Religio Duplex: How the Enlightenment Reinvented Egyptian Religion

"Religio Duplex: How the Enlightenment Reinvented Egyptian Religion" is a dissertation by German Egyptologist Jan Assmann on the evolution of the concept of "religio duplex", in which religion takes two forms, possessing both a public and an arcane theology, which may manifest themselves in rational/revealed, popular/elite, uninitiated/initiated, exoteric/esoteric, sensual/spiritual, and/or universal/particular faces of the religion. The topic is relevant, Assmann asserts, because "religion has a place in the our globalized world only as `religio duplex', that is, as religion that understands itself as one among many and has learned to see itself through the eyes of the other, without losing sight of the concealed god or concealed truth that forms the vanishing point of all religions." He is proposing a practical way for diverse religions to relate to one another in the modern world, as many have before him, but Assmann offers a theological and historical basis for it.Jan Assmann is in a excellent position to do this, as he is both Emeritus Professor of Egyptology at Heidelberg University and Professor of Cultural Studies and Theory of Religion at the University of Konstanz. His dual specialties allow rare insight into the history of "religio duplex", because the concept first appeared in Greek writings about ancient Egyptian religion. These depicted Egyptian religion as two-tiered, with a pronounced divide between the popular and elite relationships to the gods, demonstrated graphically in the alphabetic demotic script of the common man and the pictographic hieroglyphs, considered to be the language of the gods and only decipherable by elite scribes and priests. Assmann does point out that this was the Greek perception of Egyptian religion, learned from second-hand sources who had their own agendas. But he is speaking of the concept of "religio duplex" at this point, not of religions in themselves.While the fascination with ancient Egyptian religion as a "religio duplex" peaked in the late 18th century, Assmann also incorporates the idea of Judaism as a "religio duplex". It was presented as such by the Medieval philosopher Maimonides, who made a distinction between juristic and ritual law. The purpose of juristic law is the "establishment of a just social order", while that of ritual law is the "abolition of idolatry and the triumph of the true religion." Assmann also points to the work of Moses Mendelssohn in the late 18th century as being instrumental, along with that of dramaturg Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, in reinterpreting the "religio duplex" of the ancients into a dichotomy of universality (Mendelssohn's "religion of mankind") and cosmopolitanism (particular religion), that tends to be the way that the industrialized world views religion today. Between these concepts of "religio duplex" lay the contributions of Enlightenment philosophers and "scientific freemasonry."I was frustrated that Assmann left me wondering whether or not he agreed with the Greek interpretation of Egyptian religion as a "religio duplex". It turns out that question is addressed, for the Hebrew Bible as well as for Egyptian religion, in the last chapter. While I agree with Assmann's conclusion that the popular and arcane forms of religion are now "relocated within the individual," and "religio duplex" is the future of religion on an increasingly globalized planet, I see a danger in assuming, as Assmann has, that the First World values that he considers universal emanate from natural, universal values rather than from elitist, revealed theories. It is sometimes the latter. It is also important to recognize that different parts of the world are at different stages in socio-political development and are not necessarily prepared for a "religio duplex". In any case, Assmann is thought-provoking, and I very much appreciate the insight into the history of this concept.

This book is a rather short academic treatise on what the author calls Religio Duplex and it examines how thinkng about religion became split between natural religion and revealed religion in such a way as to allow both reason to flourish within this construct, which was precipitated by new information about the nature of Egyptian religion that came with the ability to read and understand the hieroglyphs.At times I felt a bit lost as the author seemed to frame the entire conversation in terms of natural religion being essentially a soft polytheism, and I was hoping for a bit more balanced approach of soft and hard polytheism. There are some nuggets of original thought throughout the book though, that makes it well worth reading for anyone interested in comparative religion or philosophy, or more specifically, Spinoza.The introduction was almost painful to read- it was rather tedious and academic. The rest of the book was a very easy read,at times plodding but accentuated with tiny bits of interesting, original thought, such as the idea that Greek treatises on Egyptian religion might be reconsidered as less Greek, and more Egyptian packaged to sell to Greeks, or the idea that people are the 'Livestock of God,' or ideas on globalization, such as this duplex of thought allowing religions be accepted as merely different paths and filters..The book is extremely well documented, at least 1/3 of the book is citations that should help a serious student delve more deeply into the source material. It is more for those interested in philosophy, Spinoza, history, than for Egyptologists. Modern neopagans, might find it of some interest as well.

Jan Assman's "Religio Duplex" was a very interesting read. Likely more for academics or history buffs because Assman's use of terminology is used freely and without explanation for curious, drive-by readers. In other words, the vocabulary used is applicable to the subject so if you are familiar with the subject, you'll be okay.As to the theme, I thought the author did a good job of presenting the case although I did feel that it wandered at times. Very well researched though and as with most Polity lines, the size of the book stays a compact under 200 pgs. So while the writing may wander at times, the overall still has a feeling of being focused and on point.