CONTENTS

Preface: On Losing Your Children in the Vatican ix Acknowledgments xiii

1 The Conundrum of the Absolute 1

THE PAGAN 17

2 Nature Before Nature 19

3 The Natural Conscience 47

4 Pagan Monotheism and the Two Evils 77

THE BOURGEOIS 107

5 Why Jesus Never Talked about Farming 109

6 Great Departures 148

7 Electrum Faiths 180

THE GOOD 217

8 Nonpolitical Politics 219

9 Awesome Coolness 237

10 The Jewel of Truth 259

Notes 279 References 311

Index 325