A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam by Karen Armstrong
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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 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.
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 readable volume, destined to take its place as a classic.
Praise for History of God
“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
Karen Armstrong (born November 14, 1944) is a world-renowned British author, scholar, and former Roman Catholic nun celebrated for her profound writings on religion, spirituality, and the search for meaning across faith traditions. Over the course of her distinguished career, she has become one of the most respected voices on comparative religion, known for bridging divides between belief systems and fostering interfaith understanding in an increasingly complex world.
After leaving the convent in the late 1960s, Armstrong pursued a degree in English at Oxford University and began a journey of intellectual and spiritual exploration that would shape her life’s work. Her early memoir, Through the Narrow Gate, chronicles her time as a nun and her transition into secular life. However, it was her later works—such as A History of God, The Battle for God, The Case for God, and Jerusalem: One City, Three Faiths—that established her as a leading interpreter of religious thought for general audiences.
A gifted storyteller and meticulous researcher, Armstrong examines how Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and other faiths have evolved in response to the human quest for transcendence. She consistently argues that religion, at its best, is a path of compassion and ethical transformation rather than division or dogmatism.
Her contributions have been recognized globally. In 2008, she received the TED Prize, which she used to launch the Charter for Compassion, a worldwide movement promoting mutual respect and moral responsibility among people of all faiths and none.
Karen Armstrong continues to write, lecture, and inspire readers worldwide with her message that understanding the sacred stories of others is essential to building a more peaceful and humane world. Connect with Karen Armstrong on Facebook
