As I prepared to delve into Dominion, two words resonated deeply within me: Adam Harris. As I settled into my seat next to him on that train departing from Oxford, he gently nudged me to read Dominion. It was clear how much it resonated with him. Later that year, he shared in class how a podcast by Tom Holland deepened his appreciation for the book. Time and again, in his heartfelt blog posts, he expressed his love for Dominion and history itself. It’s touching to see how his passion for the subject intertwines with his own journey. When I think of Dominion, I can’t help but think of Sir Adam Harris.<\/p>\n
When I finally picked up the book, I was taken aback by its size, almost rivaling that of the Bible! I thought a quick skim would suffice. But after just the first three pages, where I found myself underlining nearly every word, I was completely captivated. I couldn’t set it down. It felt like the perfect way to cap off the semester, filled with excitement and discovery! I would never insult Adam and say I was becoming like him, but my love for the book was deepening at each page.<\/p>\n
What truly captivated me about this book was the profound and rich history it offers, providing a distinct perspective on the Bible. Holland’s exploration of Christianity’s history is not only intriguing but also thought-provoking. He describes himself as existing somewhere between atheism and secular Christianity, a blend that might seem contradictory at first glance. However, this unique stance allows for a compassionate and critical analysis of Christianity’s vast influence\u2014one that might not have been received as openly if articulated by a purely religious viewpoint.<\/p>\n
What I Enjoyed Learning<\/u><\/p>\n
Holland reflects on Pope Gregory I’s significant role in shaping Christian doctrine with a deep sense of understanding. He highlights how Gregory’s influence on the Church was pivotal in articulating beliefs about Heaven and Hell, including the concept of punishment after death. In Dominion, Holland elaborates on how Gregory’s efforts helped weave a medieval Christian worldview where the idea of Hell was not merely a distant theological concept, but a profound reality that carried weight for many. \u201cWhat waited the soul after it had slipped it\u2019s mortal shell? Satan armoured with an account book, just as tax officials…a pit of fire, in which the torment of the damned echoed.\u201d1 <\/sup>Boy, was my heart racing after reading this because for so long, I thought the idea of hell came directly from the Bible and not from anyone\u2019s influence.<\/p>\n Next, I found it truly moving to delve deeper into the life of Saint Boniface, a name familiar to me but with few details to grasp. Holland highlighted the poignant irony of Boniface’s death, emphasizing how he chose to lay down his arms willingly, \u201cfelled by a pirate\u2019s sword he was cut to pieces.\u201d2 <\/sup>Boniface was one of the early Christians who passionately committed himself to the mission of \u201cgo and make disciples of all nations.\u201d His willingness to sacrifice for this cause was honored by the church, but his profound dedication also set the stage for the later crusades, which included some difficult and painful moments in forcing people to convert to Christianity. While his intentions were rooted in faith, the consequences of his legacy remind us of the complexities involved in spreading beliefs across cultures. I was so glad to learn more about Saint Boniface\u2019s life.<\/p>\n Tom Holland has penned a thoughtful exploration that goes beyond simply recounting the history of Christianity; instead, he delves into the intricate ways in which Christianity has shaped modern Western culture. He describes this influence as \u201cparadoxical,\u201d3<\/sup> which is fitting, as the Christian church has frequently grappled with living up to its lofty ideals. At times, it has faced significant internal divisions and struggles over the interpretation of those very ideals, reflecting the challenges of trying to align faith with real-world complexities. I also loved this about the book!<\/p>\n One profound insight for me came from Charlemagne and his deep understanding that his people needed education to truly grasp the love of Christ. This realization became a guiding principle for Christians for generations. Charlemagne\u2019s compassionate initiative laid the foundation for mass education in the West, profoundly impacting countless lives by opening doors to knowledge and spiritual growth. Oh, this was rich to discover. When I\u2019m teaching or listening to an educator, I can actually say, \u201cThis is happening because of the direct influence of Charlemagne.\u201d Now that\u2019s amazing.<\/p>\n And Charlemagne has influenced all of us. Because of his influence, we are all influencing the world in different but important ways. In fact, we have deeply influenced one another and will never forget the prayers, sweat, tears, prayers, late nights, early mornings, prayers, sore fingers and hands from typing, sleepy eyes from reading, tension with family members because of our studies, financial burden, and so much more…all because of Charlemagne!<\/p>\n What a beautiful way to end a semester with a beautiful book.<\/p>\n \n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As I prepared to delve into Dominion, two words resonated deeply within me: Adam Harris. As I settled into my seat next to him on that train departing from Oxford, he gently nudged me to read Dominion. It was clear how much it resonated with him. Later that year, he shared in class how a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":176,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2310],"tags":[3387],"class_list":["post-39823","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-doctor-of-leadership-3","tag-holland-dlgp02","cohort-dlgp02"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39823","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/176"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39823"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39823\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39824,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39823\/revisions\/39824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39823"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39823"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39823"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n