For most people the idea of a scientific analysis of faith will sound like an oxymoron. Indeed for many the mere thought will be abhorrent. But I would suggest that there are a few strands of analysis that offer some interesting insights. Hopefully these insights may even be palatable to the faithful.
First it is fairly evident that religious concepts are structured as myths. By that I do not mean simplistically to contend that they are false. Rather I mean to say that religious beliefs supply a contextual framework (usually a creation story) that culminates in a view that places humans at the centre of creation; they also evoke a purpose for human existence.
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