This SDG is based on the New York Times Bestseller by Karen Armstrong, one of Britain's foremost commentators on religious affairs, in which she traces the history of how men and women have perceived and experienced God, from the time of Abraham to the present. We will explore: 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? The Death of God? Does God have a future?
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 and the 20th Century, Karen Armstrong performs the near miracle of distilling the intellectual history of monotheism into one superbly readable volume.
