God Against the Gods: The History of the War Between Monotheism and Polytheism

by Jonathan Kirsch

Book Overview

Perfectly suited to readers of Bernard Lewis and Karen Armstrong, God Against the Godsis a dramatic and eye-opening epic of the final struggle between monotheism and polytheism in the ancient world. It was a war fought by an Egyptian pharaoh, a Jewish king, and a Roman emperor?charismatic, visionary, and violent men battling in the name of the Only True God. Jonathan Kirsch demonstrates how the world of classical paganism was in fact based on religious...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0670032867
• ISBN13: 9780670032860
• Release Date: March 2004
• Publisher: Viking Compass
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.21 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

For Pagans and Christians alike...

This book was certainly enlightening. I felt the author provided a genuine and fascinating grasp on a subject I constantly long to know more about: the schism between the Pagan and the Christian world view. The author's pace is perfect, it flows, the story begins in Egypt and ends with an epilogue about our own modern world. We are indebted to the Pagan world for the liberal viewpoints we cherish but there are aspects of Christianity that permeate our culture and offer guidance. It continually amazes me how often human beings have murdered and maimed for the sake of their 'faith'. How zealots darken the world by trying to order and destroy those who oppose their one-sided viewpoints. I believe Christian tenets offer us guidance as much as Paganism offers us self-exploration. Sadly, the politics of man continually interrupt the progress of goodness. An excellent read for those who want insight into a vast study. The reader will learn about Judaic as well as Christian martyrdom, the rise of Constantine the Great, about the Emperor Julian and his longing to re-establish paganism in the dying days of the Roman Empire. For those who are a little shaky with their ancient history, it provides some interesting background on the religious cults of the Greeks and Romans. For the history buffs... definitely and for those passionate about trying to understand man's inhumanity to man.

Repeating a theme

Paganism, Kirsch reminds us, has been far distorted beyond its original meaning. Even our common dictionaries use only pejorative words to describe it - "heathen", "hedonist", "non-religious". Kirsch wants us to understand that "no self-respecting pagan" would apply such definitions to his own forms of worship. "Paganism" has been the subject of harsh propaganda by the monotheistic "faithful". These agents of repression viewed worship of deities other than the "One True God" as just cause for the vilest forms of curtailment, cruelty and murder. Although we've suffered many centuries of Christian propaganda against the "pagans", Kirsch is able to sift through the evidence to provide a more reasonable picture. The pagan world had its blemishes, but in his view, there's no match for the destructive record of Christianity. Kirsch's opening subject may surprise most readers. He examines the effort of Egyptian pharaoh Akehnaton to establish a monotheistic faith. Akhenaton's project was to replace the pantheon of Egyptian deities with a "One True God" in the figure of Aton, the sun god. Given Egypt's environment, it was a logical choice. In true monotheistic style, one that would be followed by other monotheists, Akhenaton destroyed the images, references and temples of the previous corps of deities. Naturally, there was resentment among the populace, but a pharaoh's power was too absolute for a successful counterrevolution. Although unsuccessful in establishing a lasting monotheistic empire, Akehnaton is recorded as the first ruler to make the attempt. The next attempt was the half-hearted endeavour by the Roman Emperor Constantine. Kirsch closely examines the myth of Constantine's "vision" at the battle of Milvian bridge and the emperor's actions after the victory. Remaining unbaptised until shortly before his death, Constantine is shown as using Christianity to enhance his own power as a ruler. Skillfully playing many factions like political pawns, Constantine was able to keep himself aloof from religious strife. As Kirsch notes, more Christians killed each other than were lost during the "Persecutions" of previous emperors. Christianity bogged down over the "essence" of its founder. The "important dipthong" of Edward Gibbon became the basis for innumerable slaughters, burnings and suppression of dissenting views. It was a portent with continuous repetition. Adolph Hitler's motto of "Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuerher" was presaged by Constatine's "One God, One Empire, One Emperor". Almost in response to Constatine's vague conversion was the career of his nephew, Julian. Kirsch explains how Julian, a survival of the slayings of his relatives as Christian pretender challenged his Christian rivals, was raised in exile. In his training, he encountered classical philosophers. With the "heresy wars" besetting his times, Julian looked with longing at the domestic peace of paganism. The empire might have contended with competitors

Fascinating History

This book was as enjoyable to read as it was eye-opening. Because of 9-11, we are well familiar with the faction in Islam that believes in killing the so-called infidels. What I did not know was how deeply entrenched in killing non-believers that the original Jews and Christians were, as well; often under the supposed encouragement and blessing of The One and Only True God. The point of God against the Gods is not to condemn either Christianity or Judaism. Far from it. Rather, it makes the compelling point that the victory of monotheism over paganism in many respects may not have been a good thing; largely because of the tendency toward intolerance and persecution that the belief--my God is the One and Only True God--tends to breed in the minds of believers. This is a novel, provocative point to ears that have grown so used to hearing that monotheism is superior to paganism, and that paganism is nothing more than a superstitious hodgepodge whose defeat was a blessing to the world. But the author makes his point in a calm, reasoned, and balanced manner. In many respects, I found myself persauded. However, he certainly does not claim that paganism is totally innocent in world history either. It has its share of dark moments, too. This book is written in an easy, almost conversational manner, which allows it to provide a lot of fascinating history in a very interesting manner. I thoroughly enjoyed every page. At the same time, I also acquired insights and facts about the history of the three major monotheistic religions and paganism that I was not aware of before. The chapters on the Roman Empire and its Caesars, especially Julian, were fascinating. God against the Gods is highly recommended.

A Legacy of Religious Tolerance

I read GOD AGAINST THE GODS for two reasons. First, I saw a lecture by Mr. Kirsch some years ago and I enjoyed his rather different but erudite perspective. But most of all, I love reading and learning about when cultures, societies, religions, and ideas meet. How they mix, how they borrow from each other, and how they come into conflict. The Greco-Roman period is one of my favorite periods. Both the empires of Alexander the Great and the Romans, because of conquest and expansion, contained diverse people as well as an incredible variety of religions. This book covers the idea of religious tolerance as largely practiced by the Pagans of the ancient world; the one trip into monotheism by an Egyptian Pharaoh, Akhenaton, and his worship of the sun disc, The Aton; the Jewish religion and how it changed over a vast period of time; and the beginning of the Christian religion until the death of the Emperor Julian in 363 C.E. He navigates the waters of history, to contrast the legacy of religious tolerance of the polytheistic world with the exclusion and intolerance that often comes with the practice of monotheism.This book contains a prologue entitled The Everlasting Fire (The Dark Side of Monotheism, the Bright Side of Polytheism). It is then divided up into two books. Book One is called The God That Failed and contains four chapters. These chapters are: Chapter 1: Against All the Gods of Egypt (A Young Pharaoh's Experiment in Monotheism and Why it Failed); Chapter 2: What Did Pagans Do? (The Case Against Classical Paganism - And Why It Was Wrong); Chapter 3: Terror and True Belief (The Jewish King Who Reinvented the Faith of Ancient Israel); Chapter 4: Confessors and Traitors (Pagans and Christians Go to War in Ancient Rome). Book Two contains six chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are: Chapter 5: "In This Sign, Conquer" (The Curious Encounter of Christ and Constantine in the Struggle for the Roman Crown); Chapter 6: The Harlot in the Bishop's Bed (The War Within the Christian Church over the Divinity of Christ); Chapter 7: The Ruler of the Whole World (The Invention of the Totalitarian State by the First Christian Emperor of Rome); Chapter 8: The Orphans of Macellum (The Christian Prince Who Survived A Blood Purge and Struggled for the Restoration of Paganism); Chapter 9: The Secret Pagan (Gods, Empresses, and Julian's Unlikely Rise to the Imperial Throne); Chapter 10: "Behold, the Rivers Are Running Backwards" (The Pagan Counterrevolution of the Emperor Julian) and Epilogue: The Handless Scribe (The Price of Victory of the One True God). The book also contains a map of the empire of Constantine and Julian, a chronology, a list of major historical figures, notes, bibliography and an index.Often what we get out of a book is what we bring to a book. This book is written in an easy, breezy style with provocative titles that are meant to shake readers out of their complacency. But the author did his research and cites such authors as Robin Lane Fox a

History explains the real truth behind religion

I am so happy there are people like Jonathan Kirsch writing about religious history because there is a true history to all religions and it is hard for religious people to accept. When you study the beginings of religion you quickly realize that it's more about humanity than God or gods. And when you get down to it the only difference between 'God' and 'Gods' is an "S". Mr. Kirsch has done alot of hard research and developement for this book and he should be commended highly for it. Thank-you Mr. Kirsch. Randy