A deeper look at the human record reveals a series of critical events, obvious forks in the road leading to very different outcomes, that resulted in this extraordinary period in which we live. These tipping points-foundational events that allowed for the marriage of Greek philosophy and Judeo-Christian theology-laid the bedrock for democracy and freedom in our modern age. Seven of the most important of these historical tipping points would be: 1. The defeat of the Assyrians in their quest to destroy the kingdom of Judah 2. The victory of the Greeks over the Persians at Thermopylae and Salamis 3. Roman Emperor Constantine's conversion to Christianity 4. The defeat of the armies of Islam at Poitiers 5. The failure of the Mongols in their effort to conquer Europe in AD 1241 6. The discovery of the New World 7. The Battle of Britain in World War II It is important to understand that, in and of themselves, none of these events created the gift of freedom that we enjoy today. However, each of them proved to be a critical tipping point in which the future of the world was altered, creating the cradle in which the gift of democracy could be born and flourish in our day. (And yes, there are many other events that would make this story more complete, but time and space must limit our effort to just these seven.) Excerpted from The Miracle of Freedom: Seven Tipping Points That Saved the World by Chris Stewart, Ted T. Stewart All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
