A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam
 | Ballantine Books, 1994, Paperback Customer Rating: 200 reviews Recommend |
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"An admirable and impressive work of synthesis that will give insight and satisfaction to thousands of lay readers."
THE WASHINGTON POST BOOK WORLD
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. From classical philsophy and medieval mysticism to the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and the modern age of skepticism, 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.
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: A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam
Sales Rank: 4415 in Books
Author: Karen Armstrong
Publisher: Ballantine Books, 1994-08-09, Paperback, 496 pages, ISBN: 0345384563
Package Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches, 0.85 pounds
- 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
- If you want to learn about man's journey to discover GOD.
- You can learn a lot about man's search for GOD from the beginning. 14,000 years ago. More reviews
