A History of God: The 4000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

In A History of God, Karen Armstrong contends that religiosity is intrinsic to human nature, asserting, “human beings are spiritual animals. Indeed, there is a case for arguing that Homo sapiens is also Homo religious” (17). Drawing upon historical, anthropological, and philosophical insights, she posits that human beings have always been spiritually inclined. She regards humankind’s spiritual preoccupations as analogous to the creation of art, with both endeavors representing a quest for meaning, an exploration of the world’s enigmas, and a means of expressing reverence for the transcendent.    

Armstrong’s assertion that humanity is “Homo religious” captures her conviction that religious expression has an element that is universal. As a species, throughout history, humans seem compelled to find solace and meaning in a dimension beyond the tangible, whether through ritualistic practices, moral codes, or theological contemplations. Armstrong’s work assumes that this spiritual dimension isn’t a mere cultural or social construct but a vital aspect of human consciousness. Even secularism, as she notes, is a fresh experiment in a grand tapestry of human history, and our current secular ethos may be viewed as a non-theistic religious perspective. This suggests that even in seemingly irreligious frameworks, the intrinsic human, religious quest for meaning persists.

This universality, for Armstrong, is largely present in a perennial experience of the transcendent across diverse religious traditions: “Throughout history, men and women have experienced a dimension of the spirit that seems to transcend the mundane world” (20). Furthermore, regardless of cultural or historical context, she claims there exists similarities in how humans experience their encounters with the divine, writing, “all the major religions [. . . ] would agree that it is impossible to describe this transcendence in normal conceptual language” (20). This recurring motif suggests a belief in a shared spiritual substrate that transcends religious dogmas. Moreover, Armstrong accentuates the inadequacy of language in encapsulating these spiritual epiphanies, implying that many cultural differences between conceptions of the divine are ultimately a result of this failure of language. Just as mystics from diverse traditions have often resorted to poetic or allegorical language to convey their experiences, Armstrong posits that the divine’s true essence eludes strict linguistic boundaries.

In this sense, Armstrong’s analysis has roots in philosophies of Universalism and Perennialism. Universalism posits that all religions, at their essence, strive toward a shared truth or divine understanding. Perennialism extends this idea, suggesting that there is a timeless and recurrent spiritual truth accessible through diverse religious experiences. In highlighting the shared mystical encounters across religious traditions, Armstrong leans into Perennialist thought, suggesting a universal spiritual experience underpinning varied religious expressions.

Furthermore, Armstrong’s emphasis on experience over doctrine mirrors the Perennialist belief in an underlying spiritual truth that transcends religious dogma. For Armstrong, the emphasis is on the individual’s direct communion with the transcendent rather than adherence to rigid dogmatic structures. In this light, her critique of fundamentalism can be seen as a call for a more inclusive and experiential approach to spirituality.