P eople often talk about voluntary religious conversion as if it were motivated by spiritual zeal. Her new book studies the phenomenon of conversion, since. Susan jacoby during the gilded age, which saw the dawn of americas enduring culture wars, robert green ingersoll was known as the great agnostic. In a recent interview on nprs fresh air, she says, i wanted to see how much of conversion is forced, through family, or through the social or economic gains.
A secular history of conversion by susan jacoby if you, like me, grew up receiving religious education, you likely encountered conversion stories. In a groundbreaking historical work that addresses religious conversion in the west from an uncompromisingly secular. Susan jacoby is the author of eleven previous books, including freethinkers. Fail to understand the crisis facing separation of church and statea historical and a legal fact for which the religious right should fall on their knees and thank their godand twentyfirstcentury america will be alexandria all over again.
She lives in new york city and is program director of the new york branch of the center for inquiry. Feb 28, 2016 by the time she was 14, the writer susan jacoby realized that there is no god, and ever after, she has been working to share that insight. In a groundbreaking historical work that addresses religious conversion in the west from an uncompromisingly secular per. According to susan jacoby, there are reasons for religious conversion beyond spiritual ones. February 17, 2016 journalist susan jacoby tells fresh air that more than half of americans will change religion at least once in their adult life time. From the transformation on the road to damascus of the jew saul into the christian evangelist paul to a twentyfirstcentury religious. Unlike most looks at conversion, which treat the subject as one of personal choice or external enlightenment, this books looks at the social dynamics at play. A secular history of conversion book by susan jacoby. In a groundbreaking historical work that addresses religious conversion in the west from an uncompromisingly secular perspective, susan jacoby challenges the conventional narrative of conversion as a purely spiritual journey. Strange gods, by susan jacoby by the time she was 14, the writer susan jacoby realized that there is no god, and ever after, she has been working to share that insight. Most histories and personal accounts of religious conversion have been written by believers in the supernatural, who understandably view changes of faith mainly in terms of their spiritual origins and significance. Strange gods was entertaining enough that i listened it through is less than a week. Her 2008 book about american antiintellectualism, the age of american unreason, was a new york times best seller.
A secular history of conversion, by susan jacoby pantheon 512 pp. Read strange gods a secular history of conversion by susan jacoby available from rakuten kobo. Her new book studies the phenomenon of conversion, since she is upset that people still find ways to accept goofy religious myths. A secular history of conversion by susan jacoby 2016. Such stark ultimatums were commonplace in preenlightenment europe, susan jacoby writes in her new book, strange gods, an illuminating. This fact alone attests both to my belief that she is an excellent writer and that i am drawn to the kinds of subject matter that she expertly studies and adeptly analyzes.
From the transformation on the road to damascus of the jew saul into the christian evangelist paul to a twentyfirstcentury religious marketplace in which half of americans have changed faiths at least once, nothing has been more important in the struggle. For muslims, an important topic of our weekend school education in the united states is the siirah biography, gospel of the messenger muhammad it is replete with stories of how. So i thought i would just take a flip through this book to start and found the few photographs in it that illustrate all too well the problem of adherence to. Strange gods, scalias debut book, is packed full of the iconoclastic vim and vigor that has won her a large, faithful internet following. In impassioned, elegant prose, celebrated author susan jacoby traces more than 200 years of secularist activism, beginning with the fierce debate over the omission of god from the constitution. Theres a world of new ideas in every books newsletter. Her articles have appeared frequently in the oped pages of the new york times and in forums. Far more than a simple history of this complex subject, the book is a. Such stark ultimatums were commonplace in preenlightenment europe, susan jacoby writes in her new book, strange gods, an illuminating but tendentious appraisal, from a. Mar 03, 2016 susan jacoby turns her feisty brilliance on the history of religious conversions, famous and infamous, simultaneously giving us a history of religious intolerance.
Robert ingersoll and american freethought, the age of american unreason, alger hiss and the battle for history, freethinkers. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Strange gods, in the end, proves more than is not only timely. Strange gods is the fourth book of susan jacobys i have read. Strange gods by susan jacoby, 9781400096398, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. A secular history of conversion by susan jacoby 2016 really well written, all 465 pages. Many of us dwell in the church because it is where we were raised and where all my friends are. Jacoby is a supremely intelligent and brave writer. A secular history of conversion susan jacoby in a groundbreaking historical work that addresses religious conversion in the west from an uncompromisingly secular perspective, susan jacoby challenges the conventional narrative of conversion as a purely spiritual journey. Strange gods chronicles the history of secularism and.
Strange gods is a deeply interesting historical work, and susan jacoby should be commended for producing it. A secular history of conversion hardcover by susan jacoby. Her 2008 book about antiintellectualism, the age of american unreason, was a new york. A secular history of conversion is a plea for mutual respect between believers and secularists. Far more than a simple history of this complex subject, the book is a dissertation on religion itself. She presents readers with a surprising look at the ways in which modern people still commit the sin of idolatry in their everyday lives. Strange gods a secular history of conversion by susan jacoby.
It sums up the essence of strange gods, susan jacobys masterly survey of faith changing. From the transformation on the road to damascus of the jew saul into the christian evangelist paul to a twentyfirstcentury religious marketplace in which half of americans have changed faiths at least once, nothing has been more important in the struggle for. Out now from pantheon books, susan jacobys book, strange gods. Susan jacoby illuminates the social and economic forces that have shaped individual faith and the voluntary conversion impulse that has changed the course of western historyfor better and for worse. Susan jacoby talks about her new book and what the current political season tells us about the influence of religion on the hearts, minds, and. But in her new book, historian susan jacoby argues that the past tells a different story. A secular history of conversion with tom gjelten from npr at the 2016 library of congress book festival in washington, d. A secular history of conversion tuesday, march 8, 2016 7. She discusses various reasons people have and do switch religions, not all of them even having to do with the person themself believing theyve found the right religion. Susan jacoby is an independent scholar specializing in the history of reason, atheism, secularism, and religious libertythough she has just written a new and very different book, why baseball matters, to be published by yale university press in april 2018. A secular history of conversion reprint by susan jacoby isbn. The nations most famous orator, he raised his voice on behalf of enlightenment reason, secularism, and the separation of church and state with a vigor unmatched since americas revolutionary.
In a work blending culture, religion, history, biography, and a bit of memoir with more than a soupcon of attitude, the author of the great agnostic. Strange gods by susan jacoby overdrive rakuten overdrive. Harvard book store welcomes susan jacoby, author of eleven previous books, for a discussion of her latest work, strange gods. Strange gods, scalias debut book, is packed full of the iconoclastic vim and vigor.
In a groundbreaking historical work that focuses on the long, tense convergence of judaism, christianity, and islam with an uncompromising secular perspective, susan jacoby illuminates the social and economic forces that have shaped individual faith and the voluntary conversion impulse that has changed the course of western historyfor better. Her combination of intellectual rigor, vigor, erudition, and integrity makes strange gods wonderfully lively and enlightening. This awesome book ready for download, you can get this book now for free. So i thought i would just take a flip through this book to start and found the few photographs. In book after book jacoby has been a paradoxically effective religion. From the transformation on the road to damascus of the jew saul into the christian evangelist paul to a twentyfirstcentury religious marketplace in which half of americans. Feb 16, 2016 susan jacobys strange gods is an astonishing work. Susan jacoby is the author of the new book strange gods.
A secular history of conversion pantheon, 2016 beginning with saul blinded by the light on the road to damascus, strange gods, offers a provocative and original exploration of the cultural, economic and political forces driving religious conversion in the western world. One of my favorite internet memes employs an image of the siege at acre, a single episode in the longrunning bloodbath that was the crusades, adding the legend gods dont kill people, people with gods kill people. Journalist susan jacoby tells fresh air that more than half of americans will change religion at least once in their adult life time. Such stark ultimatums were commonplace in preenlightenment europe, susan jacoby writes in her new book, strange gods, an illuminating but tendentious appraisal, from a coldeyed unbelievers. In a groundbreaking historical work that addresses religious conversion in the west from an uncompromisingly secular perspective, susan jacoby challenges the conventional narrative of. Susan jacoby, by contrast, explores the natural, earthly needs, fears. By the time she was 14, the writer susan jacoby realized that there is no god, and ever after, she has been working to share that insight. Susan jacoby challenges the conventional narrative of conversion as a purely spiritual journey.
Jacoby is also the author of other books including the age of american unreason that is a good book too. A secular history of conversion by susan jacoby 240 ratings, 3. From the transformation on the road to damascus of the jew saul into the christian evangelist paul to a twentyfirstcentury religious marketplace in. My joy in hearing her framing of religion rests in my being eastern orthodox and certain of gregory of nyssas understanding of the community labeled church. Pdf, epubs, mobi, emagazines, epaper, ejournal and more.
In strange gods, susan jacoby challenges the conventional narrative of conversion as a purely spiritual journey. In a groundbreaking historical work that focuses on the long, tense convergence of judaism, christianity, and islam with an uncompromising secular perspective, susan jacoby illuminates the social and economic forces that have shaped individual faith and the voluntary conversion impulse that has changed the course of western historyfor better and for worse. Beginning with saul blinded by the light on the road to damascus, strange gods, offers a provocative and original exploration of the cultural, economic and political forces driving religious conversion in the western world. In a groundbreaking historical work that addresses religious conversio. Strange gods in a groundbreaking historical work that focuses on the long, tense convergence of judaism, christianity, and islam with an uncompromising secular perspective, susan jacoby illuminates the social and economic forces that have shaped individual faith and the voluntary conversion impulse that has changed the course of western historyfor better and for worse. A secular history of conversion, susan jacoby looks at conversion stories from a secular standpoint. A secular history of conversion pantheon, 2016 beginning with saul blinded by the light on the road to damascus, strange gods, offers a provocative and original exploration of the cultural, economic and political forces driving religious conversion in the. Jacoby graduated from michigan state university in 1965. From the transformation on the road to damascus of the jew saul into the christian evangelist paul to a twentyfirst.
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