Alternative Theologies

If history had unfolded differently, then religious traditions and practices would be different. Probably, there would be some kind of polytheisms, monotheisms and yogic/meditative practices. A Jewish man in a Manchester synagogue told a group of student teachers, including myself, that a Christian or a Muslim could attend synagogue worship and not hear anything to disagree with. Unsatisfying: no reference to Jesus; no reading from the Koran... (This guy impressed us with his grasp pf the essences of the different traditions.) He could have added Sikh (no reading from the Granth...) or theistic Hindu (no reading from the Veda...)

If any of us were transported into a parallel universe/alternative history, then we would probably continue to practice there whatever we have been accustomed to practice here. Monotheists would continue to pray. If I were on Avalon or anywhere else in Poul Anderson's multiverse, then I would continue to practice zazen. (For what it is worth, Part II of my Draft Talk on Zazen is now here.)

Poul Anderson imagines not only alternative histories but also alternative cosmologies where different pantheons literally exist. If I found that I was in a world where Odin was wandering around in the world of men and Thor was passing in thunder overhead, then I would have to acknowledge their existence in some way while continuing to meditate.