The darkening age book

A book by catherine nixey 1 this is a book about the savage christian destruction of the classical grecoroman world. The darkening age is nothing new and is just the latest iteration of the now tired and decrepit whig myth of progress which presents antiquity in some amazing light, the christian era as the dark age, and that the light of antiquity was rekindled in the enlightenment. The darkening age describes the late antique roman world between two arbitrarily chosen events. Her publishers blurb informs us that nixeys book tells the largely unknown and deeply shocking story of how a militant christianity extinguished the teachings of the classical world and was violent, ruthless and intolerant in an orgy of destruction and oppression that was an annihilation. A bold new history of the rise of christianity, showing how its radical followers ravaged vast swathes of classical culture, plunging the world into an era of intellectual darkness. Vandalizing the parthenon temple in athens has been a. The christian destruction of the classical world is a 2018 book by catherine nixey. Well first of all, there might be something wrong with that statement.

She studied classics at cambridge and taught the subject for several years before becoming a journalist on the arts desk at the times uk, where she still works. Her mother was a nun, her father was a monk, and she was brought up catholic. Despite the longheld notion that the early christians were meek and mild, going to their martyrs deaths singing hymns of love and praise, the truth, as. How christians destroyed the ancient world the new york times. The darkening age ebook by catherine nixey rakuten kobo.

The christian destruction of the classical world by catherine nixey. The darkening age describes the period that followed the supposed collapse of civilization i. Book 5 will be called dark age from pierce browns facebook december 15, 2017. Religion as a natural phenomenon and michel onfray the atheist manifesto have done a good job in setting the record straight. Christians, bookburning, temple destruction and some balance on nixeys popular polemic. The christian destruction of the classical world, macmillan, 2017 305 pp. A bold new history of the rise of christianity, showing how its radical followers ravaged vast swathes of.

The darkening age is an eyeopener for anyone who thinks that christianity is, or ever was, a religion of peace and tolerance. The christian destruction of the classical world catherine nixey macmillan, 2017, 352p. Augustine called merciful savagery, the destruction. The darkening age by catherine nixey looks at the rise of christianity, showing how its early radical followers ravaged vast swathes of classical culture, sending the west into an era of dogma and intellectual decline.

A searingly passionate book bettany hughes in the darkening age, catherine nixey tells the littleknown and deeply shocking story of how a militant religion deliberately tried to extinguish the teachings of the classical world, ushering in unquestioning adherence to the one true faith. The darkening age is such a book written by catherine nixey. Nixey combines the authority of a serious academic with the expressive style of a good journalist. Although i certainly wont defend a naive, innocent picture of ancient christianity, i think this. How christians destroyed the ancient world the new york. She has been moved to write a book, the darkening age.

She lives in catherine nixey is a journalist and a classicist. Despite the longheld notion that the early christians were meek and mild, going to their martyrs deaths singing hymns of love and praise, the truth, as catherine. The christian destruction of the classical world by catherine nixey an exceptional account of murder and vandalism wrought by religious zealotry and one that. The darkening age, winner of a royal society of literature jerwood award, is her first book.

The roman empire had been generous in embracing and absorbing new creeds. Recent books by richard dawkins the god delusion, christopher hitchens god is not great, daniel dennett breaking the spell. Catherine nixey, the darkening age once upon a reading. Religion as a natural phenomenon and michel onfray the atheist manifesto have done a. The darkening age the christian destruction of the classical world by catherine nixey illustrated. A wellwritten and measured book that takes a look at the classical world and the early years of christianity. The christian destruction of the classical world, by. In the darkening age, catherine nixey brilliantly resurrects this lost history, offering a wrenching account of the rise of christianity and its terrible cost. The darkening age the christian destruction of the classical world book.

Catherine nixey cherrypicks historical evidence in her unevenly researched book the darkening age catherine nixey, the darkening age. Read the darkening age the christian destruction of the classical world by catherine nixey available from rakuten kobo. The christian destruction of the classical world, bludgeoning the stupid christians in her scenario. They were dismembered, their limbs hung along the towns main street. In the darkening age, nixey resurrects this lost history, offering a wrenching account of the rise of christianity and its terrible cost. The darkening age is the largely unknown story of how a militant. A dramatic dive into ancient christianity, wellwritten but lacking nuance. The darkening age by catherine nixey, 9781509816071, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The christian destruction of the classical world, studies what st.

The darkening age is the largely unknown story of how a militant religion comprehensively and deliberately extinguished the teachings of the classical world, ushering in centuries of unquestioning adherence to one true faith. Her publishers blurb informs us that nixeys book tells the largely unknown and deeply shocking story of how a militant christianity extinguished the teachings of the classical world and was violent, ruthless and intolerant in an orgy of destruction and. In her view, the standard modern picture of the roman empires conversion remains, even 200. Synopsis in the darkening age, catherine nixey tells the littleknown and deeply shocking story of how a militant religion deliberately tried to extinguish the teachings of the classical world, ushering in unquestioning adherence to the one true faith the roman empire had been generous in embracing and absorbing new creeds. Augustine called merciful savagery, the destruction of classical philosophy by the christians who inherited the roman empire. Anyone with even a elementary knowledge of philosophy, literature, and social history would not have made the same. This work is licensed under a creative commons attribution 4. The darkening age book san francisco public library. Not even the twentyfirstcentury catherine nixey will escape totally unscathed after publishing her brilliant and disturbing book, the darkening age. Offers a history of the rise of christianity in the classical world that focuses on its terrible cost, in terms of violence and dogmatic intolerance, that helped bring upon the dark ages.

The christian destruction of the classical world by catherine nixey this vivid history lays bare the early churchs eagerness to destroy, says gerard degroot. The book is a compelling narrative, full of facts, and an antidote to two thousand years of christian. The darkening age rattles along at a tremendous pace, and nixey brilliantly evokes all that was lost with the waning of the classical world. In the opening paragraph of chapter of the darkening age. It is bloodydamn pleasure to announce dark age will be coming soon. The christian destruction of the classical world, bludgeoning the stupid christians. The darkening age is the largely unknown story of how a militant religion deliberately attacked and suppressed the teachings of the classical world, ushering in centuries of unquestioning adherence to one true faith. The darkening age is a delightful book about destruction and despair.

Catherine nixeys book, the darkening age, makes the case that christianity added fuel to the fire. A s the laws became increasingly shrill, the extent of the destruction increased, as too did the openness with which it was done. Nixey has a great story to tell, and she tells it exceptionally well. Catherine nixey asks what caused this violence, pain and upheaval, when polytheism had apparently been working perfectly well for centuries. Tim whitmarsh, the guardian as catherine nixey points out in her vivid and important new book, the idea of the widespread persecution of christians is a product of the churchs marketing and recruitment techniques. The darkening age by catherine nixey pan macmillan. Hodgkinson, spectator sardonic, well informed and quite properly lacking in sympathy for its hapless target.

It discusses historical accounts of how early christianity played a role in the destruction and suppression of culture. Christians, bookburning, temple destruction and some. A feast of tales of murder, vandalism and willful destruction. The darkening age by former classics teacher, now journalist, catherine nixey is another book i selected for reading prior to the release of the latest issue of ancient history magazine, which deals with the decline of paganism and the rise of christianity. Catherine nixeys the darkening age tells a story of desecration on an enormous scale. T he flames of damnation began to lick at roman daily life. The darkening age is the largely unknown story of how a militant religion deliberately attacked and suppressed the teachings of the classical world, ushering in centuries of unquestioning adherence to one true faith despite the longheld notion that the early christians were meek and mild, going to their martyrs deaths singing hymns of love and praise, the truth, as catherine nixey. Books, including great works of philosophy and science, were consigned to the pyre. What the critics thought of catherine nixeys the darkening age, louise erdrichs future home of the living god and rodric braithwaites armageddon and paranoia. Shes not afraid to throw in the odd joke amid sombre tales of desecration. A new york times notable book of 2018 searingly passionatenixey writes up a storm. In the darkening age, catherine nixey tells the littleknown and deeply shocking story of how a militant religion deliberately tried to extinguish the teachings of the classical world, ushering in unquestioning adherence to the one true faith. But with the coming of christianity, everything changed. In literature of a newly sadistic strain, christian writers outlined in graphic detail what awaited those who did not comply with the edicts of this all.

Review catherine nixey the darkening age history for. The sunday times as catherine nixey points out in her vivid and important new book, the idea of the widespread persecution of christians is a product of the churchs marketing and recruitment. When i was growing up, i was told the myth that christians in the early part of their spirituality were prosecuted for their beliefs. It discusses historical accounts of how early christianity. At some point, probably just before the attack on the temple of serapis, a bishop named marcellus became. This provocative book claims that christianity in antiquity did very much look like isis. That the religion slowly won over the world with love and peace. The christian destruction of the classical world, catherine nixey wrote. From ad 312, when constantine started ruling rome, to ad 529 under the rule of justinian, the crushing of the pagan world was near total. Sleigh bells are in the air, cider is on the stove, and im hard at work on book five.