Karen Armstrong

Karen Armstrong was born in 1944 in Wildmoor, Worcestershire, England, to parents of Irish descent. Between 1962 and 1969, while still in her teens, she joined the Roman Catholic order The Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus as a nun. During the same period, she enrolled at St Anne's College, University of Oxford, where she studied English literature, religious studies, and theology, but eventually left monastic life. In 1976, she began documenting her experiences in the autobiographical book "Through the Narrow Gate," which was published in 1982 to critical acclaim. Her international recognition came in 1993 with her study "A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam." This was followed by other books on the history of Muhammad, Islam, Buddha, the Bible, and more. Today, she lives in London and teaches the history of religions and theology at British and American universities, recognized as one of the most authoritative commentators and historians of religions worldwide.