The Biggest Think of All?

As our name implies, Big Think asks experts to ponder large questions—but we rarely make them this large. Topics covered in our interview with comparative religion scholar Karen Armstrong included: “Who is God?“;”What does religion accomplish?”; “Can faith and science be reconciled?” and “How can we die with dignity?”

In weighing these issues, the author of “The History of God” drew on a range of formative personal and intellectual influences, from Socrates and Rabbi Hillel the Elder to an elderly nun she knew during her time in a convent as a young woman. Throughout, her most consistent theme was the need for consistent practice of the “discipline of compassion,” as exemplified by her newly launched international Charter for Compassion.