Taxonomia Religionum

A Comparative Taxonomy for the World's Life Frameworks

29 traditions across 11 families, analyzed through 13 functional dimensions

Synthesis — Stories Are the Data

~15 min

Learning Objectives

  • Articulate the four major findings of the study
  • Explain the "stable configuration" concept using convergent evolution as analogy
  • Connect statistical patterns back to narrative evidence through the creation story parallel
  • Understand how quantitative and narrative methods complement each other

The final lesson ties everything together: four major findings, the concept of stable configurations, and how the numbers and stories work together to reveal patterns in human meaning-making.

Why This Matters

When we first discovered the Diné-Māori match — 7 out of 7 — it was a number. Striking, yes, but abstract. It only became meaningful when we went back to the actual stories.