Stark discusses the assumptions of an evolutionary approach to religion, and along the way presents some challenges which I have already blogged. He then confirms that developed monotheism does arise in more complex cultures, but then makes a very interesting exception:
Thus, although it remains significant that such a God is acknowledged in some quite unsophisticated groups, fully developed dualistic monotheism is very uncommon and does only seem to appear in a more complex cultural context. Keep in mind, however, that the ancient Hebrews were far from being the most advanced society of their day. Why them? That remains one of the greatest of all historical questions - and one rather unlikely ever to be fully answered.
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