Introduction

Abstract

The Introduction presents the issue of the importance of Hegel’s account of the world religions and the neglect of this material in the secondary literature. An account is given of the quite limited secondary literature on this topic. The main theses of the work are stated: Hegel’s interpretation and defense of Christianity cannot be properly understood without an appreciation of his assessment of the other world religions. A key claim in his argument is that the different religions develop historically parallel to the development of human culture and spirit. Thus, the story of the development of the different conceptions of the gods is at the same time the story of the development of human freedom.