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Summary: Armstrong has written better...
Review: I decided to read this book because I've read a few other books she has written (notably: Holy War). She has a wonderful way of writing about history and I was hoping this one would also be a good read. I was somewhat disappointed and found this book a bit boring... she examines the history of fundamentalism in the three monotheistic faiths. She proposes that religion fulfils the role of "mythos" in our daily lives, and science fulfils the role of "logos". Both have to be present for mankind to feel a sense of purpose and to progress. It would be a good read for someone who is having a hard time understanding why religion is still playing a role in politics. As a muslim, this book gave me a good understanding of jewish and christian fundamentalist concerns. If you're really interested about understanding religious fundamentalits, this book would be what you're looking for.
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Summary: Reaching for Compassion
Review: ==Reaching for Compassion==Karen Armstrong's "The Battle for God" (Knopf, 2000), "History of God" (1994), and "Islam, A Short History" (2000) are too good to spoil with any superlative descriptions. I read this trilogy and also all 83 reviews on Amazon.com. Armstrong's analysis is reflected from each of these reviews. She touched the heart or core and got reactions. She exposes again the basic problem of hypocrisy and un-authenticity besetting human life and communities. Those extremists, either modern or religious, who think they can "obligate" God to fulfill promises as THEY see them, ironically court disaster and disobedience. Armstrong's "Battle for God" has traced the currents of history. She has seen three major streams in the major religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam: logos (which is rationalism trying to explain everything in words), mythos (which is the emotional and historical elements of life's meanings), and tradition (the rules, rituals and regulations of religious institutions). When any one of these dominates the other two, problems and trouble arise. On emotions check out www.behavior.net/column/nathanson . Modernism is a form of secular, sometimes sacred, rationalism. One does not read the Bible or Quran, for example, to know how to drill for oil, nor read an oil-drilling manual for the meaning of life. God, it would seem, is still creator and revealer, both in history. Sovereignty cannot be imprisoned in a doctrine. Finally, I think she best expresses the difficulties in her Afterword (367): "What seems sacred and positive in one camp appears demonic and deranged in another." Humanity has yet to settle on a description and practice of what is the "positive." Each person and community have so many differing experiences. Both compassion and confusion are contagious among crowds of people. The logos lawyer will still ask, "Who is my neighbor?", and the Good Samaritan's mythos will help. This is the challenge that continues to be acted out. The Rev. Dr. Charles G. Yopst, D.Min., D.T.R.
Pastor, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Chaplain, Northwest Community Hospital, Arlington Heights, Illinois
Expressive Arts Movement Therapist, Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital, Hoffman Estates, Illinois
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Summary: An Honest and Penetrating Analysis
Review: I do not usually write a review when I have only read half a book; however, in this case I must say that it has already transcended the asking price. Questions I did not know I had, were answered already and I was able to share with others much of this information. Her first chapter on the aftermath of 1492 was stunning. As one reads the actions and results of actions progressively, one can instantly understand why some things are the way they are today. I can hardly wait to get back to the book and to obtain any other writings by Dr. Armstrong.
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Summary: Great information, but watch out for Armstrong's premise
Review: If I could, I would give Armstrong's book 3½ stars because it *is* an excellent source of information dealing with fundamentalist-like religious sects from Columbus' time and on. Armstrong writes eloquently and her material is well-organized and easy to understand. However, in an attempt to explain the fundamentalist mindset, Armstrong argues that "people of the past... evolved two ways of thinking, and acquiring knowledge... mythos and logos". She describes mythos as "concerned with what was thought to be timeless and constant in our existence... [concerned] with meaning... [and with] the origins of life" (p. xv). Logos, then, supposedly "was the rational, pragmatic, and scientific thought that enabled [people] to function well in the world" (p. xvi). The modern West, she contends, has lost mythos, preferring a future-oriented world view (logos) that prioritizes factuality and rationality. Armstrong thus constructs a happy little world in the past where both logos and mythos balanced each other perfectly (cf. p. xvii), setting up the argument that fundamentalism today is a response to the contemporary lack of mythos. Unfortunately, such a balanced world simply did not exist, and her premise is consequently undermined. For example, on p. 95, Armstrong laments the Higher Criticism assessment of the Bible as "the triumph of the rational discourse of logos over myth". By this time, she writes, "Western people had lost the original sense of the mythical, and thought that doctrines and scriptural narratives were logoi, narratives that purported to be factually accurate..." Excuse me, but what Bible is Armstrong using? My Bible certainly 'purports' its narratives actually did happen, or that at least the writers believed so (not that I agree). Luke claims he wrote his account "after investigating everything carefully from the very first" (Lk. 1:3, NRSV). John includes the "testimonials" of a few people who swear to the factuality of the events they are recounting (cf. Jn. 19:35; 20:30-31; 21:24-25). Paul leans on the literal resurrection of Jesus to support his teachings (1 Cor. 15:14). The Old Testament cites now-lost books as if to further substantiate its account of Israel's history (cf. Josh. 10:13; 2 Sam. 1:18). Thus, the narratives Armstrong considers "mythoi" are affirmed by their own authors as something strikingly more akin to her definition of logos. And note that the New Testament writers looked *forward* to the literal Second Coming of Jesus, clearly more in the spirit of logos. In fact, many of them broke with tradition (the past), believing something new had come and would return. Another example: Armstrong portrays the Passover Seder as a mythos meant to help Jews experience the Exodus myth and "[bring] this strange story into their own lives... to make it their own" (p. xvi). She asserts that "[t]o ask whether the Exodus from Egypt took place exactly as recounted in the Bible or to demand historical and scientific evidence to prove that it is factually true is to mistake the nature and purpose of this story." Oh, is it now? A cursory reading of the Haggadah reveals how its authors intended the Seder to be a commemoration of an event which they believed occurred, not in mythical "timeless realities", but in actual history. Many other texts could be used to demonstrate how the neatly divided realms of mythos and logos did not exist. The Nicene Creed, for example, does not present a Jesus who was crucified in the eternal world of mythic truth, since its sources do not do so either. But I trust that I've made my point. In short, I *do* recommend this book for its historical information: dates, events, people, and places. But I suggest readers not take too seriously the whole mythos-logos premise as the reason for the rise of fundamentalism.
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Summary: A wonderfully intelligent discussion of fundamentalism
Review: I've been a fan of Karen Armstrong since I read "A History of God" last year, so I was really looking forward to reading "The Battle for God". It didn't disappoint. I couldn't put it down, which is an unusual quality in a religious tome. Ms. Armstrong nicely traces the history of the three monotheistic religions from the Middle Ages, and does a wonderful job of showing (without any judgement) just what drives some of us to fundamentalism. Reading this book certainly helped me be more understanding about where fundamentalists are coming from and what's driving them. Whatever side of the fundamentalist fence you're on, I highly recommend this book.
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Summary: Strong thesis
Review: I like history that is presented with a good strong thesis. Armstrong's book is just that. That strength is also a weakness when the author stretches too far to draw all the examples into that thesis. The sections on Islam and Judaism are well developed and thorough. The section on protestantism is rather weak. Linking Jerry Falwell together with Timothy McVeigh would require a lot more development. This section seems almost "wedged in" to create a sense of "completeness" by covering all three of the great monotheistic faiths. The categorization of human knowledge into two categories MYTHOS and LOGOS is interesting. However, this observation seems to be thrown in without being well explained. I think it skirts around some long debated issues of epistimology such as the role of reason and logic and that of revelation. I listened to the book on tape as read by the author. I consider it a well done presentation of the material in audio format.
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Summary: History of Jewish, Christian, Muslim Fundamentalism
Review: This is the second book by Karen Armstrong that I've read, the first being her short history of Islam. This book is somewhat longer, and is in some ways a more ambitious book: the author attempts to examine fundamentalist views in the three monotheistic religions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) and contrast and compare how these three have developed in modern society, demonstrating that they aren't the reversion to "old-fashioned" beliefs that they would have people believe. Instead they are deliberately irrational responses to a modern world that they see as too secular, or conversely not religious enough. Armstrong starts with four chapters presenting background for the heart of the book. This extended introduction runs to 130 pages, each of the first three chapters dealing with one of the religions in question from the middle ages through the early modern era, with the fourth chapter catching Islam and Judaism up with Christianity. The other 240 pages of text are chronological, with subsections dealing with each of the religions involved. It reads (to my mind) unusually well for a religious book of this sort, which I usually don't care for that much. The author's main premise is that there are two ways of thinking of things: mythos and logos. Mythos deals with unreality: legend, superstition, ancient religion. It's more emotional, and deals with the intangible. Logos is more specifically book learning, mathematics, engineering and the like. It deals more with logic and solid truth. The problem is that the two ways of thinking conflict, and religion tends to reside more comfortably with mythos while logos is the seat of modern society and technological progress. This leads to a conflict, especially when religious people feel left out of society for one reason or another, usually having to do with progress and mainstream society's secular nature. The author expounds on these themes very well, and makes it clear why fundamentalists have prospered in all three religions. I did start out with a basic misconception: I assumed that the battle for God she would be talking about would be between the three religions involved. Instead, it's within each of them, not between them. Once you're over that hurdle, this is a wonderful book
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Summary: A joy to read -- very informative
Review: This is a scholarly, detailed book about the development of religious thought from 1492 to 1999. More specifically it is about fundamentalism, which Karen Armstrong describes as movements of "embattled forms of spirituality" engaging in struggles to "re-sacralize an increasingly skeptical world". One can disagree with her contention that fundamentalist movements are "adamantly opposed to many of the most positive values of modern society", but many fundamentalists do seem to identify our age as one of "cosmic war between the forces of good and evil". I thought her contention that fundamentalists perceive that they are at risk of annihilation and that, consequently, they radiate fear does ring true. ----- Armstrong, a former Roman Catholic nun and author of at least 12 other books about religion, apparently is controversial (see other reviews!) but I found this book to be a well-researched history. It examines only four currents of fundamentalist thought: Jewish, American Protestant, Islamic Sunni (in Egypt), and Shiite Islamic (in Iran). (Do NOT look for any examination of fundamentalist currents in Roman Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc - they are NOT represented.) Armstrong's knowledge of Islam is legendary (she is an honorary member of the Association of Muslim Social Sciences and has written extensively about Islam). She also impressed me with her knowledge of Judaism. (Perhaps this is not surprising since she teaches at the Leo Baeck School for the Study of Judaism!). ----- "The Battle for God" can be read as four parallel volumes, and I would recommend readers to go completely through each of the four threads separately, as well as reading the volume straight through. ("The Battle for God" is worth reading and re-reading!) The first time I picked up this book I focused on the historical development of Islam, and found the content to be very helpful. This second time through, I carefully re-read the chapters tracing the Jewish experience. (The author starts "The Battle for God" with Judaism and in an interview stated that this placement was because "the Jewish people were the first of many peoples to experience modernity initially not as liberating and enlightening, but as a lethal assault.") ---- Frankly, as an American living in the Bible Belt (Texas) I found much of the information about Protestant fundamentalism to be "old news." This might not be true of others with less daily contact with American Protestant fundamentalists. Make your own judgement... ---- Especially in my examination of Judaism, I used Armstrong's book along with an online search engine to follow up historical threads (and I was surprised at the enormous amount of detailed online information about Judaism!) This volume opened my eyes to vast new horizons and confirmed my ignorance of enormous areas of human religious thought. I found "The Battle for God" to be highly useful in initiating new explorations...I hope other readers do too!
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Summary: Journey to History
Review: In this book Karen Armstrong discusses the causes and effects of fundamentalist movements in three main religions. Namely; Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Her knowledge about these religions are tremendeous. The book is very interesting and has lots of historical stories and information. I strongly recommend this book for those who would like to know more about fundamentalism and history of these religions.
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Summary: A solid work of synthesis
Review: Karen Armstrong provides in this volume a well-written analysis of the common roots of "fundamentalisms" in the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. Like most scholars, she sees such movements as both a product of and reaction to modernity. As in any broad work of synthesis, experts will notice small errors or inaccurate formulations in "their" territory. Armstrong relies on secondary material for almost all of her sources and at times the choices she has made seem dated or ill-chosen. As is always the case with hot topics, "advocates" will have much to complain about. While I sometimes found her "psychological" explanations off-putting and her mythos/logos dichotomy less than satisfying as an interpretive model, the book is a useful introduction and a generally successful synthesis of a broad literature. Some readers may find themselves occasionally lost in a sea of foreign names and dates, but by-and-large, this is a book meant for "educated amateurs" and I suspect individuals interested in the topic will not find it too difficult.
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