Karen Armstrong

Karen Armstrong is the most original and inclusive speaker on the role of religion in the modern world. Her bestselling books, including "A History of God," and sought-after talks examine the differences and the profound similarities between Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, and their impact on world events.

As a result of her 2008 TED Prize, Karen Armstrong has recently set out to create The Charter for Compassion, a universal framework for understanding religion based on the principles of justice and respect; to complete it, she has reached out to the UN and to thousands of religious leaders. "We need to create a new narrative, get out of the rat-run of hatred, chauvinism and defensiveness; and make the authentic voice of religion a power in the world that is conducive to peace."

A former Catholic nun who left the convent to study literature, Karen Armstrong is an authority on world faiths, religious fundamentalism and monotheism. Her poignant and captivating talks, spark worldwide debate and healthy discussion. Armstrong's bestselling books include "The Battle for God," "The Spiral Staircase," "The Great Transformation," and most recently, "The Bible: A Biography." She was a key adviser on Bill Moyers' landmark PBS series on religion, has addressed members of the U.S. Congress, and was one of three scholars to speak at the UN's first ever session on religion. The Sunday Times calls her "a bridge between religions."

She was appointed by Kofi Anan to the High Level Group of the UN Alliance of Civilizations with the task of diagnosing the causes of religious extremism, and subsequently awarded the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Medal. She was the recipient of the British Academy’s inaugural Nayef Al-Rodham Prize for Improving Transcultural Understanding, as well as the ISESCO/OCIS prize for Educators. She’s also been chosen as the laureate elect for the Princess of Asturias Prize for Social Sciences and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.