<p>In the wake of great personal tragedy, National Book Award Winner and <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author Elaine Pagels reflects on the persistence and nature of belief and why religion matters</p><p>Why does religion still exist in the twenty-first century? And why do so many people--even, and especially, those who challenge religion--continue to argue about the questions it raises? These questions took on a new urgency for Pagels when she was dealing with unimaginable loss--the death of her young son, followed a year later by the shocking loss of her husband. Here she interweaves a personal story with the work that she loves, illuminating how, for better and worse, religious traditions have shaped how we understand ourselves; how we relate to one another; and, most important, how we get through the most difficult challenges we face. A provocative and deeply moving memoir from one of the most compelling religious thinkers at work today, Why Religion? explores the spiritual dimension of human experience.</p>