Why does God exist? How have the three dominant monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—shaped and altered the conception of God? How have these religions influenced each other? In this stunningly intelligent book, Karen Armstrong, one of Britain's foremost commentators on religious affairs, traces the history of how men and women have perceived and experienced God, from the time of Abraham to the present. The epic story begins with the Jews' gradual transformation of pagan idol worship in Babylon into true monotheism—a concept previously unknown in the world. Christianity and Islam both rose on the foundation of this revolutionary idea, but these religions refashioned 'the One God' to suit the social and political needs of their followers. From classical philosophy and medieval mysticism to the Reformation, Karen Armstrong performs the near miracle of distilling the intellectual history of monotheism into one superbly readable volume, destined to take its place as a classic. Praise for History of God “An admirable and impressive work of synthesis that will give insight and satisfaction to thousands of lay readers.”—The Washington Post Book World “A brilliantly lucid, spendidly readable book. [Karen] Armstrong has a dazzling ability: she can take a long and complex subject and reduce it to the fundamentals, without oversimplifying.”—The Sunday Times (London) “Absorbing . . . A lode of learning.”—Time “The most fascinating and learned study of the biggest wild goose chase in history—the quest for God. Karen Armstrong is a genius.”—A.N. Wilson, author of Jesus: A Life
Explores the ways in which the "idea" and "experience" of God evolved among monotheists--Jews, Christians and Muslims.
More than just a history of our understanding of God, this book is an attempt to get to the root of this humanizing impulse in order to develop a more universal spirituality.
Reveals how the fundamentalist movements in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam were born out of a dread of modernity.
The Eden story is certainly not a morality tale; like any paradise myth, it is an imaginary account of the infancy of the human race. In Eden, Adam and Eve are still in the womb; they have to grow up, and the snake is there to guide ...
In this book we will look at the history and "evolution" of the three deities making up the bulk of the world's religions and the evolution of the religions formed from the worship of these three deities.
She also explores how indigenous people in Central America, Africa, and Asia remade Mary and so fit her into their own cultures.Beautifully written and finely illustrated, this book is a triumph of sympathy and intelligence.
A revised and updated compilation of the history volumes from his best-selling People of God series, this book will help you understand how the Church developed in relation to, or in rebellion against, the larger culture.
This title guides the general reader through an interpretation of existence and meaning, from Judaism to Buddhism, Christianity and Islam. With many photographs and illustrations, it provides an insight into our relationship with God.
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A scholarly exploration of the life of Jesus seeks to separate historical information from the faith-based tenets of his life, analyzing the role played by politics in his rise to power, the miraculous events attributed to him, and the ...