identity of Yahweh is seen to evolve by absorbing the characteristics of other deities (convergence) while at the same time rejecting certain characteristics and cultic activity (differentiation). I find such a perception quite valuable, and Smith’s exposition is excellent. In a general textbook William Tremmel proposes terminology in his discussion of world religions which dovetails admirably with my ideas. He speaks of how a religion reaches a point where it experiences an intellectual breakthrough