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  • Dominion

  • How the Christian Revolution Remade the World
  • Written by: Tom Holland
  • Narrated by: Tom Holland, Mark Meadows
  • Length: 22 hrs and 18 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (114 ratings)

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Dominion

Written by: Tom Holland
Narrated by: Tom Holland, Mark Meadows
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Publisher's Summary

A "marvelous" (Economist) account of how the Christian Revolution forged the Western imagination.

Crucifixion, the Romans believed, was the worst fate imaginable, a punishment reserved for slaves. How astonishing it was, then, that people should have come to believe that one particular victim of crucifixion - an obscure provincial by the name of Jesus - was to be worshipped as a god. Dominion explores the implications of this shocking conviction as they have reverberated throughout history.

Today, the West remains utterly saturated by Christian assumptions. As Tom Holland demonstrates, our morals and ethics are not universal but are instead the fruits of a very distinctive civilization. Concepts such as secularism, liberalism, science, and homosexuality are deeply rooted in a Christian seedbed. From Babylon to the Beatles, Saint Michael to #MeToo, Dominion tells the story of how Christianity transformed the modern world.

©2019 Tom Holland (P)2019 Basic Books

What the critics say

"A sweeping narrative...[Holland] is an exceptionally good storyteller with a marvelous eye for detail...excellent fun." (The Economist)

"What in other hands could have been a dry pedantic account of Christianity's birth and evolution becomes in Holland's an all-absorbing story...It takes a master storyteller to translate the development of a philosophical notion into a captivating story, and Holland proves to be one... Holland offers a remarkably nuanced and balanced account of two millennia of Christian history - intellectual, cultural, artistic, social and political. The book's scope is breathtaking." (The Literary Review)

"Christianity may not be on the march, but its principles continue to dominate in much of the world; this thoughtful, astute account describes how and why... Holland delivers penetrating, often jolting discussions on great controversies of Western civilization in which war, politics, and culture have formed a background to changes in values... An insightful argument that Christian ethics, even when ignored, are the norm worldwide." (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)

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What listeners say about Dominion

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Mat
  • 2023-04-23

Book good his podcast is better

I listen to his podcast “TheRest is History” religiously. It is amazing . This book is good but I prefers the one about the origins or islam

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Truly an enjoyable and illuminating walk through the history of Christianity and its impact on our world

Knowing already a certain amount about the history of Christianity, I found this book very informative and helpful in understanding how Christianity has profoundly shaped our culture’s underlying assumptions about right and wrong. I am not qualified to judge how accurate and balanced all the historical accounts that fill the book are, but certainly the writing is masterful and engaging. Unlike another reviewer, I found the reader, who has a lively style, a good choice for this book. One is left more convinced that if Christianity is not true, it is certainly an extraordinary historical phenomenon, and most of us - especially people who would have been left on the margins in ancient societies - can only be grateful for its overall impact.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Phenomenal Work

A phenomenal work, thoroughly describing "...the most influential framework for making sense of human existence that has ever existed." Just as the proverbial fish, when asked, replies "...what water?", so too all of the West. We're swimming in it.

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  • C G
  • 2022-11-25

A+

The book was recommended to me by a pastor. I found it informative, compelling and intriguing. enjoyed listening, thank you

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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing book

Wonderful adventure through the history of Christianity throughout the world. Convincingly traces back the values of the West in our Christian heritage.

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  • G S
  • 2020-03-02

Weird narration

I started reading the paperback version (which I was thoroughly enjoying) and decided to supplement with audio on my daily commute to get through the book a little faster. Very odd choice of narrator, whose overly dramatic voice makes taking in and retaining the content very difficult. It makes a fantastic book and piece of scholarship feel like a cheap documentary that a substitute teacher throws on in an unruly highschool class. Mr. Holland should have read the entire book, not just the intro.

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Wonderful listen

My first Tom Holland, not my last. Beautifully written, not a boring list of what happened, but a narrative, an epic.

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Fabulous! Really amazing. This book helped me understand so many beliefs that I actually took for granted.

Fabulous! Really amazing. This book helped me understand so many beliefs that I actually took for granted.

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What a Story

so comprehensive, and thought provoking. It was easy to listen, being swept up in the many characters and global expressions of the story. Perhaps to his credit the author doesn't use this book to pick a side and justify his position, and the book seems stronger for it. It's a daunting journey that is well worth the investment, and really well narrated!!

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Superbly interesting overview of Christianity

Tom Holland manages the difficult task of providing a 2000 year history of Christianity, and summarizing its impact on today's culture. Very interesting!

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1 person found this helpful