The Lost Art of Scripture Rescuing the Sacred Texts

Karen Armstrong's book is a profound exploration of the history, meaning, and significance of religious scriptures from major world religions, including the Abrahamic traditions, as well as those from India and China. It argues that the modern, literal reading of sacred texts, which has led to fundamentalism, intolerance, and violence, is a recent, peculiar phenomenon. For most of history, scripture was not a set of binding, dogmatic rules or eternal truths to be simply 'believed,' but rather a fluid, spiritual tool intended to help individuals transcend the ego, connect with the divine, and foster compassion for others. The book traces this evolution and advocates for a rediscovery of this 'lost art' of open, spiritual engagement with holy texts to address contemporary political and intellectual concerns.

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