The latest edition of The New York Times has in its book section two reviews on the two volumes of THE NORTON ANTHOLOGY OF WORLD RELIGIONS. The Volume I on Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism reviewed by William Dalrymple is shallow to its core. Fortunately, the second volume Judaism, Christianity, Islam is reviewed by Karen Armstrong, who is one of the most erudite contemporary scholars of religions. Her in depth review is scholarly and enlightening. The one sentence from the review Today, believers and nonbelievers alike tend to read Scripture with a dogged literalness, but in the premodern period traditional exegesis in all three monotheisms was a form of intense creativity somehow sums up the problems created by proponents of creationism to the abhorrent bloodshed in the name of religion. Her own latest book Fields of Blood deals with the use of religion as a cover for inherent violence that has plagued humanity from the very beginning.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 07:32:19 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015