Mircea Eliade's Vision for a Ne Humanism [Hardcover]

The influential scholar of religion Mircea Eliade envisioned a spiritually destitute modern culture coming into renewed meaning through the recovery of archetypal myths and symbols. Eliade defined this restoration of meaning as a new humanism of existential meaning and cultural-religious unity. Through a biographical exegesis of Eliade's life and writings from his earliest years in Romania to his final ones as professor of the history of religions at the University of Chicago, Cave sets forward a structural description of what this new humanism might have meant for Eliade, and what it signifies for modern culture. Cave concludes by endorsing Eliade's radically pluralistic vision which, he argues, offers a key to the revitalization of our demythologized and material culture. This study repositions previous Eliadean studies and places the new humanism as the paradigm in relation to which future readings of Eliade should be evaluated.

Recommended for all students of the humanities. --Choice

A compelling survey of Eliade's `New Humanistic' perspective....Cave's knowledge is very extensive and sound, his ideas as well as his style are clear and orderly. It will make excellent reading for graduate students of religion, or for gifted undergraduates. --Ioan P. Culianu

This is presently the most thorough study of Eliade's oeuvre. --Worship

In this impressive work, David Cave demonstrates extensive knowledge of and a personal feel for his subject matter....This is one of the most sympathetic major studies ever written about Eliade. --The Journal of Religion

Mircea Eliade's Vision for a New Humanismis a scholarly, thought-provoking study that deserves perusal by anyone concerned for the future of civilization. --NAOS