A Review of “The Lost Art of Scripture: Rescuing the Sacred Texts” by Karen Armstrong

Abstract

The opus magnum of Karen Armstrong, “The Lost Art of Scripture: Rescuing the Sacred Texts”, is a seminal work of great erudition that illuminates the intricate and multifarious nature of sacred scriptures from diverse world religions. With meticulous historical and cultural analysis, Armstrong cogently expounds that sacred texts are not immutable entities but rather mutable and evolving ones, influenced by human interpretation and historical contingencies.

The work aptly emphasizes the need for a pluralistic approach to religion that acknowledges the legitimacy of divergent interpretations and perspectives. Moreover, it poignantly underscores the peril of dogmatic literalism and fundamentalism, which limit the depth and intricacy of scripture to a rigid set of rules and doctrines. Armstrong thus advocates for a more nuanced and holistic understanding of scripture that acknowledges its metaphorical and symbolic dimensions while recognizing the human element in its creation and transmission.