Dominion

How the Christian Revolution Remade the World

De: Tom Holland

Narrado por: Tom Holland

A “marvelous” (Economist) account of how the Christian Revolution forged the Western imagination.

Crucifixion, the Romans believed, was the worst fate imaginable, a punishment reserved for slaves. How astonishing it was, then, that people should have come to believe that one particular victim of crucifixion-an obscure provincial by the name of Jesus-was to be worshipped as a god. Dominion explores the implications of this shocking conviction as they have reverberated throughout history. Today, the West remains utterly saturated by Christian assumptions. As Tom Holland demonstrates, our morals and ethics are not universal but are instead the fruits of a very distinctive civilization. Concepts such as secularism, liberalism, science, and homosexuality are deeply rooted in a Christian seedbed. From Babylon to the Beatles, Saint Michael to #MeToo, Dominion tells the story of how Christianity transformed the modern world.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"This lively, capacious history of Christianity emphasizes the extent to which the religion still underpins Western liberal values."—New Yorker

"A galloping tour of Christianity's influence across the last 2,000 years, with vivid vignettes scattered across the centuries, and a concluding argument the Christian faith, 'the most influential framework for making sense of human existence that has ever existed,' still shapes the way that even the most secular modern people think about the world."—Ross Douthat, New York Times

"A sweeping narrative.... [Holland] is an exceptionally good storyteller with a marvelous eye for detail... excellent fun."—The Economist

"An absorbing survey of Christianity's subversive origins and enduring influence is filled with vivid portraits, gruesome deaths and moral debates...Holland has all the talents of an accomplished novelist: a gift for narrative, a lively sense of drama and a fine ear for the rhythm of a sentence."—the Guardian (UK)

"An engaging book."—The Times (UK)

"Christianity may not be on the march, but its principles continue to dominate in much of the world; this thoughtful, astute account describes how and why... Holland delivers penetrating, often jolting discussions on great controversies of Western civilization in which war, politics, and culture have formed a background to changes in values... An insightful argument that Christian ethics, even when ignored, are the norm worldwide."—Kirkus Reviews (starred)

"An exhaustive, demanding and hugely impressive interpretation of our past, bursting with fresh ideas and perspectives on every page."—The Sunday Times

"An ambitious account of the history and enduring influence of Christianity. Holland argues that the modern world has been shaped by the consequences of the life and death of Jesus."—Daily Mail ("The Year's Most Essential Books")

"What in other hands could have been a dry pedantic account of Christianity's birth and evolution becomes in Holland's an all-absorbing story.... It takes a master storyteller to translate the development of a philosophical notion into a captivating story, and Holland proves to be one.... Holland offers a remarkably nuanced and balanced account of two millennia of Christian history -- intellectual, cultural, artistic, social and political. The book's scope is breathtaking."—The Literary Review

"A masterpiece of scholarship and storytelling, Dominion surpasses Holland's earlier books in its sweeping ambition and gripping presentation.... Dominion presents a rich and compelling history of Christendom."—The New Statesman

One of the best books ever

This is the book I have been looking for my whole adult life. Here it is. A master work!!!

great book

I've never heard a better explanation of the difference between Catholic and Protestant and I've never read a more compelling account of Martin Luther.

Important work

Tom inherits Nietzsche, and many more ancients, and he shows us how we all do.

Wow

The book is fascinating and he makes his core point really really well and for me it was HUGE. I just never saw even like a tiny bit before what he was talking about and is revolutionized the way I think about my self and my culture. Really great read.

A Difficult Subject Made Compelling and Thought Provoking

Interesting anecdotes woven into a broad history of Christianity. While there are several key themes, I was particularly taken by the view that describing Christianity as a religion is in itself to accept a Christian view of the world. Other so-called religions have not necessarily distinguished between the secular and religious. So, many who call themselves atheists, accept that and other elements of religious faith.

Fun listen!

I love it authors perform their own books! This one deserves multiple re-listens. I really enjoyed the pace and selection of details.

balanced History and Impact of the Church

Dominion tells the story of how Christianity impacted virtually every aspect of the Western world. It starts with the early Jewish idea of one God and how humans were made in God’s image. From there, it shows how Christianity grew from a small group into a powerful force that changed laws, ideas about justice, and how people treat each other. Holland explains how Christian values like love, truth, compassion, and equality became the foundation for many things we take for granted today, such as human rights and science.

The book covers many important moments, like when Constantine at the Milvian Bridge, the story of Galileo’s trial, and the abolition of slavery. Holland does a good job correcting some common mistakes many people have about the history or causes of these events. He shows how Christianity both helped build communities and was sometimes misused for violent ends. The book looks at the positive and negative aspects with an attempt to avoid bias, showing Christianity as a force that shaped the world in complex ways.

One key idea Holland makes is that many values people think are just common sense or secular actually come from Christian teachings. He argues that even things like freedom, equality, and progress have roots in Christian ideas. The influence is so deep that most people don’t even notice it anymore. The book tells stories about saints, scholars, and missionaries to explain how Christian ideas spread and stayed strong over time.

Holland tries to give a balanced picture, showing both Christianity’s kindness and its harsher moments. For example, his account of Galileo’s trial is clear and he directly confronts the common mythology that this was a battle between science and faith. It was actually far more complex and he is one of the first popular authors I have seen who gets this right. Actually, Galileo's chief antagonists were Aristotelian scientists who were tired of Galileo, with his Copernican views, publicly deriding them. Also, the Church did not like that Galileo was trying to "preach" the theological implications of the heliocentric model. Considering this was right in the middle of the Thirty Years War, they were extra sensitive about who was allowed and who was prohibited from doing theology. While they were absolutely wrong in that, they were absolutely right in demanding Galileo recognize that his view (at this time) was only a hypothesis, not (yet) a scientific fact. And Galileo didn't help his case by putting a direct quote from the Pope into the mouth of Simplicio, the idiot in Dialogue.

I love reading long form histories. But at the same time, I am always suspicious of them. It is too easy to pick and choose what is included from history in a manner that creates whatever narrative you want. The worst offender here is Karen Armstrong, and though Tom Holland is not nearly as bad, in many cases, the negative examples are outliers. He attempts to balance the good with the bad, and there certainly is both in Church history. But the truth is that the good vastly outweighs the bad and his attempt to appear balanced causes him to include outliers: minor events of little influence by radicals that do not have any large or long-lasting impact. I also think that his book cover is suspiciously similar to NT Wright's "The Day the Revolution Began". But this might have been a coincidence or a subconscious influence. Or maybe I'm just paranoid. Probably that. Yeah. Nevermind.

Best book I’ve read this decade

Dominion is a revelatory read, constantly surprising me with previously unknown roots of my own culture and experiences. Rereading with Mr. Holland as the narrator is quite a treat. It’s nice to hear it in the author’s familiar voice

Historical analysis of mankind with regard to religion.

I loved the attention to detail and looking into all facets of religion good and bad. It helped me understand the state in which we currently exist.

Like an Epiphany!

This book bridges the relationship between our modern world and the evolution of Christianity, what an eye opening, well articulated analysis of the western psyche and much more. Thank you Tom Holland for this absolute gem, especially in today’s climate!