Product Description

When he was 26, the great psychoanalyst and philosopher Erich Fromm abandoned Judaism, though he himself was descended from a long line of rabbis and the product of a devout Jewish upbringing. The title essay of this collection was first published in 1930, just four years after he made that first, decisive split. It was to point towards the future Fromm's work, presenting the view that an understanding of basic human needs is essential to the understanding of society and mankind itself. The following essays too, show a man who would eventually establish himself as a major thinker, producing some of that era's most influential and astute political works.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #959257 in Books
• Published on: 2004-07-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 200 pages

Review

'The problems - individual, social, and methodological - that Fromm addresses in his various writings are, if anything, more serious and urgent today, hence the timeliness of this welcome Routledge Classics edition.' - David M. Wulff, Wheaton College, Massachusetts

The problems - individual, social, and methodological - that Fromm addresses in his various writings are, if anything, more serious and urgent today, hence the timeliness of this welcome Routledge Classics edition. - David M. Wulff, Wheaton College, Massachusetts

Customer Reviews

Another insightful book from Fromm
This is an early work of Fromm's, written when he was still a strict Freudian. His views changed later, but this is still a good book that has some other short essays. The title has an evangelical sound to it, but a better title would have probably been "the politics of christ". Basically the book describes how the emperor cult of Rome failed and the oppressed poor began to express their hate for the rich and powerful to the level of religious fantasy. To quote from the book, "An illusion shared by everyone becomes a reality. The oldest of these collective fantasy satisfactions is religion." One reviewer calls this book the beginning of "psychohistory".

an Marxian / Freudian interpretation of Christianity
Fromm writes very clearly. He develops an argument that early Christian interpretations of Christ rested on seeing Jesus as a man who through his suffering became equal to God. This hopeful view allowed the exploited peasant classes who were dominated by the Pharisees, the Roman occupation and the Herodians to have some hope for the future given the projected immanent triumphant return promised in the gospels and in the teaching of Paul. As time passed and persons outside of the Jews homeland became adherents, the views of Christ changed and Christ was seen as created at the same time as God and equal to God. Fromm interprets this change as a way of substituting for the emperor worship common at the time and yet supporting the state. Religion becomes more spiritual with emphasis on the guilt of the individual that can only be alleviated by the agents of the church. Christianity changes from a revolutionary movement to a movement supporting the political system by the time of Constantine. This view of Christianity should be compared to Rodney Stark's, THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY which offers a dramatically different interpretation of the same historical period.

Outstanding !!!
Erich Fromm has written another chef-d'oeuvre !
He has demonstrated in his book "The Dogma Of Christ" his mastery in analyzing religion as it pertains to the human condition.
Mr. Fromm's essays in "The Dogma of Christ" are thought provoking, spiritually transcending, and emotionally rejuvenating.....