Das Tagebuch der Menschheit

God casts Adam and Eve out of Paradise, Noah's Ark survives the Flood, and Jesus of Nazareth raises the dead to life – the fascinating stories of the Bible are an integral part of our culture. Yet, they are full of riddles and contradictions that centuries of theological controversies have not been able to resolve. Evolutionary biologist Carel van Schaik and historian Kai Michel now reveal a hidden side of the Bible for the first time. They read the Holy Scripture not as the word of God, but as a diary of humanity, offering astonishing insights into the cultural evolution of Homo sapiens. Suddenly, the ancient stories begin to shine in a new light.

The expulsion from the Garden of Eden marks perhaps the most consequential event in human history: the transition from life as hunter-gatherers to settled existence with agriculture and animal husbandry, which led not only to progress but also to inequality, patriarchy, and large, anonymous societies. However, people were neither biologically nor culturally equipped to deal with the resulting problems. The Bible documents in astonishing ways how they struggled to adapt, how they tried to make sense of the previously unknown extent of human suffering in the form of exploitation, war, and disease. It also shows where the need for spirituality comes from and why people have not always been preoccupied with the fear of death.

The authors take us on a journey full of surprises, leading from Eden through the Exodus from Egypt to Golgotha and the Apocalypse. This opens up a new perspective on the cultural evolution of humanity and religion. We understand why many of the biblical problems continue to concern us today and why many of us feel a longing for Paradise. The Bible is indeed the book of books. It matters to us even when we...