For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch-hunts, and the End of SlaveryPrinceton University Press, 2003 - 488 páginas Rodney Stark's provocative new book argues that, whether we like it or not, people acting for the glory of God have formed our modern culture. Continuing his project of identifying the widespread consequences of monotheism, Stark shows that the Christian conception of God resulted--almost inevitably and for the same reasons--in the Protestant Reformation, the rise of modern science, the European witch-hunts, and the Western abolition of slavery. In the process, he explains why Christian and Islamic images of God yielded such different cultural results, leading Christians but not Muslims to foster science, burn "witches," and denounce slavery. With his usual clarity and skepticism toward the received wisdom, Stark finds the origins of these disparate phenomena within monotheistic religious organizations. Endemic in such organizations are pressures to maintain religious intensity, which lead to intense conflicts and schisms that have far-reaching social results. Along the way, Stark debunks many commonly accepted ideas. He interprets the sixteenth-century flowering of science not as a sudden revolution that burst religious barriers, but as the normal, gradual, and direct outgrowth of medieval theology. He also shows that the very ideas about God that sustained the rise of science led also to intense witch-hunting by otherwise clear-headed Europeans, including some celebrated scientists. This conception of God likewise yielded the Christian denunciation of slavery as an abomination--and some of the fiercest witch-hunters were devoted participants in successful abolitionist movements on both sides of the Atlantic. For the Glory of God is an engrossing narrative that accounts for the very different histories of the Christian and Muslim worlds. It fundamentally changes our understanding of religion's role in history and the forces behind much of what we point to as secular progress. |
Contenido
Dimensions of the Supernatural | 1 |
Gods Truth Inevitable Sects and Reformations | 15 |
Gods Handiwork The Reltgtous Origins of Science | 121 |
Gods Enemies Explaining the European WitchHunts | 201 |
Gods Justice The Sin of Slavery | 291 |
Gods Rituals and Social Science | 367 |
Notes | 377 |
419 | |
465 | |
Otras ediciones - Ver todas
For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch ... Rodney Stark Vista previa limitada - 2004 |
For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch ... Rodney Stark Vista previa limitada - 2004 |
For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch ... Rodney Stark Vista previa limitada - 2015 |
Términos y frases comunes
abolition abolitionists accused American areas Atlantic slave trade became began believed bishop British burned Calvin Cathars Catholic cause century Chapter Christian Church cities claim clergy Code Code Noir colonies concerning condemned culture Darwin Davis death Devout Donatist early efforts England English especially Europe European evolution example executed explained fact faith France French Germany Gods Greek Hence Henry heresy heretics historians Holy human imposed Inquisition intellectual involved Islam Jesuits Jews Languedoc Levack Lollards Luther Lutheranism magic major Marcion medieval Midelfort monks monotheism Monter moral Moreover movements Muslim Newton noted Oxford pagan percent Pope popular priests Protestant Protestant Reformation Protestantism Quakers Reformation religion religious conflict result rise of science ritual Roman Rome Saint satanism scholars Scholastic scientific scientists sect slavery slaves social societies sorcery Spain Spanish Stark substantial supernatural theologians theology theory Thomas tion trials University Press Waldensians witch craze witch-hunts witchcraft witches wrote