A Discourse on Origin and Evolution of Religion

What is the starting point of religion in human life history and which course does it have followed to develop into the current advanced religions? According to the perspective of religious traditions, especially the Abrahamic religions, man is created in today's form and has received the whole monotheistic religion from the heavens from the very beginning. However, in recent centuries in the West some came to say that religion has had earthly origin and evolution, and as a result, simultaneous with the human evolution, has been developed from a primitive, polytheistic form into the advanced monotheistic religions. In present article, we argue that four kinds of origin and evolution of religion can be conceived and discussed, only one of which is atheistic.