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The Age of Utopia: Christendom from the Renaissance to the Russian Revolution
Continuing the epic of Christendom told in earlier volumes, The Age of Paradise and The Age of Division, the author explains how, between the Italian Renaissance of the fourteenth century and the Russian Revolution of the twentieth, secular humanism displaced Christianity to become the source of modern culture. The result was some of the most illustrious music, science, philosophy, and literature ever produced. But the cultural reorientation from paradise to utopia—from an experience of the kingdom of heaven to one bound exclusively by this world—all but eradicated the traditional culture of the West, leaving it at the beginning of the twentieth century without roots in anything transcendent.
523 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 21, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 6, 2022
What a read. At times a breath-taking experience as the “Age of Utopia” outlines the consequences of the argument that a humanist secular idea of Utopia gradually replaced an inner search for Paradise and a connection to something beyond us, something Divine. The first half of the 19 hundreds is hard to look at in this context. Also as a fulfilling of the widespread warnings from writers and philosophers in the 18 hundreds.
A strongly recommended book, though it might be important to start with the first volume “The Age of Paradise” to get a deeper sense of the first millennium, and what was later lost after the Great Schism and the Papal Reforms in Western Christendom.
As an aside, it’s also interesting to see how well this aligns with the ideas of McGilchrist and how the culture of Europe gradually started to be more unbalanced and left hemisphere oriented after the Renaissance. It gives pause.
A strongly recommended book, though it might be important to start with the first volume “The Age of Paradise” to get a deeper sense of the first millennium, and what was later lost after the Great Schism and the Papal Reforms in Western Christendom.
As an aside, it’s also interesting to see how well this aligns with the ideas of McGilchrist and how the culture of Europe gradually started to be more unbalanced and left hemisphere oriented after the Renaissance. It gives pause.
December 18, 2022
Spectacular as were the previous two installments.
January 10, 2022
Age of Utopia
I will preface that o have not read the first two books… yet. But now that I have finished Age of Utopia, I will be. I much prefer this style of historical literature, very engaging and thought provoking. I also loved the addition of the pictures (make this a perfect book for our homeschool as well!). I have thoroughly enjoyed this book. I will probably be purchasing an audible version once available along with the rest of the series. A well put together book!
10/10!
I will preface that o have not read the first two books… yet. But now that I have finished Age of Utopia, I will be. I much prefer this style of historical literature, very engaging and thought provoking. I also loved the addition of the pictures (make this a perfect book for our homeschool as well!). I have thoroughly enjoyed this book. I will probably be purchasing an audible version once available along with the rest of the series. A well put together book!
10/10!
October 19, 2022
This is the first history book I've encountered that has been able to provide a satisfying overarching framework for post-reformation history. I think Fr. Strickland's voice is an important one to take into account for serious readers of history. I am seriously considering using this series as a whole for high-school level history for my children.
August 4, 2022
Highly Informative
This trilogy of history has transformed my understanding of the world. It helped me to understand how we arrived at our present state of affairs. It also helped me to appreciate the history of Christendom that had been glossed over in my secular education as the so-called dark ages. I cannot thank John Strickland enough for illuminating so much, so concisely, and in plain language. I cannot wait to read many of the sources cited in this book to gain a more detailed understanding of the topics covered in this trilogy.
This trilogy of history has transformed my understanding of the world. It helped me to understand how we arrived at our present state of affairs. It also helped me to appreciate the history of Christendom that had been glossed over in my secular education as the so-called dark ages. I cannot thank John Strickland enough for illuminating so much, so concisely, and in plain language. I cannot wait to read many of the sources cited in this book to gain a more detailed understanding of the topics covered in this trilogy.
November 5, 2024
Book 3 of a 4 volume series. I am giving these books 4 stars instead of 5 because it just seems to be missing something in the writing. However, the series is really good and very important, especially for those trying to understand why we are insane. It just lacks the clear and brilliant writing to make it 5 stars. Part of it is I can't help feeling the author could have condensed everything into one book. His basic thesis is just not that complicated to warrant 4 books and I think that the length actually hurts his point sometimes. He will be making a point and give you all the examples of why it's true but then he gives counter examples to limit this and show exactly what he means. Which means the narrative sometimes works against itself and the road is so long you sometimes forget the point he is making. Each book repeats large sections of other books. So I suspect if you just read one of the books and where familiar with the things he is talking about you would probably know what was in the other books without reading them.
Now to me this isn't a big deal but it's not perfect hence the rating. I do like my books like I like my movies, long, for the simple reason that I have never watched an hour and 30 min movie that was anything but cheap and superficial. So the length of this is very interesting especially in this book as I learned things about Beethoven I did not know as well as many other tidbits. I didn't know he was so resentful at everything and was so opposed to Christianity. Also I had no idea that the bridal march song every bride walks down the isle too was written by the immoral Wagner.
The point of the series is that during the first millennium Christendom had a measured optimism for man in this life and had ways of connecting to God in this life as well through the divine services and the Holy mysteries of the church (at one point I believe he says Sacrament in Greek means mystery) and through what become known as Hesychasm, the prayer of the heart and stillness. The currents that lead to the Great Schism led away from this paradisal view of Man and the world. Heavily influenced by Augustine things began to split apart as the Pope asserted himself over the lay people of the seculum. Also from Augustine came a severe pessimism towards man and his ability to connect with God. Petrarch, tired of the pessimism, expanded the idea of the Seculum in order to restore mans dignity in the face of a very angry God and give him some hope in this life. Over six centuries this greatly expanded into Utopianism trying to make heaven on earth.
The next book will be dealing with how it all falls apart.
Now to me this isn't a big deal but it's not perfect hence the rating. I do like my books like I like my movies, long, for the simple reason that I have never watched an hour and 30 min movie that was anything but cheap and superficial. So the length of this is very interesting especially in this book as I learned things about Beethoven I did not know as well as many other tidbits. I didn't know he was so resentful at everything and was so opposed to Christianity. Also I had no idea that the bridal march song every bride walks down the isle too was written by the immoral Wagner.
The point of the series is that during the first millennium Christendom had a measured optimism for man in this life and had ways of connecting to God in this life as well through the divine services and the Holy mysteries of the church (at one point I believe he says Sacrament in Greek means mystery) and through what become known as Hesychasm, the prayer of the heart and stillness. The currents that lead to the Great Schism led away from this paradisal view of Man and the world. Heavily influenced by Augustine things began to split apart as the Pope asserted himself over the lay people of the seculum. Also from Augustine came a severe pessimism towards man and his ability to connect with God. Petrarch, tired of the pessimism, expanded the idea of the Seculum in order to restore mans dignity in the face of a very angry God and give him some hope in this life. Over six centuries this greatly expanded into Utopianism trying to make heaven on earth.
The next book will be dealing with how it all falls apart.
February 10, 2025
This book will bring you to tears and have you staring off into space rethinking your entire life...from how to read books to what TV shows to watch. The amount of 'wait what' and 'Lord have mercy' you will say is innumerable. He tells you history you know, but don't know. If you ever look around and wonder why or how - this book uncovers the gaping wound of our society. It really should be read in the series (this is book three) to get the most out of it. This book is too much and not enough, but 100% needed.
Alternate titles I propose are:
The Age of Fauci;
Religion and its Bastard Offspring;
Drifts Without Rest;
Introducing Homo Sapiens;
Worship the Empty Chair;
A Creative Tragedy;
and The Impossible Struggle of a Spiritually Untransformed Life.
Alternate titles I propose are:
The Age of Fauci;
Religion and its Bastard Offspring;
Drifts Without Rest;
Introducing Homo Sapiens;
Worship the Empty Chair;
A Creative Tragedy;
and The Impossible Struggle of a Spiritually Untransformed Life.
May 17, 2025
A new perspective on history
Thoroughly researching and presents a Christian view of western history.
I found the book very good interesting as I wanted to watch understand what is wrong with western civilization and what found so me answers here. I walked away with a better understanding of history and how it impacts our lives today. For example, the roots of ww2 can be traced to the 1800s and the holocaust can be traced back to darwin
Very educational book and suitable for those seeking a better understanding of bow ourr western civilization has reached the point we now live in ve of n
Thoroughly researching and presents a Christian view of western history.
I found the book very good interesting as I wanted to watch understand what is wrong with western civilization and what found so me answers here. I walked away with a better understanding of history and how it impacts our lives today. For example, the roots of ww2 can be traced to the 1800s and the holocaust can be traced back to darwin
Very educational book and suitable for those seeking a better understanding of bow ourr western civilization has reached the point we now live in ve of n
April 26, 2022
An absolutely awesome series of books. Weaves together the historical, theological and philosophical in a way that has changed my view of the last 2000 years.
June 21, 2023
Fr John Strickland expertly continues to unfold the history of the complete wreckage on mankind that the West instated all in the name of papal power. Lord have mercy on us!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews