Table of Contents

Contents: Preface; A Survey of the Historical Development of Religion in Ancient Egypt; Introduction; The Predynastic and Early Dynastic Communities; The Predynastic societies; The Dynastic Race; The political and social organisation of the Naqada II communities; The Unification of Egypt; The political organisation of the Early Dynastic period; Religious beliefs and practices during the Predynastic and Early Dynastic Periods; The contribution of the Archaic Period; The Old Kingdom; Organisation of the society; Religious organisation; Cosmogonies; The cult of Re; The Wisdom Literature; The funerary beliefs and customs of the Old Kingdom; The Pyramid Texts; The tombs of the nobility; Tomb art -- the underlying principles; The decline of the Old Kingdom; The First Intermediate Period and the; Middle Kingdom; Collapse of the society; Restoration of political order; The Middle Kingdom; Religious developments in Dynasties 11 and 12; Royal funerary monuments of Dynasties 11 and 12; The royal jewellery of the Middle Kingdom; A pyramid workmen's village; Osiris and the democratisation of funerary beliefs; The tombs of the nobles during the First Intermediate; Period and the Middle Kingdom; Tomb equipment and furniture; The New Kingdom; The period of Hyksos rule; The role of Amen-Re (Amun); The Egyptian temple; The priesthood; The role of religion in education; The role of religion in the law; The role of religion in medicine; Household gods and personal piety; The relationship between Egyptian and foreign cults and deities; Funerary beliefs and practices in the New Kingdom; The court of Amenophis III; History of the Aten; Aspects of Atenism; The counter-revolution; Some Contributions made by Egyptian Religion to other Religions; Index.

About the Author

Xinzhong Yao is a professor of Chinese religion at King's College. He is the author of several books, including Religious Experience in Contemporary China.

Reviews

"This deeply thoughtful and charitable book is a valuable contribution to the dialogue among religions." -- The Expository Times.
"For its many genuine insights into both similarities and differences between these two religions, this is a useful work." -- Choice.
"A careful and sensitive comparison of Christian agape and Confucian jen." -- Peter Baelz, Emeritus Dean of Durham and formerly Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology, University of Oxford.
"This book has opened a new horizon in the comparative study of religion." -- Prof. D. P. Davies, Pro Vice-Chancellor, University of Wales, Lampeter.