Author:Charles Freeman
In AD 381, Theodosius, emperor of the eastern Roman empire, issued a decree in which all his subjects were required to subscribe to a belief in the Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This edict defined Christian orthodoxy and brought to an end a lively and wide-ranging debate about the nature of the Godhead; all other interpretations were now declared heretical.
Moreover, for the first time in a thousand years of Greco-Roman civilization free thought was unambiguously suppressed. Yet surprisingly this political revolution, intended to bring inner cohesion to an empire under threat from the outside, has been airbrushed from the historical record. Instead, it has been claimed that the Christian Church had reached a consensus on the Trinity which was promulgated at the Council of Constantinople in AD 381.
In this groundbreaking new book, Freeman argues that Theodosius's edict and the subsequent suppression of paganism not only brought an end to the diversity of religious and philosophical beliefs throughout the empire but created numerous theological problems for the Church, which have remained unsolved. The year AD 381, Freeman concludes, marked 'a turning point which time forgot'.
Even if theology and ancient history are subjects you avoid, you should not miss this book. It's lucidity and critical challenge are a feast for the mind
—— John Carey , Sunday TimesAstonishing... Breathtaking... The sad history of heresy-hunting starts here
—— Paul CartledgeFreeman has a talent for narrative history and for encapsulating the more arcane disputes of ancient historians and theologians
—— Mary Beard , IndependentAslan is a superb narrator, bringing each century to life with vivid details and present tense narration that makes popular history so enthralling... A terrific read
—— Glasgow HeraldOutstandingly useful ... always balanced, vivid and readable
—— The IndependentGrippingly narrated and thoughtfully examined . . . a literate, accessible introduction to Islam
—— The New York TimesAslan offers an invaluable introduction to the forces that have shaped Islam [in this] eloquent, erudite paean to Islam in all of its complicated glory
—— Los Angeles Times Book ReviewWise and passionate . . . an incisive, scholarly primer in Muslim history and an engaging personal exploration
—— The New York Times Book ReviewAcutely perceptive . . . For many troubled Muslims, this book will feel like a revelation, an opening up of knowledge too long buried
—— The IndependentThoroughly engaging and excellently written . . . While [Aslan] might claim to be a mere scholar of the Islamic Reformation, he is also one of its most articulate advocates
—— The OregonianA revelation, an opening up of knowledge too long buried, denied and corrupted by generations of men ... Muslim keepers of the latter will rage against Reza Aslan as his careful scholarship and precise language dismantles their false claims and commands ... Aslan is acutely perceptive
—— The IndependentA rather beautiful account of the birth and evolution of Islam ... Lucid and illuminating ... Fascinating
—— MetroAslan is an engaging writer, his strength lies ... as an observer of contemporary challenges facing Islam ... Sensitive and generous
—— FT MagazineEnthralling. A book of tremendous clarity and generosity of spirit
—— Jim Crace
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