The Thing about Religion: An Introduction to the Material Study of Religions

fact that religious experiences and institutions can also broaden our horizons and deepen our understanding of rights and dignity. This role of religions does not really shine within the book. Admittedly, the book’s approach replicates the general narrative that promotes the reconciliation between rights and religions; therefore, Salama and Wiener should not be blamed too much for replicating it. The imbalance between rights and religions makes the volume only partially useful, however; it can serve environments where religions could learn from human rights, but it is probably of little use where a certain understanding of human dignity and rights obliterates or is even hostile to religions and to religious freedom. The latter scenario is nowadays all but hypothetical.