James L. Cox is Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies in the University of Edinburgh. His most recent books include An Introduction to the Phenomenology of Religion, From Primitive to Indigenous: The Academic Study of Indigenous Religions and A Guide to the Phenomenology of Religion.

"Cox's insightful study of the concept of the 'high god' in four indigenous cultures, and its complex relationship with Christian missionary preaching of the Biblical God, is a major scholarly achievement." – Carole M. Cusack, University of Sydney"This book is an excellent argument for the need to study indigenous religions as the beliefs and practices of indigenous peoples, as traditions in their own rights." – Bettina E. Schmidt, University of Wales Trinity Saint David"Cox is clear that 'invention', adoption and adaptation are common and everyday occurrences in all cultures and religions. He challenges the ideological motivations of theological and (still) colonial pursuits and proposes that scholars should seek to understand indigenous religious, even as they evolve, rather than use them to bolster polemical agendas and comparisons." – Graham Harvey, Open University

• Preface1. The ‘God’ Controversy in Pre-Christian Indigenous Religions2. Making Mwari Christian: The Shona of Zimbabwe3. How God Became Australian: Transforming the Rainbow Serpent into the Rainbow Spirit4. The Alaskan Exception: The ‘Person of the Universe’ and Christian Neglect5. The Debate over Io as the Pre-Christian Māori Supreme Being6. Indigenising God: The Conflict between Fact and ValueBibliographyIndex

James L. Cox is Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies in the University of Edinburgh. His most recent books include An Introduction to the Phenomenology of Religion, From Primitive to Indigenous: The Academic Study of Indigenous Religions and A Guide to the Phenomenology of Religion.

"Cox's insightful study of the concept of the 'high god' in four indigenous cultures, and its complex relationship with Christian missionary preaching of the Biblical God, is a major scholarly achievement." – Carole M. Cusack, University of Sydney"This book is an excellent argument for the need to study indigenous religions as the beliefs and practices of indigenous peoples, as traditions in their own rights." – Bettina E. Schmidt, University of Wales Trinity Saint David"Cox is clear that 'invention', adoption and adaptation are common and everyday occurrences in all cultures and religions. He challenges the ideological motivations of theological and (still) colonial pursuits and proposes that scholars should seek to understand indigenous religious, even as they evolve, rather than use them to bolster polemical agendas and comparisons." – Graham Harvey, Open University

• Preface1. The ‘God’ Controversy in Pre-Christian Indigenous Religions2. Making Mwari Christian: The Shona of Zimbabwe3. How God Became Australian: Transforming the Rainbow Serpent into the Rainbow Spirit4. The Alaskan Exception: The ‘Person of the Universe’ and Christian Neglect5. The Debate over Io as the Pre-Christian Māori Supreme Being6. Indigenising God: The Conflict between Fact and ValueBibliographyIndex

James L. Cox is Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies in the University of Edinburgh. His most recent books include An Introduction to the Phenomenology of Religion, From Primitive to Indigenous: The Academic Study of Indigenous Religions and A Guide to the Phenomenology of Religion.

"Cox's insightful study of the concept of the 'high god' in four indigenous cultures, and its complex relationship with Christian missionary preaching of the Biblical God, is a major scholarly achievement." – Carole M. Cusack, University of Sydney"This book is an excellent argument for the need to study indigenous religions as the beliefs and practices of indigenous peoples, as traditions in their own rights." – Bettina E. Schmidt, University of Wales Trinity Saint David"Cox is clear that 'invention', adoption and adaptation are common and everyday occurrences in all cultures and religions. He challenges the ideological motivations of theological and (still) colonial pursuits and proposes that scholars should seek to understand indigenous religious, even as they evolve, rather than use them to bolster polemical agendas and comparisons." – Graham Harvey, Open University

• Preface1. The ‘God’ Controversy in Pre-Christian Indigenous Religions2. Making Mwari Christian: The Shona of Zimbabwe3. How God Became Australian: Transforming the Rainbow Serpent into the Rainbow Spirit4. The Alaskan Exception: The ‘Person of the Universe’ and Christian Neglect5. The Debate over Io as the Pre-Christian Māori Supreme Being6. Indigenising God: The Conflict between Fact and ValueBibliographyIndex