In The Air We Breathe: How We All Came to Believe in Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality, Glen Scrivener contends that concepts like equality, compassion, consent, enlightenment, science, freedom, and progress aren’t self-evident. Instead, they are the fruit of Christianity.
I’ve just started making my way through this fascinating, engaging, and biblical book. But early on, Scrivener provides a list of books that have helped shape his own thinking. I thought I’d provide his list for those interested in adding thoughtful books to their reading list.
On equality: Inventing the Individual by Larry Siedentop
On compassion: Destroyer of the gods by Larry Hurtado
On consent: From Shame to Sin by Kyle Harper
On enlightenment: The Light Ages by Seb Falk
On science: The Warfare between Science and Religion: The Idea That Wouldn’t Die, edited by Jeff Hardin
On freedom: In the Image of God by David Brion Davis
On progress: Protestants by Alec Ryrie
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