Book Review: Clash of Worlds
Today, I’m attempting some reviews on a couple of books I have read recently. Neither of them will reach my Top Ten Best Books List, but they’ve been helpful. The first is about a subject that I lecture on at School of the Word in Cardiff - Religions and Worldviews. It isn’t for everyone, but some out there may be interested:
David Burnett, Clash of Worlds
Burnett examines the concept of ‘worldview’ more from an anthropological than a philopsophical perspective. I don’t find this is as compelling, but it makes for some interesting observations on so-called ‘primitive’ or ‘traditional’ cultures. This is obviously his own area of study.
He gives good, brief insights into these religious worldviews, and contextualises them in contrast to the secular worldview. Also good on Hinduism and how it has both adapted to Westernisation and influenced Western society (yoga, TM, Hare Krishna, New Age). He is not so good on Islam, but he makes some interesting points about its clash with Christianity and the West.
He has some particularly useful and helpful chapters on New Religious Movements, Sects and Cults, New Age and Neo-Paganism, with interesting insights on how and why they emerge at different times. He sees New Age ideas as ‘the religious manifestation of postmodernity.’ and, as with neo-pagans, gives a useful historical and cultural context to its emergence.
He is good at stressing the importance of being able to empathise and identfiy with people of other worldviews and cultures in order to connect and communicate with them.
I don’t think its the best book I am going to read on this subject, but it definitely has some interesting and helpful insights, especially on ‘traditional’ or primitive societies and the re-emergence of some of their themes in new age and neo-paganism.