A History of God
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Vintage Publishing
Published:7th Jan '99
Should be back in stock very soon
The bestselling and seminal work from one of our foremost commentators on religion.
The idea of a single devine being - God, Yahweh, Allah - has existed for over 4,000 years. A controversial, extraordinary story of worship and war, A History of God confronts the most fundamental fact - or fiction - of our lives.
God has a history, and it is far from simple
For more than four thousand years, people have argued, worshipped, fought and wondered over the idea of a single divine being. Karen Armstrong traces how that idea changed across Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and why those changes mattered.
Beginning with the religious worlds of antiquity, A History of God follows the development of Israelite monotheism, Christian ideas of the Trinity, the revelations of Islam, medieval philosophy and mysticism, Reformation conflict, Enlightenment scepticism and modern atheism.
Scripture, theology, philosophy and mystical writing reveal not one fixed concept of God handed down unchanged, but repeated attempts to speak about transcendence in the language of a particular age.
The result is a history of belief that shows human beings trying to understand what lies beyond them. For readers interested in religion, philosophy and the origins of modern debates about faith, it shows why arguments about God have always also been arguments about society, morality and human meaning.
This is the most fascinating and learned survey of the biggest wild-goose chase in history - the quest for God. Karen Armstrong is a genius -- A.N. Wilson
A splendidly readable book...the stage is set for the question: has God a future? -- Sister Wendy Beckett * Sunday Times *
We are all watching a daily fight between the darkness and light. What we want, but may never get, is assurance that the light will prevail. Armstrong is too tough a thinker to offer us comfort there -- Anthony Burgess * Observer *
Armstrong shows a reverent curiosity and a generosity of spirit, refreshing the understanding of what one knows and providing a clear introduction to the unfamiliar -- Rt Revd Robert Runcie * Daily Telegraph *
Witty, informative and contemplative: Ms Armstrong can simplify complex ideas, but she is never simplistic * New York Times Book Review *
Only those who think they know it all will fail to be fascinated by Armstrong's search for God * Economist *
Highly readable, and ought to be read -- Anthony Burgess * Observer *
Armstrong's book has great merits. An ex-nun, this formidably intelligent woman knows enough about both Judaism and Islam to be appreciated by Jewish and Muslim scholars... Whenever she deals with Christian mysticims, agnosticism and heterodoxy, Armstrong offers valuable insights * The Times *
An enormously intellectually challenging book. A fascinating way of approaching the subject -- Rabbi Julia Neuberger
ISBN: 9780099273677
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 31mm
Weight: 384g
560 pages