The Legacy of Christianity: A Conversation with Tom Holland (Episode #406)

Sam Harris speaks with Tom Holland about his book, Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World. They discuss the enduring influence of Christianity on the modern world, historical interpretations of crucifixion, the moral systems of ancient societies, Paul's letters, the impact of the parable of the Good Samaritan, Islam and how it relates to Christian notions of morality, secular sources of morality, the collision between Western norms and traditional Islam, how Western societies take their values for granted, the relevance of the Roman Republic and the French Revolution, and other topics.

Tom Holland is an award-winning historian, translator, and broadcaster. His most recent book, Pax, covers the heyday of the Roman Empire. He has translated Herodotus and Suetonius for Penguin Classics. He is a co-presenter of the world’s most popular history podcast, The Rest is History. He has written and presented several TV documentaries on subjects ranging from the Islamic State to dinosaurs. He is a trustee of the British Library, an honorary fellow of Queens’ College, Cambridge, and has been described in The Times as “a leading English cricketer.” He caught his first salmon last October.

X: @holland_tom