Karen Armstrong is a British author and commentator of Irish Catholic descent known for her books on comparative religion. A former Roman Catholic religious sister, she transitioned from a conservative to a more liberal and mystical Christian faith. She attended St Anne's College, Oxford, while in the convent and graduated in English, leaving the convent in 1969.

Her work focuses on the commonalities of major religions, such as the importance of compassion and the Golden Rule. In February 2008, Armstrong received the US$100,000 TED Prize, using the occasion to call for the creation of a Charter for Compassion, which was unveiled the following year.