Introduction

'The secret of theology is anthropology.' In this book Feuerbach argues that God did not create man in his image; man created God in his. Man separates his own finest qualities, reason, love, will and goodness, from himself and projects them into the heavens, worshipping them as an infinitely perfect being independent of himself; the richer God becomes, the poorer man is. Religion is man's alienation from his own essence. Feuerbach calls on man to take back these alienated qualities and turn from love of God to love of man: 'Man is God to man.' The book shook the whole of German thought, directly drove the turn of the Young Hegelians, profoundly influenced Marx and Engels, and later Nietzsche and Freud as well. This volume translates its most important parts.