Sacred Origins of Profound Things

December 1, 1996
Few books in the theological literature are simply fun to read and this is one of them. Panati (Panati's Parade of Fads, Follies, and Manias, HarperCollins, 1991) has written an informative and entertaining book on the origins of religious ideas, sacred items, worship practices, holy symbols, and holidays. Although he discusses wonderful puzzlements such as why Jews don't eat pork, he also explores the origins and history of more pressing, controversial, present-day concerns such as the bans on homosexuality, married priests, and birth control. His book has a few shortcomings. Although it advertises itself as a book on world religions, the emphasis is mainly on Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, with only a smattering of other faiths. Also, there is a lack of footnoting, making the work unhelpful to serious scholars. But these minor complaints pale next to the wealth of information provided here. (Index not seen.) Recommended for public libraries.--Glenn Masuchika, Chaminade Univ. Lib., Honolulu