ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Daniel Boyarin

Daniel Boyarin is a man who studies religion and the way people think about it. He looks at how people in the past and now have used stories and ideas from religion to help them understand the world around them. Kind of like how we use stories or fairy tales to learn moral lessons.

Boyarin also studies how religion has changed over time and why people have different beliefs. It’s like how we have different favorite foods or colors than our friends, even though we’re all humans. He looks at the different ways people have practiced religion throughout history, and how the meanings and teachings of religions have evolved.

Sometimes, Boyarin helps people understand religious ideas by using comparisons or examples from other religions. He does this to help show people how similar different religions can be. It’s kind of like how pizza is similar to bread, even though it’s made with different ingredients and cooked in a different way.

In a big picture perspective, Daniel Boyarin is interested in exploring how religious beliefs shape cultures and shape the way we see the world.