Rue, Loyal

Loyal Rue is an American philosopher and emeritus professor at Luther College who has made significant contributions to naturalistic philosophy of religion and the evolutionary understanding of religious phenomena. His most influential work, Religion Is Not about God (2005), presents a provocative naturalistic account of religion that challenges traditional theistic assumptions. Rue argues that religion's primary function is not to connect humans with a supernatural deity but rather to create and maintain coherent worldviews that promote human flourishing and social cohesion. Drawing from evolutionary biology and cognitive science, he contends that religious myths and rituals serve adaptive functions by addressing existential anxieties and fostering cooperation within communities. His work represents a sophisticated attempt to preserve the value of religion while rejecting supernatural metaphysics, positioning him as an important voice in contemporary naturalistic approaches to religious phenomena.