A landmark biography by the New York Times bestselling author of Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World that reveals how Genghis harnessed the power of religion to rule the largest empire the world has ever known.

Throughout history the world's greatest conquerors have made their mark not just on the battlefield, but in the societies they have transformed. Genghis Khan conquered by arms and bravery, but he ruled...

Looks at non-Christian religions and belief systems in American history and their impact on the development of the country from its very beginnings, as well as how those religions influenced and were influenced by one another and Christianity.

Why secularism isn't the same thing as atheism-and why it's crucial for preserving liberty and democracy for all Americans, regardless of their beliefs. Founding father Thomas Jefferson believed that "religion is a matter which lies solely between Man and his God," but these days many people seem to have forgotten this ideal. Conservatives claim America is a "Christian nation" and urge that laws be structured around religious convictions. Hardcore...

Venerated for millennia by three faiths, torn by irreconcilable conflict, conquered, rebuilt, and mourned for again and again, Jerusalem is a sacred city whose very sacredness has engendered terrible tragedy. In this fascinating volume, Karen Armstrong, author of the highly praised A History of God, traces the history of how Jews, Christians, and Muslims have all laid claim to Jerusalem as their holy place, and how three radically different concepts...

An introduction to three great philosophical traditions, namely those of India, the Middle East and the Far East. Fifty eastern thinkers are covered. Each is placed within the context of his or her own tradition and key ideas are explored together with relevant biographical information. The book focuses on the philosophies of the East rather than on its religions and attempts to be clear and concise without over-simplification. The Indian section...

Americas story is one of great social achievement. From the Abolitionists who fought to outlaw slavery, to the Suffragettes who championed womens right to vote, to the Civil Rights proponents who battled segregation and institutionalized white supremacy, to the proponents of the womens movement and gay rights seeking equality for all, citizens for generations have risen up to fulfill the promise of our nation. Over the course of Americas history,...

This landmark book traces the history of belief in the Christian West from the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment, revealing for the first time how a distinctively modern category of belief came into being. Ethan Shagan focuses not on what people believed, which is the normal concern of Reformation history, but on the more fundamental question of what people took belief to be. Shagan shows how religious belief enjoyed a special prestige in medieval...

From the Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist, a revelatory portrait of religion in China today—its history, the spiritual traditions of its Eastern and Western faiths, and the ways in which it is influencing China’s future.
The Souls of China tells the story of one of the world’s great spiritual revivals.  Following a century of violent anti-religious campaigns, China is now filled with new temples, churches,...

Jews have been a religious and cultural presence in America since the colonial era, and the community of Jews in the United States today - some six million people - continues to make a significant contribution to the American religious landscape. Emphasizing developments in American Judaism in the last quarter century among active participants in Jewish worship, this book provides both a look back into the 350-year history of Judaic life and a well-crafted...