The short introductory quote for Tom Hollands book Dominion reads: “A galloping tour of Christianity’s influence across the last 2,000 years.” - New York Times. That is a very fit explanation of what this book provides, but this book provides a bit more than just a tour of Christianity, though I’m quite sure Tom Holland would be a great tour guide. What it also provides is an wholistic view of what Christian thought, writings, and the passing along of religious tradition has done to society at large in the Western world and beyond.
What I like most about Tom Holland’s writing is that he often introduces topics or characters that are the central point in chapter in a nonchalant manner. Giving very little knowledge, only enough to make you wonder why he is even talking about them in the first place. Only to end same story with the topic, wrapping his writing in a neat and logical bow for you to chew on for the rest of your day.
No where is this more evident then in the last few pages of the book. In those pages, you come to the perfect conclusion that Tom Holland as been leading you on this whole time to. The crescendo of everything you have read and digested. Giving you site after site to peer at and finally to the scenic view at the end, and maybe in that way, he is quite the tour guide indeed.
Chapters I liked in this book were:
Chapter 3: Galatia
- Here Tom recounts the early days of the church, in thoughts, some of the early writings, and specifically around one of its early founders Paul. He goes on from here to talk more in depth about the other early leader. I find these some of the most important points due to the ultimate end that conclusion of the book that he comes to.
Chapters 16-18:
- This is where I found a lot of interesting details of the various ways in which the church and its deterrents fought and agreed. I quite liked these chapters because of the way Tom Holland paints a scene of events that flow through each chapter, leading on to the next few that are darker.