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The Great Transformation (Abridged): The Beginning of Our Religious Traditions Audiobook
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(3.92) - 50 listener ratings
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From one of the world’s leading writers on religion and the highly acclaimed author of the bestselling A History of God, The Battle for God and The Spiral Staircase, comes a major new work: a chronicle of one of the most important intellectual revolutions in world history and its relevance to our own time. In one astonishing, short period – the ninth century BCE – the peoples of four distinct regions of the civilized world created the religious and philosophical traditions that have continued to nourish humanity into the present day: Confucianism and Daoism in China; Hinduism and Buddhism in India; monotheism in Israel; and philosophical rationalism in Greece. Historians call this the Axial Age because of its central importance to humanity’s spiritual development. Now, Karen Armstrong traces the rise and development of this transformative moment in history, examining the brilliant contributions to these traditions made by such figures as the Buddha, Socrates, Confucius and Ezekiel. Armstrong makes clear that despite some differences of emphasis, there was remarkable consensus among these religions and philosophies: each insisted on the primacy of compassion over hatred and violence. She illuminates what this “family” resemblance reveals about the religious impulse and quest of humankind. And she goes beyond spiritual archaeology, delving into the ways in which these Axial Age beliefs can present an instructive and thought-provoking challenge to the ways we think about and practice religion today. A revelation of humankind’s early shared imperatives, yearnings and inspired solutions – as salutary as it is fascinating. Excerpt from The Great Transformation: In our global world, we can no longer afford a parochial or exclusive vision. We must learn to live and behave as though people in remote parts of the globe were as important as ourselves. The sages of the Axial Age did not create their compassionate ethic in idyllic circumstances. Each tradition developed in societies like our own that were torn apart by violence and warfare as never before; indeed, the first catalyst of religious change was usually a visceral rejection of the aggression that the sages witnessed all around them. . . . All the great traditions that were created at this time are in agreement about the supreme importance of charity and benevolence, and this tells us something important about our humanity.
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"Our generation is desperately in need of a Great Transformation of our own. This is yet another example of how studying the past can give us hope for the future. If humanity can survive the disasters of this wide-spread period, we can focus on developing our compassion for future generations, too. "
— Erika (5 out of 5 stars)
The Great Transformation Listener Reviews
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" Interesting but heavy going; most in my bookclub did not finish. "
— Pam, 2/10/2014 -
" This is rather heavy going and rambling in places, but is a compelling account of how humanity developed what remains the core of the world's religious and philosophical beliefs between about 900 BC and 200 BC. The fascinating aspect is the similarities and the differences of the four cultures compared: Greece, India, China and Israel. "
— Nick, 1/30/2014 -
" Unlike the rest of her books that I've read, this one was tough to get through. It's a little wordy for it its point, but worth getting to it. "
— Jason, 1/28/2014 -
" The theory seems interesting but somewhat oversimplifying and the grounds and arguments feel weak. "
— Alex, 1/17/2014 -
" everything that you want to know about how humanity created god and religion is here. this book should be required reading for college students in every single college in the US. "
— Alida, 1/14/2014 -
" Sebuah paparan evolusi kebertuhanan umat manusia, khususnya pada 4 tradisi (Yudaisme, Yunani, Hindi, dan China). Karen dengan sangat halus menunjukan keterkait kebudayaan-kebudayan itu. "
— Lamun, 1/3/2014 -
" The Great Transformation: the Beginning of Our Religious Traditions by Karen Armstrong (1980) "
— Steve, 1/2/2014 -
" The amazing (and perhaps sometimes overgeneralized) parallels of the development of morality as an aspect of religion in the b.c.e. times. With some interesting observations about Greek drama as a cultural phenomenon. "
— Sally, 12/28/2013 -
" A bit dry but very well researched. "
— Cliff, 12/13/2013 -
" Absorbing (though sometimes densely-packed) examination of the ancient origins of current religious thought. "
— Leagle, 11/20/2013 -
" Our generation is desperately in need of a Great Transformation of our own. This is yet another example of how studying the past can give us hope for the future. If humanity can survive the disasters of this wide-spread period, we can focus on developing our compassion for future generations, too. "
— Erika, 10/30/2013 -
" I cannot recommend this book enough. It was important to me in understanding the history and interworkings of Axial Age religious transforamtions "
— Roger, 4/8/2013 -
" Karen Armstrong is one of my favorite authors. She takes enormous amounts of material and boils them down to the necessary essence, making her work readable and imminently educational. This book was no exception. "
— Debbie, 2/27/2013 -
" This book describes the basis of the major spiritual traditions that are in practice today. "
— monique, 5/9/2012 -
" A thoroughly enjoyable journey through the origins of the world's major religions. "
— Andy, 4/22/2012 -
" So much history here. Clear and objective commentary on those times BCE that I knew next to nothing about, using the evolution of religion as a focus. A great read from a smart, smart woman. I'll be reading her other books ASAP. "
— Julia, 4/19/2012 -
" Very indepth historical and cultural review of Axial age religions which are the bases of many of current religions. "
— Mckinley, 1/22/2012 -
" Just a little dry but interesting. I haven't finished it but decided to put it away for awhile. "
— Carolyn, 12/6/2011 -
" Like most of Karen Armstrong's work, she wrestles complicated material fairly skillfully. If you want to get an understanding of the religions that sprung up from the Axial Age (which are still the most influential religions in the world today), it's a fine place to start. "
— Sarah, 10/11/2011 -
" Every Religious Studies scholar needs to read this book. Enough said "
— C, 5/9/2011 -
" Very indepth historical and cultural review of Axial age religions which are the bases of many of current religions. "
— Mckinley, 11/11/2010 -
" So much history here. Clear and objective commentary on those times BCE that I knew next to nothing about, using the evolution of religion as a focus. A great read from a smart, smart woman. I'll be reading her other books ASAP. "
— Julia, 11/9/2010 -
" I really like Karen Armstrong's work in early religious traditions. I didn't think she did justice to the Greeks, and her chapters on Judaism and early Christianity were pretty much a repeat of History of God, but the work on eastern traditions is well worth the read. "
— Michael, 10/16/2010 -
" The Great Transformation: the Beginning of Our Religious Traditions by Karen Armstrong (1980) "
— Steve, 7/27/2010
About Karen Armstrong
Karen Armstrong is the author of numerous books on religious affairs. Her work has been translated into forty languages, and she has written three television documentaries. Since September 11, 2001, she has been a frequent contributor to conferences, panels, newspapers, periodicals, and other media on both sides of the Atlantic on the subject of Islam. In 2008 she was awarded the TED Prize.