History of God CD SP
 | By Karen Armstrong, Armstrong Karen HarperAudio, 1975, Audio CD Customer Rating: 200 reviews Recommend This product is currently not available and cannot be purchased. It means that we have no merchant offers for this product at the moment or it was discontinued by the manufacturer. |
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"Strange as it may seem, the idea of 'God' developed in a market economy in a spirit of aggressive capitalism," Karen Armstrong asserts in her fascinating work A History of God. Armstrong considers herself a "historian of ideas," and with this broad view she gives a compelling account of the correspondences among Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and the historical, philosophical, intellectual, and social developments through the ages that both shaped them and were shaped by them.
Religion is "highly pragmatic," Armstrong finds. Any particular idea of God must work for the people who develop it. Consequently, as the times have changed, so have our ideas about God. "Understanding the ever-changing ideas of God in the past and their relevance and usefulness in their time," she says, "will help us to develop a new concept for the future."
Today an increasing number of people have difficulty with the idea of a God that behaves as a larger version of themselves. Armstrong sees this as inevitable, and welcomes believers to a notion of God that "works for us in the empirical age."
Armstrong, a British journalist and former nun, guides us along one of the most elusive and fascinating quests of all time — the search for God. Like all beloved historians, Armstrong entertains us with deft storytelling, astounding research, and makes us feel a greater appreciation for the present because we better understand our past. Be warned: A History of God is not a tidy linear history. Rather, we learn that the definition of God is constantly being repeated, altered, discarded, and resurrected through the ages, responding to its followers' practical concerns rather than to mystical mandates. Armstrong also shows us how Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have overlapped and influenced one another, gently challenging the secularist history of each of these religions. — Gail Hudson
Title: History of God CD SP
Sales Rank: 2534081 in Books
Author: Karen Armstrong
Creator: Armstrong Karen
Publisher: HarperAudio, Abridged edition, 1975-01-01, Audio CD, ISBN: 0060743352
- A History of God.
- This was my first used book order. It was in very good condition as promised. I would recommend this site to my friends. … More reviews
- unenlightened
- While Ms Armstrong is very well researched on Christian and Moslem beliefs and customs, her understanding of Judaism was not as strong and it was quite apparent in my read thru. Ms Armstrong presents an out dated view of Judaism with a revengeful and jealous G-d. She would be best served by visiting an Aish Hatorah web site the next time she chooses to write about… More reviews
- Temple, Sepulchre, Ka'aba
- Writing a single book on a topic so vast and clotted with controversy, it was never going to be possible to please everyone. For some this book is too dry and scholarly, for others it isn't nearly scholarly enough. But no fulltime scholar would touch such an ambitious, border-crossing project: you'd step on too many toes and, gulp, you might be Wrong sometimes!
- Excellent Introduction to the Human Concept of God
- As a religious Christian, I wish to thank Karen Armstrong for this wonderful book that taught me about the depth and richness of my religion and its history, as well as of other religions that believe in God. This is not an easy book, of course, but then who ever said that theology is easy? Flipping through the first few pages I was at first appalled at what… More reviews
- A true work of scholarship
- This scholarly book traces the cultural and philosophical evolution of the human conception of God surrounding the 3 major monotheistic faiths. Armstrong explains the common lineage, the similarities and the variance of the conceptual understandings of God that shape people's lives...for better or for worse. This book is best understood if you have a little bit of background in religious and… More reviews
