Britain was simply exploitation of labour for private gain and attempts to look toward a future with more socialist values. The papers in this study explore the negative aspects of industrial life and suggest a new outlook with which the United Kingdom can move forward in industry. This title will be of interest to students of sociology.

Edward Carpenter's Towards Democracy is well-known as a starting point of his later work. Originally written in 1881 whilst taking a break from lecturing in Universities across the UK, this four-volume poem dwells mainly on themes of freedom and equality; values that Carpenter wrote upon many times in his career. Originally published in 1883, this version in 1917, this title will be of interest to students of Sociology and English Literature.

The Intermediate sex collates papers from Edward Carpenter on his ideas about intermediate types. Carpenter claims that there are those in societies who hold an intermediate position between the two sexes and may have an inner sex in their mind that is different from their biological sex. Originally published in 1908, this version in1941, these papers present early observations about gender fluidity in both men and women, studying certain ‘types'of intermediate people that he claimed were begin to emerge more obviously at the time of writing. This title will be of interest to students of gender studies.

This vintage book contains Edward Carpenter's ground-breaking study of homosexuality,'Intermediate Types Among Primitive Folk - A Study In Social Evolution'. It is a fascinating study of social evolution centered on the idea that there is a spectrum of'types'of man and woman. The author postulates that there exists a range in sexuality, there being feminine bodies with masculine minds and vice versa. Expertly written in a manner that makes it readily accessible, this book is highly recommended for anyone with an interest in gender and sexuality, and is it not to be missed by fans and collectors of Carpenter's seminal work. Contents include:'As Prophet or Priest','As Wizard or Witch','As Inventors of the Arts and Crafts','Hermaphrodism among Gods and Mortals','The Dorian Military Comradeship','Its Relation to the Status of Woman','Its Relation for Civic Life and Religion', etcetera. Originally published in 1914, this text is being republished now in an affordable, modern edition. It comes complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.

Light from the East collates letters between Hon. P. Arunáchalam of the legislative council of Ceylon and Edward Carpenter, which expand on issues of the Gñanam or divine knowledge. Carpenter edited these letters for publication in 1927 as well as writing additional articles on issues such as desire, birth control and bisexuality in relation to the customs of Ceylon and religious laws of Hinduism to give the reader a broad insight into the religion. This title will be of interest to students of sociology, anthropology and religious studies.

Originally published in 1911, this edition published in 1920, this text comprises of an excerpt from Carpenter's Adam's Peak to Elephanta, originally published in 1892, which details his travels in India and Ceylon. This excerpt in particular details his visit to a Gñáni, or religious wise man, and what he learned of their ancient wisdom-religion, which would be more recognisable as Hinduism to a modern reader. This title will be of interest to students of sociology, anthropology and religious studies.

This volume, originally published in 1889 with this edition published in 1912, contains Carpenter's famous essays on civilisation and his theory that it is a disease of mankind that must be cured. Papers included in this collection discuss the rampant ill-health suffered by society as well as criticisms of modern science to support this theory whilst also analysing what the future holds for science, ideas of morality and traditions and customs. This title will be of interest to students of sociology.

Originally published in 1915 in the middle of World War I, Carpenter explores the effects that the war was having on society and humankind as a whole from first-hand experience. In particular, papers focus on the differences between Germany and England, the causes of the war and suggestions for restoration and recovery when the war has ended. Carpenter details all of this in a realistic way drawing on matters such as class to put forward his anti-war stance as well as philosophical approaches to coping with tragedy. This title will be of interest to students of history, sociology and politics.

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