View source for God against the Gods: The History of the War between Monotheism and Polytheism (2004 Kirsch), non-fiction

'''God against the Gods: The History of the War between Monotheism and Polytheism  ''' (2004) is a book by [[Jonathan Kirsch]].

==Abstract ==

"In this ... book, [the author] explores the final struggle between monotheism and polytheism in the ancient world, a war that was fought by a series of charismatic, visionary but also violent monarchs in the name of the One True God - an Egyptian pharaoh, a Jewish king, and two Roman emperors. Contrary to the conventional wisdom of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the world of classical paganism was not steeped in sin. In fact, [according to the author], religious liberty and diversity were core values of classical paganism, and it was monotheism that introduced the terrors of true belief, including holy war, martyrdom, inquisitions, and crusades."--Publisher description

==Editions and translations==

Published in [[New York, NY]]: Viking Compass, 2004.

==Contents==

Prologue: The everlasting fire -- bk. 1. The god that failed: Against all the gods of Egypt : a young pharaoh's experiment in monotheism and why it failed. What did pagans do? : the case against classical paganism, and why it was wrong. Terror and true belief: The Jewish king who reinvented the faith of ancient Israel. Confessors and traitors: pagans and Christians go to war in ancient Rome -- bk. 2. War of God against the gods: "In this sign, conquer": the curious encounter of Christ and Constantine in the struggle for the Roman crown. The harlot in the bishop's bed : the war within the Christian church over the divinity of Christ. The ruler of the whole world : the invention of the totalitarian state by the first Christian Emperor of Rome. The orphans of Macellum : The Christian prince who survived a blood purge and struggled for the restoration of paganism. The secret pagan : Gods, empresses, and Julian's unlikely rise to the imperial throne. "Behold, the rivers are running backwards" : the pagan counterrevolution of the Emperor Julian. The handless scribe : the price of victory of the only true god.

==External links==

*[ Google Books]


[[Category:2004| Kirsch]]	
[[Category:Non-Fiction|2004 Kirsch]]
[[Category:Books|2004 Kirsch]]

[[Category:American Non-Fiction|2004 Kirsch]]

[[Category:English language|2004 Kirsch]]
[[Category:Made in the 2000s| 2004 Kirsch]]


[[Category:Hebrew Bible Studies|2004 Kirsch]]
[[Category:Hebrew Bible Studies--Scholarship|2004 Kirsch]]
[[Category:Hebrew Bible Studies--English|2004 Kirsch]]
[[Category:Hebrew Bible Studies--United States|2004 Kirsch]]

[[Category:Early Christian Studies|2004 Kirsch]]
[[Category:Early Christian Studies--Scholarship|2004 Kirsch]]
[[Category:Early Christian Studies--English|2004 Kirsch]]
[[Category:Early Christian Studies--United States|2004 Kirsch]]


[[Category:Monotheism (subject)|2004 Kirsch]]


[[Category:Top 2000s| 2004 Kirsch]]
[[Category:Scholarship--Top 2000s| 2004 Kirsch]]
[[Category:English language--Top 2000s| 2004 Kirsch]]
[[Category:Hebrew Bible Studies--Top 2000s| 2004 Kirsch]]
[[Category:Early Christian Studies--Top 2000s| 2004 Kirsch]]