Excellent episode of Start The Week. Not just Karen Armstrong on the links between religion and the history of life in general, including war, but more history of Baghdad, Islamic learning, culture and trade, and the evolution of the middle-east situation in general. Imperial dominance overtaking historical cultural leadership, leading to “humiliation” as a driver to violent frustration. We learn that despite Mesopotamia being the prehistoric cradle of civilisation, Baghdad itself is much newer dating from 700’s AD.
[Seeing Karen Armstrong speak at the Royal Institution on Wednesday.]
[Previously blogged about her back in 2010.]
[Post Note : Karen’s Grauniad article /essay to promote her book tour.]
[Post Note : and a CFI_UK response from Stephen Law.]
[Post Note : and an ex-Muslim perspective.]