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by Robin Sharma
Rescuing the Sacred Texts
'The Lost Art of Scripture' by Karen Armstrong explores the transformative power of religious texts across time and cultures. It promotes a deeper understanding and respect for different sacred traditions, while advocating for a more pluralistic and inclusive approach to spirituality.
The story of Adam and Eve isn’t about a fruit or a snake. Nor is it about being cast out of paradise. It’s about economics.
Here’s why: in ancient Mesopotamia, around five thousand years ago, the agrarian economic system ruled. In this system, an elite class appropriated up to two-thirds of peasants’ crops, forcing them into serfdom. Life was incredibly hard for serfs, so they developed the Adam and Eve narrative to explain their suffering. They chalked up their sorry state to original sin rather than to ongoing economic oppression by elites.
Two thousand years later – so, around three thousand years ago – an economic crisis in Mesopotamian city-states forced Israelite peasants into exile in the desert. There, they continued to develop their founding myths – and they did it in a way that would ultimately change the world.
The key message here is: The Israelites used their experience of oppression and exile to develop the first version of the Bible.
When the Israelite peasants fled into the desert, they felt sure they would die. When they didn’t, the Israelites attributed their success – and the collapse of the city-states that had exploited them – to the just and empathetic god Yahweh. In honor of this god, they decided that their society would be just and egalitarian, too – the exact opposite of the city-states they’d fled. In founding a society based on social justice, the Israelites reversed the prevailing political order of the age.
But as centuries passed and the Israelites’ power grew, their society began to lose touch with its founding principles. Its political structure veered away from egalitarianism. New hierarchies were established and reinforced by formal religious education. The Israelites’ commitment to social justice began to erode.
Finally, around 600 BCE, the king of a neighboring empire, Babylon, razed the Israelites’ kingdom to the ground, including their holy temples. What’s more, he forced them into exile, to live under his watchful eye in Babylon. In exile, the Israelites used their cultural memory of previous exile – the terrifying period in the desert during which they first started worshipping Yahweh – to resist the extinction of their culture.
But you need more than memory to preserve culture; you also need tools. For Israelite elites in Mesopotamia, one of the most effective tools was memorizing texts – not by reading them, but by singing, chanting, or speaking them. The most gifted students internalized religious texts so thoroughly that they could select, from the archive of their mind, the passages that worked best for the current moment, like a jazz musician improvising with standards.
They transformed the rituals and stories of their lost temples, such as the fall of Adam and Eve, into a new scripture. This would become the first five books of the Hebrew Bible.
The Lost Art of Scripture (2019) traces five thousand years of religious tradition. It examines the common purpose and motivations of all scriptural revolutions, how literal readings of scripture birthed violent movements of fundamentalism, and how we can use scripture to address the political and intellectual concerns of today.
The Lost Art of Scripture (2019) by Karen Armstrong is a profound exploration of the history, interpretation, and significance of religious scriptures. Here's why this book is worth your time:
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Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
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by Robin Sharma
What is the main message of The Lost Art of Scripture?
The main message of The Lost Art of Scripture explores how religious texts shape our understanding of the divine and influence our lives.
How long does it take to read The Lost Art of Scripture?
Reading time for The Lost Art of Scripture varies. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is The Lost Art of Scripture a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Lost Art of Scripture is worth reading for its insightful exploration of religious texts and their impact on society and personal spirituality.
Who is the author of The Lost Art of Scripture?
Karen Armstrong is the author of The Lost Art of Scripture.