NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In this “brilliantly lucid, splendidly readable book” ( The Sunday Times ), one of Britain’s foremost commentators on religion explores how people have perceived and experienced God throughout history, from the time of Abraham to the present. “An admirable and impressive work of synthesis that will give insight and satisfaction to thousands of lay readers.”— The Washington Post Book World 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 A History of God , celebrated religious commentator Karen Armstrong presents a stunningly intelligent journey that spans centuries to understand humanity’s ever-changing relationship to monotheistic religion. 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 engrossing volume. Armstrong, a British journalist and former nun, guides us along one of the most elusive and fascinating quests of all time--the search for God. Like all beloved historians, Armstrong entertains us with deft storytelling, astounding research, and makes us feel a greater appreciation for the present because we better understand our past. Be warned: A History of God is not a tidy linear history. Rather, we learn that the definition of God is constantly being repeated, altered, discarded, and resurrected through the ages, responding to its followers' practical concerns rather than to mystical mandates. Armstrong also shows us how Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have overlapped and influenced one another, gently challenging the secularist history of each of these religions. --Gail Hudson “Witty, informative, and contemplative. Ms. Armstrong can simplify complex ideas.” — The New York Times Book Review “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 “Highly readable and ought to be read . . . . Karen Armstrong has read widely, has missed nothing, and gives us as solid a purview of the God of the past as it would be possible to find in a book.” —Anthony Burgess, The Observer “Armstrong refreshes the understanding of what one knows, and provides a clear introduction to the unfamiliar. . . . ‘Yearning,’ said Augustine, ‘makes the heart deep.’ That is the theme which runs through this lucid book, and the note of hope on which it ends.” —Robert Runcie, former Archbishop of Canterbury “An enormously intellectually challenging book. A fascinating way of approaching the subject.” —Rabbi Julia Neuberger “Magisterial and brilliant . . . An extraordinary survey, [a] superb kaleidoscopic history of religion . . . thorough, intelligent, and highly readable.” — Kirkus Reviews “Besides providing a great deal of religious history, [Armstrong] discusses the various philosophers, mystics, and reformers associated with these religions. . . . An excellent and informative book.” — Library Journal “This searching, profound comparative history . . . fearlessly illuminates the sociopolitical ground in which religious ideas take root, blossom and mutate.” — Publishers Weekly "An admirable and impressive work of synthesis that will give insight and satisfaction to thousands of lay readers." THE WASHINGTON POST BOOK WORLD 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. From classical philsophy and medieval mysticism to the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and the modern age of skepticism, 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. Karen Armstrong is the author of numerous books on religion, including  The   Case for God , A History of God , The Battle for God , Holy War , Islam , Buddha , and  Fields of Blood , a