Confronted by the mystery of existence, he has explained it by the story of Creation.

Confronted by the twin mysteries of sin and sorrow, he has explained them by the story of the Fall.

From the story of the Fall he has passed on to the doctrine of original sin, to the belief that Nature in general, and human nature in particular, is corrupt and ruined, and therefore intrinsically evil.

Shrinking from the hopeless prospect which this belief opens up to him, he has found refuge in the conception of another world,--of a world above and beyond Nature, a world of Divine perfection from which information and guidance can at God's good pleasure be doled out to Man.

For a "supernatural revelation" (as theologians call this sending of help from God to Man) special instruments are obviously needed,--a special People, a special Scripture, a special Lawgiver, a special Prophet, a special Church.