Acknowledgments -- Introduction: Polytheism and Economics -- Part I The Beginnings -- 2 Greeks and Romans: The Religions Without Professional Priests -- 3 Celts and Germans: The Elusive Religions -- 4 Indians and Iranians: The Priestly Religions -- Part II The Endings -- 5 Extinction: Polytheism...

The Roman Catholic Church has been turning out new saints for two millennia. The argument advanced here is that the saint-making process is arranged as an open contest for sainthood: by combining competitive initiative and pressure from below with exclusive adjudication from above, it provides...