The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross: A Study of the Nature and Origins of Christianity Within the Fertility Cults of the Ancient Near East. 1970. First Edition. The dust jacket has some wear on the edges. The only notable damage is slight staining on the top of the title page. Near fine condition. Colorful mushroom photo at the beginning and a few B&W illustrations/diagrams throughout the book.
“The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross” by John M. Allegro, published in 1970, proposes that early Christianity and other religions may have origins in fertility cults using hallucinogenic mushrooms. Allegro, known for his work on the Dead Sea Scrolls, controversially suggests that religious stories, including those about Jesus, could symbolically reflect mushroom rituals. The book sparked debate for challenging traditional views on the origins of Christianity and religious experiences, though it faced criticism from scholars questioning Allegro’s interpretations and evidence. Allegro contends, using etymology, that the foundations of Christianity and numerous other religions stem from fertility cults. He suggests that these cults practiced rituals involving the consumption of hallucinogenic plants to attain divine insight.
