Tom Holland: Christian History
Whatever else it may be, the Quran is no work of history.
Key Words
- Doctorate: the highest academic degree awarded by a university, typically based on advanced study or research in a particular field
Her doctorate in psychology was a culmination of years of dedicated research.
- Derive from: to come from a particular origin or source
The word "chocolate" derives from the Aztec word "xocolatl."
- By and large: when everything about a situation is considered together
By and large, the team performed exceptionally well in the competition.
- Norms: standards of behavior that are typical or expected within a particular society or group
Respecting cultural norms is important when traveling to a foreign country.
- Historical method: the techniques and principles used by historians to research, analyze, and interpret historical events
Using the historical method, the historian uncovered new insights into the ancient civilization.
Read to find the answers
- What books did Tom Holland write early in his career?
- What did he write about in the New Statesman in 2016?
- What is 'Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind' about?
- What happened after he published 'In the Shadow of the Sword'?
Tom Holland
Thomas Holland is an English author and popular historian who has published bestselling books on subjects including classical and medieval history, and is best known for his works on Christianity and Islam.
He graduated from Queens' College, Cambridge, and began work on a doctorate, but soon abandoned it after deciding that he was "fed up with universities and fed up with being poor" and went to work instead.
He started out writing Gothic horror novels, but went on to write two short historical biographies about Æthelstan. The man who went from being King of the Anglo-Saxons to becoming the first King of England.
In addition to his books, he has worked with the BBC to create and present historical television documentaries and radio series. He now co-hosts The Rest is History podcast.
Christianity
His father was an atheist and his mother an Anglican, and although he was brought up in the Christian church, he denied the existence of God as an adult.
In 2016, he wrote an article for the New Statesman entitled 'Why I was wrong about Christianity', in which he stated that Western values were not derived from ancient Greece and Rome, but from Christianity.
Christianity is the main reason why, by and large, most of us who live in post-Christian societies still take for granted that it is nobler to suffer than to inflict suffering. In my morality and ethics, I have learned to accept that I am not Greek or Roman at all, but thoroughly and proudly Christian.
Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind
Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind, known in America as Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World, is an examination of Christianity's influence on Western civilisation, in which Holland claims that the religion's influence can still be seen in ethics and cultural norms around the world today; concepts such as human rights, charity and the separation of Church and State have their roots in Christian thought, even if religion itself is rejected:
To live in a Western country is to live in a society that is still completely saturated with Christian concepts and assumptions.
In the Shadow of the Sword
One of Tom Holland's most famous books, In the Shadow of the Sword, is about the fall of the Roman and Persian Empires and the rise of Islam.
When Tom Holland used the historical method in his research for the book, he concluded by making several controversial claims about the history of Islam. One was that neither the Qur'an nor the Hadith were mentioned in any other text until centuries later. Another was that the earliest surviving biographies of Muhammad were written almost two hundred years after his death.
There are angels and other gods in the biography of Muhammad. So why should we believe that the account of Muhammad's first great victory is any more authentic than the legend of the siege of Troy?
Tom Holland received death threats and required police protection following the publication of the book and accompanying documentary 'Islam: The Untold Story'.
Discussion questions
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Do you have any questions about any of the vocabulary or grammar in this article?
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Do you like learning about history from TV shows, podcasts, and books? What are your favorite history resources?
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Do you think Western values come more from Christianity or ancient civilizations? Why do you think that?
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How has your upbringing influenced your views on religion? Have your views on religion changed as you've got older?
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Have you ever learned something new about a culture or history that was very different from what you previously thought?
