A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam

However, be cautioned. If you are inclined to cling to old dogma, or frightened by the possibility that God might not be exactly what you were taught in Sunday School, then don't bother picking up this book. It will haunt you. On the other hand, if you are seeking a more clear picture of who God might really be, if you are open to the possibility that our concept of Him has evolved enormously since the days of Abraham, then this might be an excellent read for you.

Besides a good history lesson, it is insightful for the Western reader to gain an understanding of the "non-Christian" monotheistic traditions, i.e. Judaism and Islam. Armstrong does a wonderful (and contrary to some critics, I believe a FAIR) job of explaining how both Christianity and later Islam branched off of the Judaic traditions. Above all, it places the evolution of the God-concept into its cultural context, without which, our current God-concept is little more than a wholesale belief in so much mythology.

Be prepared to think, to change your mind, and to emerge from the end of this book a changed person.


This is the Education I Should Have Received in Seminary!   July 5, 2005
William Howard Wiggins (Memphis, TN)
51 out of 54 found this review helpful

Karen Armstrong teaches the development of monotheistic faith in a way I wish my seminary professors would have done.

This book is extremely well documented. Every assertion is backed by historical documents or historical evidence. The glossary alone opens up a world of terms and concepts that leaves me in a meditative awe. The Suggestions for Further Reading is definitely my shopping list for future study. In constrast, my seminary education was long on political correctness and short on factual evidence.

Armstrong deals with feminist issues honestly and with sensitivity. Impressively, she does not relinquish factual evidence for political correctness, which almost all liberal education does today. She gives us an accurate history, and at the same time, frequently reminds us these are only feeble human ideas, and not the "Ineffable God."

Also, she tells the story of modern atheism in a way that makes me nod my head in agreement without giving up my own perception of God. Wow!

Armstong does seem to fudge on the person of Mohammed. She tells how he organized men for war and brutally defeated his enemies, then almost as a direct contradiction of the evidence, she proclaims him a man of peace. Putting that aside, I've been very enlightened by her account of the Islamic faith. So many things I hadn't known!

You can't miss the point of the book. God is "ineffable," beyond all human catagories, concepts, experiences, and even beyond existence itself. That blows my mind. She makes her point beautifully without leaving me feeling too threatened. Again, seminary professors should take a lesson.

I've told all my friends about the book, and I'm sure by now they're all sick of me and Karen Armstrong. Sorry. The book is simply excellent.




Scholarly Dispassionate Treatment of a Difficult Subject   March 16, 2004
Erika Borsos (Gulf Coast of FL, USA)
45 out of 48 found this review helpful

This book is a "must read" for anyone who seeks to learn about the similarities and differences of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The first few chapters introduce the perception or concept of G-d as it developed in man's evolution. The core beliefs and practices of ancient religions are reviewed along with how monotheism arose. Few scholars can treat this controversial thesis without falling prey to including/expanding their own belief systems ... Ms Armstrong manages to remain cool and dispassionate. She does a thorough and detailed analysis of the philosophical and core belief systems of the three major religions of the world. She creates an impressive document detailing significant dates, events and people who had a major impact on the respective religion. She uses the correct ancient Hebrew, Greek or Islamic terms and provides translations as close to the original meaning as possible. Her words are like the lense of a telescope or microscope -- they are adjusted to convey clarity and precision. The author has no hidden agendas ... she provides only the facts.

Being of Christian background, I was most impressed with her discourse on the Trinity. Who but a religious scholar would have known that in the 300's A.D. the hottest religious debate raging was the controversy whether Jesus Christ was divine (G-d) and what was His relation to G-d the Father? A serious dichotomy of views arose between Athansius and Arius which caused a crisis of faith in the newly emerging Christian religion. Had it not been squelched, who knows how Christianity would be expressed today? The Emperor Constantince convened a conference of Bishops in Nicae, Turkey to settle the matter. Essentially, a committee made a religous decree but unfortuantely, it still left many questions unanswered ... questions which plague thinking Christian believers even in modern times. Ms Armstrong clarifies the matter as follows, while G-d has a single essence (ousia) which is incomprehensible to mankind, He has three expressions of Himself, hypostases, by which He is known. This is but one example of the many complex controversies tackled in this book. Both sides of many religious debates are presented and the reader realizes what a huge topic Ms Armstrong manages to present in a very engaging style. It is easy to see why religion has such a strong hold on the emotions and heart of mankind ... The most impressive chapters for this reader pertain to the internal differences of each religion. Ms Armstrong gives a full discourse on the differences *between* each religion ... as well the the differences of core beliefs *within* each religion, be it, Christianity, Catholicism, Orthodoxy, the Protestant movement, Judaism or Islam. This reader admires how she covered the differences within Islam. Her descriptions of the split between Shiites and Sunnis, Sufi mysticism and essential leaders in each movement are most impressive. I enjoyed her discourse on Judaism and the enlightening texts of prominent Rabbis. The reader needs to keep in mind, this book is for serious readers only. Anyone who dislikes detailed analyses will not enjoy this book, as it is a challenge for even those who *do* enjoy detailed analyses. Simpler books exist for readers looking for the basic tenets describing Christianity, Judaism, or Islam. This book provides a comparative and detailed analysis of G-d as expressed in the belief systems of three major religions in the world. This is the best book I have yet discovered on this difficult, deep, and sensitive subject. My highest recommendations. Erika Borsos (erikab93)


Comprehensive, Challenging, and of Great Significance   August 7, 2000
Kenghis Khan (nprvl,il,usa)
37 out of 41 found this review helpful

Armstrong's "History of God", much like Jaspers' "Great Philosophers", is a truly first rate introduction to the field of religious history for three primary reasons. Firstly, as somebody relatively unfamiliar with the major monotheistic traditions, I found the breadth and scope of the work to be simply amazing. The variety of periods which Armstrong covers and the extent to which she covers them makes even a new comer to the field such as myself leave the work with a significantly deeper understanding of the disciplines of western theology and religious philosophy and the course they have taken. Secondly, this work is a serious commentary on the Western European/North American mind. As somebody frequently troubled by the western (but particularly American) emphasis on the literal character of the Bible and their respective canons, Armstrong's book sheds light on the nature and history of this peculiar tradition of western European thought. Finally, the extent and rigor which Armstrong applies to her research is indicative of the high academic quality of this work. Thus while the book is of immense value to the uninitiated, even to the very scholarly it retains a high level of value. While a more thorough discussion of the modern developments in Eastern Christian thought would have been appreciated (if for nothing else but for the sake of balance), Armstrong's book is a work of amazing scholarly achievement that is at once both a fabulous introduction to understanding serious thought about the divine in Islam, Christianity, and Judaism and an amazing commentary on the world view of AMericans and Western Europeans. I recommend it very highly.


And what a history it is...   July 18, 2001
M. Nichols-Haining
32 out of 35 found this review helpful

"Human beings cannot endure emptiness and desolation; they will fill the vacuum by creating a new focus of meaning. . . .we should, perhaps, ponder the history of God for some lessons and warnings." --- last paragraph of Armstrong's book.

The jacket points out that Armstrong teaches at the Leo Baeck College for the Study of Judaism and the Training of Rabbis and Teachers (as well as having spent seven years as a nun). Her academic knowledge more than shows--which is why I don't understand the reviews that claimed she was terribly biased. The book seemed to take a step back and objectively review the HISTORY of God, rather than pass judgement on one religion or another.

Armstrong demonstrates that through time, humanity has always sought to fill the void of unknowing by seeking a higher power. Thus, God will always exist, even in our increasingly godless society. She follows Man's God through history--from the dawn of time until now, and examines the reasons for the different concepts of God between the Monotheists (and even modern atheists and skeptics).

The book is complete. It's a tough read though--with a scholarly tone and complex sentence structures. It's not a beach book or even an airplane read. But it's worth your time and money if you're interested in the histories of both our most enduring concept/being (God) and of the interplay between religion and man.