Is There a Universal Grammar of Religion?

Huston Smith's notion of the fundamental equality of the world's religions is distilled into this provocative lecture that describes a universal grammar of religion. Smith argues that 14 points of similarity exist among all of the major religious traditions and that these similarities indicate an innate psychological affinity for religion within the human spirit. Using the theoretical basis of Noam Chomsky's theory of universal grammar, Smith demonstrates the degree to which humans are hardwired for religious experience. Including commentary by and an interview with Henry Rosemont Jr., this insightful exploration of the most essential basis of religion provides a new direction for comparative-religion scholars everywhere.