"No one has done so much as Mr. Eliade to inform literate students in the west about 'primitive' and oriental religions. Two whole generations have satisfied their curiosity about these religions under the tutelage of Mr. Eliade (whose later career unfolded at the Sorbonne and the University of Chicago). To neglect the possibilities of this work as a reference or classroom tool would be unfortunate. It would be even more unfortunate to relegate it to such uses alone, because everyone who cares about the human adventure will find new information and new angles of vision here. "-Martin E. Marty, The New york rimes Book Review,
"[A History of Religious Ideas, volume l] will arouse the interest of all historians of western religion, since it includes chapters on the religions of Canaan and Israel. However, the book must be read cover to cover if one wants to grasp the significance of its gigantic historical scope. . . . Not only has the work unity through Eliade's authorship, but it lays the foundation of the history of religions' edifice of which he has been one of the principal architects." -Kees W. Bolle, Church History