Updating Basket....

Sign In
0 Items

BASKET SUMMARY

There are currently no items added to the basket
Sign In
0 Items

BASKET SUMMARY

There are currently no items added to the basket

Born Bad

Original Sin and the Making of the Western Mind

Born Bad

Original Sin and the Making of the Western Mind

This item is in stock and will be dispatched within 48 hours.

25 units left in stock.

Paperback / softback

£9.99

£4.99

Publisher: SPCK Publishing
ISBN: 9780281076024
Number of Pages: 272
Published: 01/09/9900
Width: 15.6 cm
Height: 23.4 cm

According to the doctrine of original sin, all humans are born bad and only God's grace can bring salvation. James Boyce shows how these ideas have shaped the Western view of human nature, and how the belief that we are all innately sinful retains a firm grip on Western consciousness and culture - even in the writings of avowed atheists such as Marx and Freud. Born Bad traces a fascinating journey from Adam and Eve all the way to Adam Smith and Richard Dawkins in this sweeping story of a controversial idea and its remarkable influence.

Contents Part One: Original Sin in Christendom 1. The Father of Original Sin 2. The Contest for the Western Soul 3. The Challenge of the Celts 4. Scholars and Sinners 5. The Forgiveness Industry 6. A Peasant’s World 7. All Shall Be Well 8. The Meaning of Marrying a Nun 9. John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion 10. Spreading the Word 11. The Puritan Foundation of Modern Life 12. Reclaiming Augustine Part Two: Original Sin in the Modern World 13. A Christian Enlightenment 14. The Perfect Evangelical 15. Celebrating Christian Choice 16. Adam Smith and Market Salvation 17. Imperfect Democracy 18. Original Sin in an Age of Progress 19. Freud and the Science of Self 20. Staying Positive 21. The Selfish Gene 22. Where to for Salvation? 23. Beyond Good or Bad Appendix: Where Did Original Sin Come From? 198

James Boyce

James Boyce is an honorary research associate of the School of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Tasmania, and a multiple award-winning author.

Ambitious, thought-provoking ... an easy read on an ignored but central and timely topic. * The Tablet * Born Bad is one of the best books on the history of the evolution of Christianity and its ideology. It is beautifully written and very well argued. This book is a necessary read for all those who are interested in Christianity, its evolution, and its history. * Washington Book Review * Boyce leads us into new understandings of some of the central figures in Western culture... This is an exceptional, highly recommended work, innovative and creative in surprising ways. * Publisher's Weekly * A brilliant and exhilarating work of popular scholarship. * The Washington Post *

Friends Scheme

Our online book club offers discounts on hundreds of titles...