The End of World Religion

Abstract

To begin with I would like to clarify the implications of my title. The word ‘end’ has at least two meanings: it means ‘limit’, ‘boundary’, or ‘ceasing to be’, and ‘aim’, ‘objective’, ‘purpose’, or ‘reason for being’. In the first sense, it is somewhat negative, referring to a spatial, temporal, or existential limit of some kind. The second, more positive, meaning signifies a direction to move toward, a final goal to be attained, or an ultimate reason to be realized. This double implication gives a dynamic ambiguity quite appropriate to the present purpose, for I wish to discuss the limitations of ‘world religions’ in their present forms and the authentic form of the ‘world religion’ to be realized in the future.