What Is Religion?: Introducing the Study of Religion Book

Very good book explaing the Christian materialist position in a way that does not assume much of the reader in terms of prior knowledge. Corcoran first offers some problems with dualism (in Cartesian and Thomistic forms). He then offers some problems with anthropological materialisms that assume that we are identical to our bodies. He then sets forth his view, arguing that we are not identical to our bodies (as the statue of David is not identical to the slab of marbel that constitutes him) but we are constitued by our bodies, and are so essentially. Next, he argues that a materialst view of human persons can take a strong moral stance on questions of abortion and euthenasia. Corcoran then discusses how his position fits in with the doctrine of the resurrection, finally summing everything up and briefly addressing some favorite dualist verses.