Donald A. Crosby is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Colorado State University. He is the author of several books, including The Thou of Nature: Religious Naturalism and Reverence for Sentient Life; Faith and Reason: Their Roles in Religious and Secular Life; Living with Ambiguity: Religious Naturalism and the Menace of Evil; and A Religion of Nature, all published by SUNY Press.

• PrefacePart I. Functions and Types of Religious Symbols 1. Symbols of Living FaithIntroductionBack to the PelicanSome Types of Religious SymbolizationSymbols of EvilMajor and Minor Religious Symbols2. Works of Art and Religious SymbolismIntroductionArtistic SymbolizationSimilarities and Differences between Aesthetic and Religious SymbolsInterrelations of Aesthetic and Religious Symbolizations3. Master Religious SymbolsIntroductionSymbols of Religious UltimatesCosmogonic and Cosmological SymbolsSymbols of Religious Paths of Life and of Obstacles Lying in Their WaySymbols of Exemplary Human Lives4. How Religious Symbols WorkIntroductionThe Necessary Role of Religious SymbolsWays in Which Religious Symbols FunctionDoctrinal Expositions of Religious SymbolsThe Error of LiteralismPart II. Symbols of Religion of Nature 5. Master Symbols of the Ultimacy of Nature and of its Cosmogonic and Cosmological RolesIntroductionA Symbol of Religious Ultimacy of NatureA Cosmogonic and Cosmological Symbol for Religion of Nature6. Master Symbols of the Saving Path of Life and of an Exemplary Traveler on the PathIntroductionThe Path and Its Obstacles and MisdirectionsAn Exemplar of the Saving Path of Religion of Nature7. The Truth of Religious SymbolsIntroductionReligious Symbols and TruthSecular Symbols and Truth8. Symbols and Symbolic Practices for Religion of NatureIntroductionSynecdochesPrayer and MeditationRitualsSymbols of Sacrifice and Self-GivingOther Symbols of Religion of NatureConclusionNotesWorks CitedIndex

Donald A. Crosby is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Colorado State University. He is the author of several books, including The Thou of Nature: Religious Naturalism and Reverence for Sentient Life; Faith and Reason: Their Roles in Religious and Secular Life; Living with Ambiguity: Religious Naturalism and the Menace of Evil; and A Religion of Nature, all published by SUNY Press.

• PrefacePart I. Functions and Types of Religious Symbols 1. Symbols of Living FaithIntroductionBack to the PelicanSome Types of Religious SymbolizationSymbols of EvilMajor and Minor Religious Symbols2. Works of Art and Religious SymbolismIntroductionArtistic SymbolizationSimilarities and Differences between Aesthetic and Religious SymbolsInterrelations of Aesthetic and Religious Symbolizations3. Master Religious SymbolsIntroductionSymbols of Religious UltimatesCosmogonic and Cosmological SymbolsSymbols of Religious Paths of Life and of Obstacles Lying in Their WaySymbols of Exemplary Human Lives4. How Religious Symbols WorkIntroductionThe Necessary Role of Religious SymbolsWays in Which Religious Symbols FunctionDoctrinal Expositions of Religious SymbolsThe Error of LiteralismPart II. Symbols of Religion of Nature 5. Master Symbols of the Ultimacy of Nature and of its Cosmogonic and Cosmological RolesIntroductionA Symbol of Religious Ultimacy of NatureA Cosmogonic and Cosmological Symbol for Religion of Nature6. Master Symbols of the Saving Path of Life and of an Exemplary Traveler on the PathIntroductionThe Path and Its Obstacles and MisdirectionsAn Exemplar of the Saving Path of Religion of Nature7. The Truth of Religious SymbolsIntroductionReligious Symbols and TruthSecular Symbols and Truth8. Symbols and Symbolic Practices for Religion of NatureIntroductionSynecdochesPrayer and MeditationRitualsSymbols of Sacrifice and Self-GivingOther Symbols of Religion of NatureConclusionNotesWorks CitedIndex

Donald A. Crosby is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Colorado State University. He is the author of several books, including The Thou of Nature: Religious Naturalism and Reverence for Sentient Life; Faith and Reason: Their Roles in Religious and Secular Life; Living with Ambiguity: Religious Naturalism and the Menace of Evil; and A Religion of Nature, all published by SUNY Press.

• PrefacePart I. Functions and Types of Religious Symbols 1. Symbols of Living FaithIntroductionBack to the PelicanSome Types of Religious SymbolizationSymbols of EvilMajor and Minor Religious Symbols2. Works of Art and Religious SymbolismIntroductionArtistic SymbolizationSimilarities and Differences between Aesthetic and Religious SymbolsInterrelations of Aesthetic and Religious Symbolizations3. Master Religious SymbolsIntroductionSymbols of Religious UltimatesCosmogonic and Cosmological SymbolsSymbols of Religious Paths of Life and of Obstacles Lying in Their WaySymbols of Exemplary Human Lives4. How Religious Symbols WorkIntroductionThe Necessary Role of Religious SymbolsWays in Which Religious Symbols FunctionDoctrinal Expositions of Religious SymbolsThe Error of LiteralismPart II. Symbols of Religion of Nature 5. Master Symbols of the Ultimacy of Nature and of its Cosmogonic and Cosmological RolesIntroductionA Symbol of Religious Ultimacy of NatureA Cosmogonic and Cosmological Symbol for Religion of Nature6. Master Symbols of the Saving Path of Life and of an Exemplary Traveler on the PathIntroductionThe Path and Its Obstacles and MisdirectionsAn Exemplar of the Saving Path of Religion of Nature7. The Truth of Religious SymbolsIntroductionReligious Symbols and TruthSecular Symbols and Truth8. Symbols and Symbolic Practices for Religion of NatureIntroductionSynecdochesPrayer and MeditationRitualsSymbols of Sacrifice and Self-GivingOther Symbols of Religion of NatureConclusionNotesWorks CitedIndex