An Amazing Journey

Having been educated in Christian schools and knowing the Christian story extensively, I have never thought about as such a far reaching phenomenon as Tom Holland as argued in this book.

A great listen or read to anyone who seeks to understand Christianity within the context of our world today and how it got us to where we are, whether a believer or not!

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Profound critical analytical voice is a woke generation

Thank you Tom Holland for providing a work that will stand as a monument for Millenia to the profound stupidity of this current age, and as a light out of it.

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A MUCH NEEDED REMINDER TO WESTERN MINDS

This book is a work which should be quoted often by social commentators and considered closely by those who lead us. Christianity is the touchstone which must not be strayed from lest the foundations of our successful societies lose direction, crumble and decay.
With great respect to the narrator, I would have preferred to hear Tom Holland read his own work.

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A powerful reprisal of Western history

Tom Holland never fails to deliver an ambitious narrative stretching through eons of time. Perhaps like the film Cloud Atlas, a compelling vignette for every sub chapter serves to anchor lives and stories from one century to the next. The Christian story acts as the link that binds Antiquity to the Middle Ages and then onward into Modernity.

I congratulate his achievement as an apt culmination of decades of research in writing previous narrative histories such as Persian Fire, Millennium and In the Shadow of the Sword.

The narratives’ crescendo found in the final chapters anchors the modern world as we understand it to the legacy of Christianity. In elucidating vivid scenes of British Imperialism, Wild West fossil hunting and mid-century rock stardom, Holland captures a sense of radical social change, but nevertheless reinforces a narrative of progressive civilisational development.

None of the individual examples of Christianity influencing the modern world I object to as false. However, taken together I find slightly misleading. The nature of Christianity argued within this book is too diffuse to be pinned down as the prime causal agent. For example, if Charlemagne’s massacre and forced conversions the Saxons and Angela Merkel’s policy of mass refugee resettlement can both equally be classed as Christian acts it questions the concept as all possible human and political actions can now be in some way be classed as Christian.

Perhaps even more salient is the the ambiguous nature of cultural change itself. How can we say the cultural technology of Christianity itself is responsible for modern values when both events before and after its inception are relevant to our culture today. for example the unique developments with Protestantism which provides our notion of secular space is a contingent development within western culture of more recent origin, hardly the product of Christianity qua Christianity.

Nevertheless I highly recommend reading this book as it provides a whole host of historical intellectual and cultural developments that shed light on how and why modern people understand themselves in the way that we do.

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Absolutely Brilliant

What a fantastic book / Audio could not stop listening. So much in there that I didn't even think about grown up as a Christian.
I'll be purchasing the book.

Thank you Tom

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thumbs up

definitely eye opening. recommended reading for anyone interested in understanding the western worldview and its roots

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Magnificent research and Writing

One of the most important and helpful books on the basis and influence of Christian faith upon the nations of the world.

Written by Tom Holland, a very brilliant and highly respectful historian.

Given that he does not believe in Jesus the Risen Christ, it is to be admired how well he has managed to grasp much (but not all) of the essence of the matter. Only receptive faith can ever open the necessary insights into the significance of the resurrection.
Even so, magnificent research and a grand look at history.

Trevor

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Comprehensive and enthralling

This is a far reaching account of western history from a unique and novel perspective. It is an attempt to explain the forrest from within the trees and is informative and entertaining from beginning to end.

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A stunning overview of Christianity's imprint

Holland articulates with steadfastly steady observation the profound imprint and reaction to Christianity with a visual and ascerbic detail that renders it immediate. A wonderful audio companion that will be sadly missed.

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History needs students like this

The whole book from the first chapter to the last I thought was absolutely amazing… I will listen to it again, at least a few more times… Thank you, Tom Holland, four, your dedication to drilling down and presenting these facts about a belief, a faith that is at the centre of my life.

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