A History of God - by Karen Armstrong (Paperback)

About the Book

In this stunningly intelligent book, one of Britain's foremost religious scholars distills the intellectual history of monotheism into one superbly readable volume, destined to take its place as a classic. (Theology)

Book Synopsis

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - In this "brilliantly lucid, splendidly readable book" (The Sunday Times), one of Britain's foremost commentators on religion explores how people have perceived and experienced God throughout history, from the time of Abraham to the present.

"An admirable and impressive work of synthesis that will give insight and satisfaction to thousands of lay readers."--The Washington Post Book World

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 A History of God, celebrated religious commentator Karen Armstrong presents a stunningly intelligent journey that spans centuries to understand humanity's ever-changing relationship to monotheistic religion.

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 engrossing volume.

Review Quotes

"Witty, informative, and contemplative. Ms. Armstrong can simplify complex ideas."--The New York Times Book Review

"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, splendidly 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

"Highly readable and ought to be read . . . . Karen Armstrong has read widely, has missed nothing, and gives us as solid a purview of the God of the past as it would be possible to find in a book."--Anthony Burgess, The Observer

"Armstrong refreshes the understanding of what one knows, and provides a clear introduction to the unfamiliar. . . . 'Yearning, ' said Augustine, 'makes the heart deep.' That is the theme which runs through this lucid book, and the note of hope on which it ends."--Robert Runcie, former Archbishop of Canterbury

"An enormously intellectually challenging book. A fascinating way of approaching the subject."--Rabbi Julia Neuberger

"Magisterial and brilliant . . . An extraordinary survey, [a] superb kaleidoscopic history of religion . . . thorough, intelligent, and highly readable."--Kirkus Reviews

"Besides providing a great deal of religious history, [Armstrong] discusses the various philosophers, mystics, and reformers associated with these religions. . . . An excellent and informative book."--Library Journal

"This searching, profound comparative history . . . fearlessly illuminates the sociopolitical ground in which religious ideas take root, blossom and mutate."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Karen Armstrong is the author of numerous books on religion, including The Case for God, A History of God, The Battle for God, Holy War, Islam, Buddha, and Fields of Blood, as well as a memoir, The Spiral Staircase. Her work has been translated into 45 languages. In 2008 she was awarded the TED Prize and began working with TED on the Charter for Compassion, created online by the general public, crafted by leading thinkers in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. It was launched globally in the fall of 2009. Also in 2008, she was awarded the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Medal. In 2013, she received the British Academy's inaugural Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize for Transcultural Understanding.