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The material condensed into the 168 pages of this small volume could profitably be expanded into a library. A great assortment of primitive ceremonials, ancient religions, philosophic and ethical systems, modern religions and cults are brought together with the four outstanding social substitutes for religion—Nazism, Fascism, the New Order in Asia and Communism, in a praiseworthy attempt to find a common denominator and basis for classification. Psychoanalysis is briefly discussed and referred to off and on throughout the book.
Most of the space is devoted to a consideration of movements and practices of a more or less religious nature, and the reader will find a mass of descriptive material on this subject, gathered together in a not very orderly fashion. The author is clearly a scholar, widely read and widely travelled, a good observer and possessed of an unusual flair for the significant. But his sketchy presentation of complex subject-matter makes difficult reading for persons not already familiar with the field, and his agility in jumping suddenly from one line of thinking to another, without troubling to make the connection, is rather disconcerting. The illustrations moreover seem to be only remotely related to the text.
In the last chapter an alignment is suggested between the stages of a successful analysis and certain religious practices which are considered as being psycho-therapeutic in character.
The temper of the book is earnest and honest. Dr. Hopkins is really an explorer, pushing at times into new territory, making his notes and taking his measurements—but not as yet in any position to present us with a map.