Religion is one of the most powerful forces running through human history, and although often presented as a force for good, its impact is frequently violent and divisive. This provocative work brings together cutting-edge research from both evolutionary and cognitive psychology to help readers understand the psychological structure of religious morality and the origins of religious violence.

• Introduces a fundamentally new approach to the analysis of religion in a style accessible to the general reader
• Applies insights from evolutionary and cognitive psychology to both...