Thou Art That Transforming Religious Metaphor

In these expertly collected essays, lectures, and discussions, famed mythologist Joseph Campbell illuminates Judeo-Christian symbols and metaphors — and their misinterpretations — with the conversational warmth and accessible scholarship that he brought into so many living rooms during his groundbreaking conversations with Bill Moyers. Ranging across religious and mythological history and geography, Campbell highlights centuries of confusion between literal and metaphorical approaches to religious story and argues that the symbols of the Western religions are perennially relevant keys to spiritual understanding and mystical revelation. Whether discussing the virgin birth, miracles, or the cross, Campbell’s voice is uniquely engaging. It “comes through, vibrant and generous, as if we are with him in a room flooded with life.” (Parabola magazine.)

Joseph Campbell (1904–1987) is widely credited with bringing mythology to a mass audience. His works, including the four-volume The Masks of God and The Power of Myth (with Bill Moyers), rank among the classics in mythology and literature. Eugene Kennedy, PhD is a psychologist, syndicated columnist, and a professor emeritus of Loyola University Chicago. A laicized Catholic priest, he has written over fifty books on psychology, religion, the Catholic church, and the psychology of religion.