The TED prize is awarded annually to three exceptional individuals who each receive $100,000 and the granting of “One Wish to Change the World.” One of this year’s winners is Karen Armstrong, the writer of more than 20 books around the ideas of what Islam, Judaism and Christianity have in common. In recent years I have found her book, The History of God, to be a valuable resource for my own teaching. It traces the history of how humanity has perceived and experienced God from the time of Abraham to the present through these three strands of monotheism. So, it was with great interest when I heard her accept her award and present her wish: The Charter for Compassion. I invite you to watch and listen to this most fascinating challenge. (approx. 20 minutes)
P.S. I have also found her latest book, The Bible: A Biography, to be a very important addition to my library.
2 comments:
Armstrong's address was spot on in it's allusions to the Golden Rule in the Iliad. The scene of Achilles and Priam was inspired. One of the most witty pokes was the remark about humans, " We have a talent for messing up wonderful things". Her wish for "Compassion" is not a bad legacy for one who thought they had quit thinking about religion when they left the convent. Tom
"Exegesis was always a spiritual discipline rather than an academic pursuit."
This is my favorite sentence from "Biography". Tom
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