Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Thomas Nelson (2012), 464 pages
Description
Understand where we came from.Whether you're an avid student of the Bible or a skeptic of its relevance, The Book That Made Your World will transform your perception of its influence on virtually every facet of Western civilization.Indian philosopher Vishal Mangalwadi reveals the personal motivation that fueled his own study of the Bible and systematically illustrates how its precepts became the framework for societal structure throughout the last millennium. From politics and science, to academia and technology, the Bible's sacred copy became the key that unlocked the Western mind.Through Mangalwadi's wide-ranging and fascinating investigation, you'll discover:What triggered the West's passion for scientific, medical, and technological advancementHow the biblical notion of human dignity informs the West's social structure and how it intersects with other worldviewsHow the Bible created a fertile ground for women to find social and economic empowermentHow the Bible has uniquely equipped the West to cultivate compassion, human rights, prosperity, and strong familiesThe role of the Bible in the transformation of educationHow the modern literary notion of a hero has been shaped by the Bible's archetypal protagonistJourney with Mangalwadi as he examines the origins of a civilization's greatness and the misguided beliefs that threaten to unravel its progress. Learn how the Bible transformed the social, political, and religious institutions that have sustained Western culture for the past millennium, and discover how secular corruption endangers the stability and longevity of Western civilization. Endorsements:"This is an extremely significant piece of work with huge global implications. Vishal brings a timely message." (Ravi Zacharias, author, Walking from East to West and Beyond Opinion)"In polite society, the mere mention of the Bible often introduces a certain measure of anxiety. A serious discussion on the Bible can bring outright contempt. Therefore, it is most refreshing to encounter this engaging and informed assessment of the Bible's profound impact on the modern world. Where Bloom laments the closing of the American mind, Mangalwadi brings a refreshing optimism." (Stanley Mattson, founder and president, C. S. Lewis Foundation)"Vishal Mangalwadi recounts history in very broad strokes, always using his cross-cultural perspectives for highlighting the many benefits of biblical principles in shaping civilization." (George Marsden, professor, University of Notre Dame; author, Fundamentalism and American Culture.)… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Steve777
This is an excellent overview of the influence of the Bible on the West. Mangalwadi shows with forceful arguments how a biblical worldview and ideas can come into a culture through the translation of the Bible and the working of biblical ideas through a culture.
LibraryThing member wkelly42
Vishal Mangalwadi makes some good points throughout this book. The fact that he's approaching this from an Eastern mindset makes it that much more interesting. But there's really nothing new; much of what is written here could be gleaned from Nancy Pearcey's Total Truth, or just about anything that
I enjoyed the book, though, because of the interaction that Mangalwadi has with Indian thought. THAT is the unique part of this book, and what makes it a worthwhile companion to Pearcey's (and others in the same vein).
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Francis Shaeffer ever wrote. Fitting, because both Mangalwadi and Pearcey studied at L'Abri.I enjoyed the book, though, because of the interaction that Mangalwadi has with Indian thought. THAT is the unique part of this book, and what makes it a worthwhile companion to Pearcey's (and others in the same vein).
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LibraryThing member spbooks
Vishal Mangalwadi's The Book That Made Your World is an ambitious undertaking that is also deeply flawed. Mangalwadi’s thesis is concisely summarised in the Foreword to the book written by J Stanley Mattson:
‘[Mangalwadi’s] arduous research establishes the fact that the Bible and its
In over 400 pages, Mangalwadi provides a sweeping series of historical narratives, entwined with his own personal experiences in India and the United States, which argue that features of Western civilization would not have occurred if it hadn’t been for the Bible. His outline of history includes the development of the valuing of humans as being higher than animals; the commitment to rationality; creative technology and its benefits; the formation of the concept of heroism based in humility and service; and the dramatic impact of the translation of the Bible into various languages. He also argues that literature, universities, and science would not have formed in the way they did without the Bible. For the author, the West is the best because of its higher ideals regarding morality, the family, compassion, true wealth, and liberty that transcend all other cultures because of the Bible’s influence. Ultimately, Mangalwadi wants to call the West back to a commitment to the Bible and its worldview to reverse what he sees as a rapid decline in relativistic morality and its consequential nihilism that results in despair. At the beginning of the book, the author holds up Kurt Cobain as an icon of modern culture arguing that his suicide was one of the rare occurrences when a nihilist genuinely followed through on their beliefs. Mangalwadi believes that this is the ultimate end of the West if it does not return to the Bible and its worldview.
There is no doubt that Mangalwadi is a good writer and very widely read. The fact that he is Indian and can make a comparison, from experience, between East and West provides for an interesting perspective. And his stories from his experience give a personal dimension that mostly enhances the history and philosophy that he surveys.
But there are some serious flaws in Mangalwadi’s argument. Firstly, reducing the entire development of the West to the influence of the Bible and its worldview is simplistic. While I am no historian, I am always suspicious when a single cause is offered for something. The world and history is surely more complex than that. For example, when he talks about the development of the wheeled plough, he argues that it only happened because of the biblical belief that toil was sinful (whereas work was part of God’s original creation). But as another reviewer has pointed out, farmers who are making a living from their work are surely going to look for more efficient ways of doing their work even if they did not subscribe to a “biblical” worldview! Mangalwadi also completely ignores a range of other influencing factors on the development of Western civilisation – the occurrence of plagues, growth in population, and a host of other historical events. For Mangalwadi everything is the result of the Bible and the adoption of its world view.
Secondly, Mangalwadi speaks of the worldview of the Bible. There is no acknowledgement in the book that the Bible has been the basis of multiple interpretations and “world views”. Mangalwadi presents what might be called the best of the Bible and the best examples of socio-cultural examples based on the Bible. But he fails to mention that the Bible has, for many people, been the basis of some very bad practices and used in support of genocide, slavery, and the “raping” of the environment.
Thirdly, Mangalwadi doesn’t mention any countries that have been successful without a basis in biblical theology or world view such as Japan and Singapore. How did they develop so well without a commitment to the Bible? And what about countries based firmly on a secular philosophy such as Sweden?
Fourthly, Mangalwadi completely dismisses any other religion or worldview has having much of value. But there is no sustained engagement with any of these alternatives. According to one Buddhist scholar who reviewed this book, Mangalwadi actually misrepresents Buddhism.
Overall, The Book That Changed Your World is an uncritical exposition of history. There are sweeping generalisations without any evidence being provided, selective use of the biblical text (on some occasions, no biblical evidence at all), and the equating of a romanticised view of the Bible (which is not as even in its presentation of God as Mangalwadi implies) that completely ignores the fact that Christians are just as prone to many of the social evils of our time as non-Christians (eg, teen pregnancy, divorce, domestic violence, child abuse).
In the end, The Book That Changed Your World is a work of apologetics rather than a scholarly and critical look at the relationship between the Bible and the development of Western culture. There is no doubt that the Bible has been influential – for good and for ill. While Mangalwadi’s book makes for an interesting read, it takes a too uncritical approach to history and the Bible to make it reliable. If one already believes that the Bible is solely responsible for the best in civilisation then this book will bolster that belief. But for a well-informed, educated believer, the evidence won’t be adequate to support the thesis as it is presented.
Acknowledgement: I found Jeff Swanson’s review on Amazon.com very helpful, in particular, in parts of this review. I recommend it.
Technorati Tags: Bible,history,culture,Christianity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
‘[Mangalwadi’s] arduous research establishes the fact that the Bible and its
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worldview, contrary to current prevailing opinion, combined to serve as the single most powerful force in the emergence of Western civilization.’In over 400 pages, Mangalwadi provides a sweeping series of historical narratives, entwined with his own personal experiences in India and the United States, which argue that features of Western civilization would not have occurred if it hadn’t been for the Bible. His outline of history includes the development of the valuing of humans as being higher than animals; the commitment to rationality; creative technology and its benefits; the formation of the concept of heroism based in humility and service; and the dramatic impact of the translation of the Bible into various languages. He also argues that literature, universities, and science would not have formed in the way they did without the Bible. For the author, the West is the best because of its higher ideals regarding morality, the family, compassion, true wealth, and liberty that transcend all other cultures because of the Bible’s influence. Ultimately, Mangalwadi wants to call the West back to a commitment to the Bible and its worldview to reverse what he sees as a rapid decline in relativistic morality and its consequential nihilism that results in despair. At the beginning of the book, the author holds up Kurt Cobain as an icon of modern culture arguing that his suicide was one of the rare occurrences when a nihilist genuinely followed through on their beliefs. Mangalwadi believes that this is the ultimate end of the West if it does not return to the Bible and its worldview.
There is no doubt that Mangalwadi is a good writer and very widely read. The fact that he is Indian and can make a comparison, from experience, between East and West provides for an interesting perspective. And his stories from his experience give a personal dimension that mostly enhances the history and philosophy that he surveys.
But there are some serious flaws in Mangalwadi’s argument. Firstly, reducing the entire development of the West to the influence of the Bible and its worldview is simplistic. While I am no historian, I am always suspicious when a single cause is offered for something. The world and history is surely more complex than that. For example, when he talks about the development of the wheeled plough, he argues that it only happened because of the biblical belief that toil was sinful (whereas work was part of God’s original creation). But as another reviewer has pointed out, farmers who are making a living from their work are surely going to look for more efficient ways of doing their work even if they did not subscribe to a “biblical” worldview! Mangalwadi also completely ignores a range of other influencing factors on the development of Western civilisation – the occurrence of plagues, growth in population, and a host of other historical events. For Mangalwadi everything is the result of the Bible and the adoption of its world view.
Secondly, Mangalwadi speaks of the worldview of the Bible. There is no acknowledgement in the book that the Bible has been the basis of multiple interpretations and “world views”. Mangalwadi presents what might be called the best of the Bible and the best examples of socio-cultural examples based on the Bible. But he fails to mention that the Bible has, for many people, been the basis of some very bad practices and used in support of genocide, slavery, and the “raping” of the environment.
Thirdly, Mangalwadi doesn’t mention any countries that have been successful without a basis in biblical theology or world view such as Japan and Singapore. How did they develop so well without a commitment to the Bible? And what about countries based firmly on a secular philosophy such as Sweden?
Fourthly, Mangalwadi completely dismisses any other religion or worldview has having much of value. But there is no sustained engagement with any of these alternatives. According to one Buddhist scholar who reviewed this book, Mangalwadi actually misrepresents Buddhism.
Overall, The Book That Changed Your World is an uncritical exposition of history. There are sweeping generalisations without any evidence being provided, selective use of the biblical text (on some occasions, no biblical evidence at all), and the equating of a romanticised view of the Bible (which is not as even in its presentation of God as Mangalwadi implies) that completely ignores the fact that Christians are just as prone to many of the social evils of our time as non-Christians (eg, teen pregnancy, divorce, domestic violence, child abuse).
In the end, The Book That Changed Your World is a work of apologetics rather than a scholarly and critical look at the relationship between the Bible and the development of Western culture. There is no doubt that the Bible has been influential – for good and for ill. While Mangalwadi’s book makes for an interesting read, it takes a too uncritical approach to history and the Bible to make it reliable. If one already believes that the Bible is solely responsible for the best in civilisation then this book will bolster that belief. But for a well-informed, educated believer, the evidence won’t be adequate to support the thesis as it is presented.
Acknowledgement: I found Jeff Swanson’s review on Amazon.com very helpful, in particular, in parts of this review. I recommend it.
Technorati Tags: Bible,history,culture,Christianity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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LibraryThing member gottfried_leibniz
Vishal Mangalwadi makes a big claim –– that the Bible created the Soul of Western Civilization. It definitely has influenced so much of the Western Civilization, no doubt. I think, if you have not heard of those authors in his book, then you might get a chance learn from him. However -- I'm
I found the blind assertions in his book to be ridiculous without backing it up with evidence and solid arguments. He would say, "X because of the Bible." That is circular, and vague. Eastern Christians (Orthodox) also had the Bible. Indeed, he could have argued that Bible was a vehicle that transmitted knowledge easily from West.
I felt –– he could have wrote his arguments and thoughts sharper. He missed to answer the, "How questions" in his book. A Giant leap and broad sweep of history. Overall, I do not think this is a solid book that proved his case, but a flimsy one without credible evidence. It's a hodge-pot mix of authors he learnt and read, and therefore his conclusion.
I did learn a new term, "Chronological Snobbery." it means, thinking the era we live is super-superior from the Past. Jawaharlal Nehru, also talks about it in his book, "Discovery of India."
Deus Vult,
Gottfried
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aware of all those authors. There are so many great things about the Western Civilization, and I feel that he did not build a solid case to argue for it. I found the blind assertions in his book to be ridiculous without backing it up with evidence and solid arguments. He would say, "X because of the Bible." That is circular, and vague. Eastern Christians (Orthodox) also had the Bible. Indeed, he could have argued that Bible was a vehicle that transmitted knowledge easily from West.
I felt –– he could have wrote his arguments and thoughts sharper. He missed to answer the, "How questions" in his book. A Giant leap and broad sweep of history. Overall, I do not think this is a solid book that proved his case, but a flimsy one without credible evidence. It's a hodge-pot mix of authors he learnt and read, and therefore his conclusion.
I did learn a new term, "Chronological Snobbery." it means, thinking the era we live is super-superior from the Past. Jawaharlal Nehru, also talks about it in his book, "Discovery of India."
Deus Vult,
Gottfried
Show Less
LibraryThing member gottfried_leibniz
Vishal Mangalwadi makes a big claim –– that the Bible created the Soul of Western Civilization. It definitely has influenced so much of the Western Civilization, no doubt. I think, if you have not heard of those authors in his book, then you might get a chance learn from him. However -- I'm
I found the blind assertions in his book to be ridiculous without backing it up with evidence and solid arguments. He would say, "X because of the Bible." That is circular, and vague. Eastern Christians (Orthodox) also had the Bible. Indeed, he could have argued that Bible was a vehicle that transmitted knowledge easily from West.
I felt –– he could have wrote his arguments and thoughts sharper. He missed to answer the, "How questions" in his book. A Giant leap and broad sweep of history. Overall, I do not think this is a solid book that proved his case, but a flimsy one without credible evidence. It's a hodge-pot mix of authors he learnt and read, and therefore his conclusion.
I did learn a new term, "Chronological Snobbery." it means, thinking the era we live is super-superior from the Past. Jawaharlal Nehru, also talks about it in his book, "Discovery of India."
Deus Vult,
Gottfried
Show More
aware of all those authors. There are so many great things about the Western Civilization, and I feel that he did not build a solid case to argue for it. I found the blind assertions in his book to be ridiculous without backing it up with evidence and solid arguments. He would say, "X because of the Bible." That is circular, and vague. Eastern Christians (Orthodox) also had the Bible. Indeed, he could have argued that Bible was a vehicle that transmitted knowledge easily from West.
I felt –– he could have wrote his arguments and thoughts sharper. He missed to answer the, "How questions" in his book. A Giant leap and broad sweep of history. Overall, I do not think this is a solid book that proved his case, but a flimsy one without credible evidence. It's a hodge-pot mix of authors he learnt and read, and therefore his conclusion.
I did learn a new term, "Chronological Snobbery." it means, thinking the era we live is super-superior from the Past. Jawaharlal Nehru, also talks about it in his book, "Discovery of India."
Deus Vult,
Gottfried
Show Less
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
1 inches
ISBN
1595555455 / 9781595555458
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