History of God - Karen Armstrong

This is a brilliant book depicting the idea of God through out the course of three world religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam - from its inception till date. The book has lot of details, but can be experienced as a continuous flow of ideas. In addition to jotting down the historical facts, author had done synthesis of the same and in the last chapter discussed about the future course for "God".
The book starts with the remote sky God who didn't involve in much of the mundane matters. Then came the epic poem, Enum Elish, which was in a way source for the early Jewish scripture. Author explained about how Jewish prophets experienced God - it was more of commandments and action rather than mystical or spiritual experience. The book explained about Mitzvot which came from 10 commandments, Misnah from Mosaic law and Talmud from Misnah. Then the author accounted the life of Jesus - the faith healer or new Moses/Joshua/Messiah, hailed from Pharisee - one of the Jewish school of thought. In 200CE, educated pagans turned to philosophy and emerged the platonist from the ideas of Plato the mystic. Plotinus - neoplatonist - can be considered as early mystic.
Author explained about the emergence of the idea trinity of God. And how that idea was perceived in eastern and western christianity. Western christians took that idea in literal sense. Then he depicted about the God of Islam and life of Muhammad. Then the faction of Shiah, Ahl-al-Hadith who claimed there was no need for intercessor between god and humam, then Mutazilte - the rationalist - postulated a rational god, then the opposing group the traditionalist comprising of Ibn Hanbal and then the Kalamist. Then came the age of philosopher or falsafah and then the period of Mystics. All three religions contributed in both the streams, Muslims being the pioneers, but flourished in all three. Then he explained about the idea of God perceived in later centuries from 15th to 20th century.

Notes: Chapter 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1