Book Description
"I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. . . . I used to not like God because God didn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened." In Donald Miller's early years, he was vaguely familiar with a distant God. But when he came to know Jesus Christ, he pursued the Christian life with great zeal. Within a few years he had a successful ministry that ultimately left him feeling empty, burned out, and, once again, far away from God. In this intimate, soul-searching account, Miller describes his remarkable journey back to a culturally relevant, infinitely loving God.
Customer Reviews:
Offensive to jazz fans!.......2007-09-30
Donald Miller, I'd like you to take out the sheet music of Mood Indigo, which I'm sure you've studied extensively, and show me where it doesn't resolve--I think that harmonically it's one of the perfect all time pieces of music, and it resolves better than a lot.
Maybe he's talking about free jazz or bop or post bop or modal jazz or something, but I'm not sure he actually knows what those terms mean. It sounds to me like he's heard a couple of jazz songs at some point and decided that this makes him an expert. Yeah, man, he was turned on to this stuff by Tony, his beat poet buddy, man. Oh, that is so hip!
But even if you're saying on a technical level that jazz music, in some of its more far-flung explorations, abandons established notions of harmony, melody, rhythm and tonality, it can always be explained. You can always notate it, analyze it, study it, and explain it. You can break it down to vibrations traveling through the air and you can know exactly what those vibrations are doing.
You can't do that with Christian spiritual notions, because they're based on assertions of faith that require you to abandon the desire for statements of fact to be proved. It's cute, Donald Miller, for you to say that you're just not interested anymore in the intellectual/theological aspects of Christianity, but it's stupid and ignorant for you to use jazz as a point of comparison. Jazz musicians know exactly what they're doing and they can explain it to you in minute detail, and yes, they could write it down if they wanted to. It's not just getting up in front of people and blowing some BS through your instrument. That's what YOU are doing in your spirituality. Jazz music requires training, education, rigorous practice and relentless creativity. What you do requires a huge capacity for BS and evasive, circular arguments. Guess which one I respect more.
Any jazz solo can be studied note for note, analyzed, and explained. And the person who performed that solo can you tell what choices they made at every point and why, and they can base that on established musical concepts. Once you get to that point, it isn't mysterious anymore, but it is beautiful and special in a way that your unfounded, frightened faith can never be.
Friendly conversation over coffee.......2007-09-25
I don't read a lot of "spirituality" themed books because after a few chapters I feel like the author is trying to convince the reader that his views are right and the reader's are all wrong. This was given to me as a gift and I really did enjoy it. The author didn't seem so much as if he was throwing up his thoughts on you as the reader, but more talking to you about them in a coffee shop conversation. I'm a decently fast reader, but I took some time with this one, reading and re-reading passages and often whole chapters so as to really chew on what the author had to say. The author has a lot to say but says it in a digestible form. Not once did I feel like he was talking over my head. I rarely purchase books for myself unless the book strikes a personal chord with me and I know I will want to read the book several times over; however, I'm glad to play hostess to this book on my shelf.
5th try........2007-09-13
I am on about my 5th try to finish this book. It is hard for me to make it past the first chapter.
I agree that in some ways his approach can be entertaining and "honest," but that does not make it edifying.
I think Miller is sadly confused with many of the vital doctrines of Christianity. Yes I know the word doctrine has come to have some rather poor connotations, yet there is truth Christianity is defined by. I'm not even talking doctrines that are usually debated.
Miller seems to make no importance of sin, and I am still hard pressed to know how serious he is when he says boys usually begin sinning when they are 10, and girls when they are 23. Has he ever even seen a child?
Miller tells of a time when he had a "slot machine god" where he would just screw up, pray, and hope for something good. Though he admits this was wrong, It seems like he is still playing the same slots. Now he is just taking his confusion and using culture he adapts it to the things that he says "make no sense."
Yes, Christians need to be relevant, but we are more importantly to live as new creations, people of a heavenly culture. We are not supposed to ascribe our culture to God, we are to ascribe ourselves to Him.
Anyone confused about this I recommend (lovingly) to read the book of Romans, and if you can't commit to the whole book chapters 6,7, and 8.
Very good, but not great.......2007-09-03
This book was highly recommended by several of my friends and I particularly liked the idea of reading up on "Christian Spirituality". This book had several funny stories in it, and also a few others that were really touching and made you think.
However, there were a few times where Miller decided to go on a tangent about Republicans and how heartless and selfish they were and how churches are puppets for the Republican party (i.e. Ch.12, titled "Churches"). It just really left a bad taste in my mouth which is why I didn't give this 5 stars. I wanted to read a book with anecdotes about Christian Spirituality and not get randomly bombarded by irrational and irrelevant political speech that was aimed at bashing Republicans.
I really hope this wasn't the main motivation for him becoming an advocate for Christian Spirituality or else this book will really lose a lot of credibility in my opinion. It's not because I am a Republican (because I'm actually a Libertarian), it's because political slamming is completely out of place in the book and is really in poor taste considering this meant to be about Christianity and not George W. Bush.
Blue Like Jazz.......2007-08-28
In the book, Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller seeks to address Christian spirituality in a nonreligious manner. He relies on experience rather than obscure religious doctrine to convey spiritual truths relating to life, God, community, friendship, love, and the like. In the way Miller relates stories and anecdotes the book is reminiscent of a memoir, but unlike many memoirs Miller's stories have a point and teach a lesson. He does not write simply to entertain, but also to teach and inform.
Miller was born in Houston, Texas, and left at the age of twenty-one to travel around the country until he ran out of money in Portland, Oregon, where he now lives. He published his first book, Prayer and the Art of Volkswagen Maintenance, in 2000. Two years later he published Blue Like Jazz. He continues to write books and also teaches a class at Summit College outside Toronto.
Miller's perspective is refreshing and convincing. Even when he writes about the importance of giving to charity or going to church he avoids coming across as preachy and condescending by backing up his beliefs with personal anecdotes and experience. Instead of relying on Bible verses or well-known evangelists and ministers, he quotes Christian friends and hometown ministers. He expresses the same truths Christianity and other religions present by drawing on rich personal experiences and memories to show the reader his views.
Miller opens the book by saying that in order to love and appreciate something you must sometimes first see someone else loving it. Miller attempts and succeeds at showing the reader how important the words he writes are to him. The philosophies he presents are ones that he has lived by. While Miller writes specifically to a Christian audience, this is a book that cuts across specific religions to appeal to anyone who believes in a higher power.
Book Description
With over one million novels in print, New York Times best-selling author Joel C. Rosenberg has been called "eerily prophetic" and a "modern Nostradamus" for his uncanny ability to write political thrillers that come true. In his first nonfiction book, this evangelical Christian from an Orthodox Jewish heritage takes readers on an unforgettable journey through prophecy and current events into the future of Iraq after Saddam, Russia after Communism, Israel after Arafat, and Christianity after radical Islam. You won't want to miss Joel's exclusive interviews with Israeli, Palestinian, and Russian leaders, and previously classified CIA and White House documents. Similar to the approach Joel takes in his novels, his desire is to draw readers into stories, anecdotes, and predictions in a way that builds confidence that allows Joel to share his faith in Jesus Christ and the reliability of Scripture as a guide to understanding the past and the future. Drawing on his experience in Washington, his own exclusive interviews with world leaders, and his astute political acumen, Joel makes sense of the events surrounding the Middle East. He connects information in a way that will make you understand and really care about the world's most important events and how they impact your life--from gas prices to your bank account.Epicenter is about: Change--big changes, dramatic changes, changes that will transform the world as we know it. Answers--what the changes are underway in the world's most important countries. Insight--readers will understand the trajectory of world events by being taken inside the governments of Iran, Iraq, Russia, China, and more. Accessibility--aimed for a wide audience in both the general and Christian markets. Faith--Joel shares his faith in Jesus Christ and the reliability of Scripture. Epicenter will answer questions like: Will Iraq go from bad to worse? Will Israel and her Arab neighbors find peace, or is another major Middle East war just around the corner? If the new, post-Soviet Russia is our friend, why is the Kremlin creating a new class of thermonuclear weapons and building an alliance with radical Islam?
Customer Reviews:
Very Interesting-Must Read For Jew & Gentile.......2007-09-29
I found this book to be very interesting if you like end of times prophecy.
Couldn't Put it Down!!.......2007-09-19
Honestly, one of the best books I have ever read. He does a fantastic job of juxtaposing todays headlines with scripture...amazing!
Epicenter.......2007-09-10
Outstanding; This is not your grandfather's exposition of Bible prophecy! A much needed updating of "the old story" that we have all heard from childhood. Rosenberg brings new clarity and credibility to the Old Testament Prophets like no other author in my lifetime. This is not fiction, this is real history-in-process.
Joel Rosenberg Hits Another Home Run . . . amazingly prescient book.......2007-09-07
Want a front row seat on the middle east? Want a quick start guide to what is happening there, not only for today but in the near future?
Joel Rosenbergs books offer this to the readers. I especially enjoyed the audio version of the book and his reading of it was both professional and empathetic at the same time. With empathy for those most involved and suffering, he tells their story with feeling and grace. Joel knows this subject inside and out, and personally knows most of the key players both past and current at the top of the governments and groups involved in the struggle over the tiny piece of real estate known as Israel.
Whether of not you share his viewpoints and personal beliefs, no one can argue that the "novels" that he has written have been off the mark in their conclusions or outcomes. You will be informed and entertained (as much as current events can entertain) by what he writes. WAS THERE ANYONE ELSE who foretold the 9/11 sequence of events in a novel or otherwise??
Joel Rosenberg did in "The Last Jihad" . . . and has gone on from there . . .
Great information - a real eye-opener.......2007-09-07
A must see for all!! The end is closer than we may want to believe.
Book Description
“Thousands of people have written to tell me that I am wrong not to believe in God. The most hostile of these communications have come from Christians. This is ironic, as Christians generally imagine that no faith imparts the virtues of love and forgiveness more effectively than their own. The truth is that many who claim to be transformed by Christ’s love are deeply, even murderously, intolerant of criticism. While we may want to ascribe this to human nature, it is clear that such hatred draws considerable support from the Bible. How do I know this? The most disturbed of my correspondents always cite chapter and verse.”
So begins Letter to a Christian Nation…
www.samharris.org
Customer Reviews:
Showed up on my recommendations-looks stupid.......2007-09-21
I'm judging this book by its title. It looks stupid, by some author trying to make a buck stirring the pot.
Interesting and invigorating.......2007-09-20
This book follows on the phenomenal success of the author's previous book 'The End of Faith'. Apparently, Mr. Harris got a lot of flak from the believers for his book, which helped him write this one. From this perspective, one can also understand his agonised and angry response.
This is a short book, as the title indicates. It is also bound very nicely, and you can easily carry it around, all great attributes from a practical point of view. The print is well-spread out, and easy to read, with sufficient space in the margins to argue it out with the author.
And if you are a believer, you will certainly end up with lot of arguing. Mr. Harris' thesis is essentially that only what we can see or feel with our senses should be part of our belief system. This is a skeptic's view, and valid in its own, limited way. However, it also restrains you from going beyond your senses, and thus becomes a constraint. This 'tyranny of knowable reality' may also hold us down to the earth, limited to what we can see, feel, smell. It will definitely prevent us from thinking of or acknowledging the divine.
And this is perfectly fine. People have a right to their views, and of course, one must admit that they may eventually turn out to be right. However, Mr. Harris denies this right to the believers. He gradually builds up to a position that religion is all wrong, and it must be eradicated not only from public life, but also from people's minds, for being a 'ludicrous obscenity' (p.88)! On p.51 he suggests that people should be 'obliged' to present evidence of God! He finds religion to be a pathological symptom (a sickness, p. 80), and the believers full of intellectual arrogance (p. 74). Unfortunately, Mr. Harris himself comes across as arrogant in his argumentativeness. I suspect that if he had the power he would pass a law banning all religions (my reading of his statements on p. 54).
On page 50, we are told that we must reject Deuteronomy (in Holy Bible) as containing uncivilized ideas. True, the practical suggestions, such as stoning, contained in Deuteronomy may not be relevant today. But this should not be taken to mean that people who believed in these were uncivilized (p. 50). We can't transpose today's ideas of civilization across the ages, and use them to evaluate ancient civilizations, which operated in a different context. In fact, turning the argument on its head, does Mr. Harris believe that bombing millions of Japanese at Hiroshima and Nagasaki to death (a purely non-religious action) was civilized?
He is often factually incorrect. For instance, Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh holy book) is not the word of the Creator (p.59)), it is a compilation of matter composed by Sikh holy Gurus. He then tells us that Gandhi ji got his doctrine of non-violence from the Jains. This is a big misrepresentation: many people believe that Hinduism received the doctrine of non-violence from Jainism, but if that happened, it happened a very long time ago. Mahabharat, a book about the Great Indian war, composed at least 2800 years ago, is itself full of references to Ahimsa, non-violence, and offers extensive treatment of the topic. To imply that Gandhi ji did not know about non-violence and learned it from the Jains, is either ignorance or plain dishonesty, as non-violence (which really means refraining from casual or non-essential violence) has been an essential part of Hindu lore and thought for ages. If he did learn it from the Jains, he never practiced it in the way they are supposed to do: covering their mouth with a cloth while speaking, or ensuring that they never step on an insect.
Mr. Harris is also under the impression that if even a single little girl is murdered, then a benevolent God can not exist (p.52). This is really very simplistic - he is obviously (and fortunately!) not aware of God's Vishwa Roop as presented in Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta or in Hindu philosophy where God simultaneously creates as also destroys.
The book does offer a good chance to think on this issue, and therefore one wishes that Mr. Harris had followed a more balanced approach or had shown some more respect for his opponents. As it is, the book is unlikely to generate a discussion between the two sides - it will merely push them deeper into their corners.
Do buy the book - it is quite interesting and invigorating. However, don't buy its ideas till you have evaluated them carefully.
Too Short and Polemical to be Useful.......2007-09-19
In this short book, Harris takes some of the more general criticisms of religious faith found in his first book (The End of Faith) and applies them to so-called fundamentalist Christians.
Unfortunately, Harris never deals with any of the evidence for Christianity provided by the very type of people he is criticizing. Indeed, Harris shows himself to be quite ignorant of such evidence when he states, "Consider: every devout Muslim has the same reasons for being a Muslim that you have for being a Christian." (6) Really? That seems surprising, given the fact that Christians believe that Jesus Christ physically rose from the dead, and Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammed received a special revelation from God. How could both groups possibly have the same reasons for believing? In actual fact, whether Harris is aware of it or not, Christians have advanced arguments for Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead, and a large chunk of dedicated Christians are at least somewhat aware of a few of the arguments. Harris probably thinks these arguments are bad, but that is a separate issue. By failing to even acknowledge the arguments given for Christ's resurrection and equating our reasons for believing with that of Muslims, Harris reveals himself to be one of the most unsophisticated critics of Christianity writing today (a difficult challenge by any measure).
Harris's critique of the Bible also lacks sophistication; in most places, he is content merely to quote a Bible verse and stand back appalled at the moral implications. There is no attempt, of course, to analyze these verses with respect to the context or background of the society. For example, Harris complains about the practice of slavery found in the Bible, but fails to realize that slavery in this culture was actually a form of indentured servitude usually entered willingly.
On the point of politics and ethics, Harris blames Christians for opposing embryonic stem cell research and abortion, even though not all Christians oppose it, and many non-Christians do. Despite this, Harris reveals himself as an uncritical ethical thinker-
"Let us look at the details. A three-day-old human embryo is a collection of 150 cells called a blastocyst. There are, for the sake of comparison, more than 100,000 cells in the brain of a fly. The human embryos that are destroyed in stem-cell research do not have brains, or even neurons. Consequently, there is no reason to believe they can suffer their destruction in any way at all." (29)
For some reason, Harris seems to believe that size or number of cells is relevant to a human beings worth. This is clearly nonsensical, and his comparison to a fly brain adds no additional relevance. A careful moral thinker recognizes that the real issue at hand is whether or not the three-day-old embryo is a human being.
Additionally, Harris seems to believe that the fact that human embryos cannot suffer thier own destruction is relevant to their worth. But since when has it become permissible to kill someone because they can't experience suffering? By this logic, it would be more morally acceptable to kill someone instantly while they sleep. What is the relevant difference? Harris is simply morally confused- he has not identified the main issue (is the embryo a human being or not) and has instead constructed several bad arguments for allowing their destruction. Notice that I have not, in this review, explicitly given my position on the embryonic stem cell research debate. One can (and should) recognize Harris's simplistic and irrelevant moral thinking even if they agree with his overall position.
Not that any of this has any relevance whatsoever to the truth of Christianity. In fact, most of this book is so irrelevant to whether or not Christianity is true that, despite its brevity, its not worth the read. "Letter to a Christian Nation" may be useful for atheists who want a pep talk, but it is not useful for the intelligent Christian who is interested in scholarship rather than soundbites, and who wants to engage cultural issues with reasoned thinking rather than emotion.
Good book!.......2007-09-19
His book, "The End of Faith" is much more in depth. But this little book does a great job at asking questions that need to be asked in this day and age when superstition and irrationality control such a great portion of the world.
Read this book. You won't be dissapointed. I wasn't, and I drink Blatz.
Read "The End of Faith" Instead.......2007-09-15
A fairly useless little fillip of a book, meant to capitalize on the commercial success of the author's first, longer, and better book, THE END OF FAITH.
The whole idea of writing a defense of atheism as a "letter to" Christians is disingenuous...at best. Christians don't read books like this except possibly to refute them. Maybe a literary device like this worked in Jonathan Swift's time, but now it just seems trite. At fewer than 100 pages this reads more like a padded-out magazine article.
THE END OF FAITH is a very important book, one of the best books I've read in the past five years (I read 50-60 books a year, not a huge amount but more than the average American), and a much better book than this one in nearly every conceivable way. Don't be distracted by this ultimately cynical, ultimately useless little tract--read THE END OF FAITH instead.
Book Description
There are more than one billion Catholics in the world, and each one has a similar set of basic beliefs and practices that he or she follows. Some of the teachings of Catholicism are thousands of years old, while others are more recent. So what is the Catholic culture like and what do they believe? Catholicism For Dummies answers these and many other questions.
Whether you’re a Catholic or not, you may be totally clueless or just unaware of some aspects of Catholic traditions, history, doctrine, worship, devotion, or culture. No sweat. Regardless of whether you’re engaged, married, related to a Catholic, or just curious about what Catholics really do believe, this book is for you.
Catholicism For Dummies is not a catechism or religious textbook, but a casual, down-to-earth introduction for non-Catholics and reintroduction for Catholics. It gives commonsense explanations so that the next time you’re invited to a Catholic wedding, Baptism, funeral, Confirmation, or First Communion, you won’t be totally confused. You’ll also discover other important topics that can help you better understand the Catholic culture—from morality and devotions to worship and liturgy. This book will familiarize you with Catholicism by showing you:
- What it means to be a Catholic: traditions, prayers, beliefs, and holidays
- Who is who in the Catholic hierarchy
- How Catholics worship
- What the Seven Sacraments and Ten Commandments are
- The book regarded as the holiest to Catholics: The Bible
- The Church’s stand on some sticky issues
Catholicism For Dummies presents a rich tapestry and history of the Catholic faith—from devotions to doctrines. This intelligent and faithful look at Catholicism will open your eyes to this religion and answer many of the questions you may have about it.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful Reference.......2007-08-25
My husband is in RCIA and this has been his "text book" ! Very informative, well written. Highly Recommended!
Read this..........2007-05-15
They bilk the parishioners, as the priest live in a lap of luxury surrounded by gold. Everyone knows the Vatican has Billions of dollars, but keeps it's book secret so we can not know how many billions they have. Meanwhile, in the churches where the victims want justice, they just throw up their hands and say "we are bankrupt". The Bible says that a Priest or "Bishop" MUST be a married man. The people who let these pedophile priest jump from parish to parish to get fresh kids should also be thrown in jail. The most serious problem however, is that the Catholic church has people fooled into believing it is a "Christian Church", it is far from it. They call their own shots calling themselves "Infallible", meaning whatever they say or do can't be wrong. I am somewhat puzzled by the people who still attend there. They rape kids, then covered it up, why are you still a part of that organization? You should never confess to a priest, that is putting someone between you and Jesus. Jesus is the only mediator, if you read the real bible KJV, it will tell you the truth. The catholic Manuscripts were created by the Alexandrians, another cult found in Egypt. To top things off, the current Pope even swore in before as a Hitler Nazi Oath as a youth. This church isn't Christian, it just pays "lip service" to let everyone think they are. The priest are living in the lap of Luxury, while the victims live without reparations. My heart goes out to all the victims of the Catholic Church. Please stand up for the victims, and do not continue to look the other way because you are also guilty of association if you say and do nothing.
Catholicism for Dummies.......2007-05-12
bought as a gift. The person just love the book has thanked me several times.
Catholocism for Dummies.......2007-05-07
This is a good book for looking up anything pertaining to our Catholic Faith. It is easy to find the topics and explains it well. I have bought several of these books as gifts and a few for our Parish Library. Highly recommend.
Just the facts.......2007-04-25
A well-communicated summary of Roman Catholic doctrine and tradition. A good start for anyone interested in getting past the basics in preparation for further serious study. A handy resource for those who simply want a basic understanding of Catholic doctrine and practice. The approach seems to be one of simply reporting the facts without much emotional attachment by the authors and in that respect it seemed to be lacking some of the impact it might otherwise have. But such an approach may be exactly what most readers are looking for in this genre.
Book Description
The two leading, bestselling experts on the Gnostic Gospels weigh in on the meaning of the controversial newly discovered Gospel of Judas
When the Gospel of Judas was published by the National Geographic Society in April 2006, it received extraordinary media attention and was immediately heralded as a major biblical discovery that rocked the world of scholars and laypeople alike. Elaine Pagels and Karen King are the first to reflect on this newfound text and its ramifications for telling the story of early Christianity. In Reading Judas, the two celebrated scholars illustrate how the newly discovered text provides a window onto understanding how Jesus' followers understood his death, why Judas betrayed Jesus, and why God allowed it.
Most contemporary readers will find passages in the ancient Gospel of Judas difficult to comprehend outside of its context in the ancient world. Reading Judas illuminates the intellectual assumptions behind Jesus' teaching to Judas and shows how conflict among the disciples was a tool frequently used by early Christian authors to explore matters of doubt and disagreement. Presented with the elegance, insight, and accessibility that has made Pagels and King the leading voices in this field, this is a book for academics and popular audience both. Pagels's five previous books, including The New York Times bestseller Beyond Belief, and King's The Gospel of Mary of Magdala prove that there is a considerable audience eager for this kind of informed and engaging writing.
Customer Reviews:
Pretty thin, and methinks they doth protest against Bart Ehrman too much.......2007-09-07
Ehrman beat Pagels and King to the publishing punch with "The Lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot" in 2006. I don't know if that's why they feel they have to attack him (and others) in the introduction for allegedly trying to shoehorn the Gospel of Judas into a Gnostic boot or what, but their complaint just doesn't wash.
Their own description of the "doctrines" of GofJ would lead any blindfolded New Testament or early Christianity scholar to call GofJ "Gnosticizing," if not full-blown Gnostic, and it is.
Also, they give no story of the discovery of the codex, and do less to place it in historical background. And, the 50 pages of "Comments on the Translation" would have been better served coming at the start of the book, as a Sitz im Leben chapter, a la what I just said Ehrman did.
Besides, Ehrman's got a better analysis in general. And, I think he turns an even more skeptical eye to some matters of early Christian origins and development than do they. (For example, they seem to credit the Eucharist, in some way, as having started with an actual event, rather than made up out of pagan whole cloth by Paul.)
I might have three-started this, but I thought the attack in the introduction -- for whatever reason -- was egregious.
It's so logical.......2007-07-26
Book in excellent shape. Contents coincide with what I've been arguing, from a logical point of view, for decades: No betrayal no crucifixion, thus Judas was an accomplice, not a traitor.
Judas: Evil Incarnate or Fall Guy?.......2007-07-19
Eminently readable and intellectually stimulating.
The authors manage to maintain a neutral view of the writing, trying to put it into the historical context (persacution of one Christian sect by another).
I was most interested by the alternative view of the universe presented by this text.
Comparing the actual text of the gospel to the cleaned up version is an interesting exercise. It gave me insight into the workings of historical slueths.
The authors are somewhat obsessed with pointing out that the writer of the gospel is VERY angry about something (probably the fact that he and he group are being eliminated).
This book interests me in reading more of the gnostic texts.
Academic but readable book.......2007-07-03
This book contains 2 gems: The newly published Gospel of Judas and a readable, academic framework for understanding the gospel itself. I have recommended this book to several laity in my congregation. (I am a local church pastor.)
From Great Deceiver to Bosom Buddy..........2007-06-12
Judas Iscariot has played the role of Christianity's ultimate traitor for centuries. Tradition, as portrayed in the synoptic gospels, claims that he handed Jesus over to the Romans for thirty silver pieces. This vile act led to Jesus' crucifixion and death. So repugnant was this that his name has become synonymous with deceit and betrayal. For example, when Bob Dylan abandoned folk music for electric rock in 1966, an appalled audience member at the Royal Albert Hall yelled "Judas!" Right or wrong, everyone knew what that single name implied. Some cheered, some hissed. Pope Benedict XVI upheld the tradition in 2006 by accusing Judas of greed and power mongering. And why did the leader of the Catholic Church feel the need to reiterate this well-worn point in the twenty-first century? Because the long lost Gospel of Judas had resurfaced. A translation of this document's extant text appears in Part Two of "Reading Judas." Written sometime before 180 CE, the short gospel inverts tradition by depicting Judas as Jesus' most trusted Apostle, as his bosom buddy, his confidante. Not only that, Jesus shares the "mysteries of the Kingdom" with this great deceiver. And only with him. The gospel portrays the other Apostles as weak and conniving dolts who, according to Jesus, worship the wrong God through cruel sacrifice. Jesus' delineation of the "Mysteries" evoke elements similar to Pythagorianism, Platonism, Vedanta, and Buddhism. Certain sections of the gospel read more like Plato's "Timaeus" than the New Testament. In these passages, Jesus outlines a mystical mathematical transcendental cosmology involving a pantheon of lesser imperfect gods, one of which, called Saklas, created humanity, and the all knowing all seeing "Great Invisible Spirit" (the "real God") from which everything emanates. Humans have this Spirit within them, but they must search for it by examining the Self. Jesus' death will serve as an example to humankind that they can escape their physical bodies and enter the Heavenly Kingdom via the discovery of this inner Spirit. Jesus entrusts Judas with initiating this sacred event. Judas then indentifies Jesus to the accusers as instructed, receives some copper coins, and the text ends. Thus does Judas become, in this long lost gospel, the catalyst to humanity's salvation. Judas also sees the vision of his demise. The other Apostles will apparently stone him to death. But, as Jesus points out, such is the price for the "Mysteries of the Kingdom."
Part One of "Reading Judas" analyzes the Gospel in historical context. Drawing from voluminous sources, including the Bible, other Gnostic gospels, and various miscellaneous ancient texts, the essay's authors, Pagels and King, frame the Gospel of Judas as a text infused with anger. What caused this anger? In the second century CE, Christianity as we know it was solidifying under the auspices of bishops and clergy. Recent discoveries show that other interpretations of Jesus' death co-existed with the now dominate view. In other words, Christianity was not as homogenous as tradition suggests. Over time the fringe groups, along with their documents, were suppressed and outlawed as heretical. The Gospel of Judas, argue the authors, represents one of these alternate, or dissenting, ideologies. At the time of its composition Christian persecution was widespread and expanding. Certain founders of the nascent church, such as Tertullian, Ireneaus, and Heracleon, began to glorify the suffering of those who were killed in horrifying and unimaginable ways by the then pagan Roman government. Others Christians followed them "to glory" and met similar ghastly ends. Pagels and King argue that the Gopel of Judas' fervent anger stems from the church's encouragement of martyrdom. The "false venegeful God," according to the Jesus of the Gospel of Judas, demands such needless sacrifice. But the "true God" never would. Jesus demands that the Apostles "cease sacrificing!" So was the Gospel of Judas a protest piece? Maybe. It definitely paints an alternate picture of Jesus and Christianity.
Overall, "Reading Judas" enables general readers to grasp the document's signifigance. Most helpful are the some forty pages of commentary that accompany the translation. Though Pagels and King claim that this gospel doesn't belong in the Christian canon, they argue that it nonetheless demonstrates that the Christianity we have today was written by the winners. And those winners suppressed dissent so effectively that the Gospel of Judas, among others, remained lost for almost two millennia. All together, these ancient texts help scholars piece together the story of Christianity's development. "Reading Judas," though unlikely to alter anyone's faith, provides fascinating and provocative glimpses into the history of western civilization's dominant religion.
Book Description
The simple revolution has begun. From the design of the iPod to the uncluttered Google home page, simple ideas are changing the world.
Simple Church clearly calls for Christians to return to the simple gospel-sharing methods of Jesus. No bells or whistles required, so to speak.
Based on case studies of four hundred American churches, authors Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger prove that the process for making disciples has quite often become too complex. Simple churches are thriving, and they are doing so by taking these four ideas to heart: Clarity. Movement. Alignment. Focus.
Each idea is examined here, simply showing why it is time to simplify.
Customer Reviews:
Concise and practical.......2007-09-07
Well, it would be awfully ironic if the book wasn't easy to understand. Fortunately, the authors do with the book exactly what they are calling leaders to do with their churches. They outline a simple structure for streamlining churches and letting loose the baggage that slows churches down.
The process is...simple (sorry to repeat). Churches should seek clarity, alignment, movement, and focus. Clarity is the singleness of purpose, stated in a single phrase. Movement is making sure there is a process of spiritual development that runs through the ministries of the church that fulfills the purpose. Alignment is the process of making sure that all the ministries of the church cannel people through a similar movement to fulfill the purpose. And focus is the challenging process of saying "no" to everything that distracts the church from its purpose. The authors have decided on this clear process as a saving grace to churches, repeat it fluidly, and walk the reader through all four steps.
The theory is based on a study of a number of churches that were considered thriving and many that were not. The authors say that their data shows highly significant difference between thriving churches that simplified and complex churches that did not.
The only part of this book, or the genre, that ought to give the reader pause is that the authors presume that ministry requires a strategic process through which people are funneled on the way to spiritual growth. While that is the reality of modern, institutional church management, it seems to overrule the fluid and organic (if not disorganized) ministry of Jesus and the disciples while co-opting their names. This is not a major critique of the book, just the observation that business management principles are governing the church whose founder had very little to say about business management.
Nonetheless, for those of us who find ourselves dealing with the necessities of management, this book is an essential read. It's well-written, accessible, and offers the bird's eye view that a lot of churches miss.
Good for discipleship and Church Growth.......2007-08-29
This is an excellent book that tells pastors and church leaders to keep it simple, rather than complex and this book tells you how. The basic premise of this book is that simple sells and that keeping it simple and maintaining focus is the best method of discipleship and church growth. If you have been trying to write long vision statements or missions statement or purpose statement and have come away frustrated, then this book is for you.
Simple, but could be simpler.......2007-08-23
I think this book will help many traditional North American churches to lower the bar of how church is done and raise the bar of what it means to be a disciple (to borrow from Neil Cole). But as a former pastor who has recently begun to enjoy the simplicity of a network of microchurches that has no paid staff, no building to maintain or enlarge, and yet enough time to be a small army of disciple-makers, I find Rainer & Geiger more complex than is necessary. If you like simple, you might like simpler even better!
Excellent example of making things simple.......2007-07-22
Simple church not only explained clearly how necessary it is to simplify our way of doing church,or more precisely making disciples, the book was a very good example of doing this. The demonstrated and illustrated in a straightforward way and the process suggested was very simple to follow and easy to apply. Great job!
Excellent -but felt slightly cheated.......2007-07-18
Excellent book, but really this should have been an article, or perhaps one chapter of a book. There's not really enough material to be a book.
Book Description
In this provocative book, author, consultant, and church leadership developer Reggie McNeal debunks these and other old assumptions and provides an overall strategy to help church leaders move forward in an entirely different and much more effective way. In The Present Future, McNeal identifies the six most important realities that church leaders must address including: recapturing the spirit of Christianity and replacing "church growth" with a wider vision of kingdom growth; developing disciples instead of church members; fostering the rise of a new apostolic leadership; focusing on spiritual formation rather than church programs; and shifting from prediction and planning to preparation for the challenges of an uncertain world. McNeal contends that by changing the questions church leaders ask themselves about their congregations and their plans, they can frame the core issues and approach the future with new eyes, new purpose, and new ideas.
Also available: The Present Future DVD Collection (978-0-7879-8673-5), Reggie McNeal's DVD presentation of the ideas and insights featured in his best-selling book.
Customer Reviews:
The New Church.......2007-09-11
Excellent book which speaks to the problems the modern church faces. Gives specific information and direction to deal with current issues. I have found this work tremendously useful in advocating change for the church I serve as pastor.
One that must be read........2007-07-25
This book explores the emergent church culture. The book's focus is on missional living within a ever changing culture. The books deals with the changing paradigm of modernism to postmodernism. Some church leaders would consider this book radical, but this book is helpful in providing a proper perspective on reaching out in faith. It is a plea to change churchianity into Christianity. Because of the influence of mega-church culture, we have been seduced into selling Christianity like a product on the open market, the book presents a way to authentically change the community for Christ.
Church Transformation.......2007-05-24
While many will be turned off by the author's strong language and seeming 'over stating' of the case; most of what McNeal says and recommends rings true. The church in North America is dying and dying rather fast as seem by the exodus of members and churches from the major denominations. If you are a leader - and especially a pastor - in a church you need to study this book (preferable with the rest of your team) and seriously consider what and how you are going to respond to the new world order. Unlike the Boomer Generation who have `grown up' and for the most part taken their responsible position in leadership in the ministries of the church, this current last generation (Millenniest or Matrix) are not likely to do that. They are looking for something better and God may indeed pass by the North American Church to accomplish His purpose in reaching the entire world with the Love of Jesus for the Glory of God.
The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church.......2007-05-15
Excellent book! SO HELPFUL!
Thought Provoking.......2007-05-13
This book will challenge you as it unfolds the truth of many churches in North America. At times you will want to stop reading and toss it to the side. Other times you find yourself in total agreement. Reggie demonstrates great courage as he asks questions most Christians don't want to ask about their church. The DVD series is even better as it presents the same tough questions through the caring style of Reggie McNeal.
Book Description
Thomas Aquinas' best-known work is the Summa Theologica. As the title indicates, the Summa is a "summing up" of all that can be known about Christian theology.
Customer Reviews:
A great resource for theological research.......2007-09-28
I purchased this Five-volume set after taking a couple of philosophy courses, which I feel like I should recommend to anyone starting to dive into this hefty text. If you don't feel like taking a class, perhaps some of the secondary texts written by philosophers about Aquinas will help in reading this fantastic set of info.
Aquinas forms his arguments in a way that is almost flawless. I am not Catholic, yet I find this to be an explanation of Catholic doctrine that makes me almost want to convert. For anyone from the atheist to the devout catholic, this text is a window into one of the greateast natural and revealed theologians to ever document his thoughts. Footnotes are aplenty to send you on your way to other documents, especially Augistine, so be prepared for an obsession.
Mike Yandell
Summa is supreme.......2007-05-13
Probably the best sys theo work ever. Oh, that more fellow Protestants would pour over this text!
Good Theology, Good Philosophy.......2007-01-12
These volumes have withstood the test of time in the worlds of religion and philosophy. Reading the words of one of the greatest minds in history is both entertaining and educational. This set is a must have for anyone who likes to study philosophy. For a beginner, it may be beneficial to get one of the many Aquinas readers or help texts, but it doesn't take very long to catch on and soon you will find yourself just reading at your own pace, making your own ideas about what Aquinas is all about.
Great Work, Good Translation.......2006-11-08
The Summa Theologica of Saint Thomas is without doubt one of the greatest works in the history of the Christian faith. The logical order and progression is simply amazing and the scope of the work monumental.
This translation is generally very close to the sense of the Latin original, although in a few cases I have noticed some strange differences. For example, in Pt. 1 Q.1 A. 4. The Dominican Fathers translate the Latin (which reads "Magis tamen est speculativa quam practica") as ". . . speculative rather than practical" although the Latin reads ". . . speculative MORE than practical." This is a substantial change in the meaning which ends up creating confusion in the next article when Thomas says that theology is ". . . partly speculative and partly practical". There are other variations from the Latin throughout the rest of the work, some more and less important.
I urge those who are interested in a serious study of Saint Thomas to use this text as an aid to a deeper study with the Latin. If this is not possible for you, this translation will nevertheless give you a good introduction and tool for an introductory and intermediate understanding of Saint Thomas's thought.
St. Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologica (5 volume set) .......2006-11-05
This set of books is very good for religious studies majors or anyone pursuing a higher education in theological studies. This series addresses in detail, the myriad questions pertaining to Christian theological doctrines through philosophical reasoning.
Book Description
Using unconventional examples from his own life, Shane Claiborne stirs up questions about the church and the world, and challenges readers to truly live out their Christian faith.
Customer Reviews:
Hard Encouragement.......2007-09-28
The message is radical, but very much in keeping with how Jesus taught us to live. As I read this I felt encouraged by the stories of how everyday people are following in the ways everlasting.
Spectacular.......2007-09-24
This book is life changing. Read it if you deeply desire a new way of life and are tired of seeing dilution of the church and it's foundation take place.
Irresistible.......2007-09-03
This book knocked me on my but. I don't agree with everything Shane says, but this book is an eye opener. Just when I thought I had it all together, this young man challenges the way I live my faith. The book is not for wimps.
I thought I was the only one who thought this way.......2007-08-29
I'm glad to know that I'm not.
This book points out a lot of biblical truths that we seem to have forgotten or blatantly ignored. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone. There were some minor things that I disagreed with, and many things that I'm still mulling over. But the issues he brought up need to be thought and prayed over. Too many people don't consider them deeply enough. Even if you don't agree with some of his conclusions, if it makes you truly and deeply think about the issues, it's worth it.
It's also a very easy read. His writing style is funny and serious at the same time. I enjoyed his humor and straightforwardness very much.
Awesome Read if you minus the Anti War Jargon.......2007-08-23
What a great book that challenges us to TRULY live like Jesus. Let's all stop talking about how Jesus lived and actually start DOING it. My husband has started a non profit organization and we are going to be movinng to live on the POOR side of town so we can be a part of their lives and hopefully offer them some help and hope. WE NEED MORE CHRISTIANS LIKE THIS who have SACRAFICIAL LOVE for the people around them. We have entirely too many rich people in this country for us to still have homeless people here. The whole redistribution thing is great, but it has to be something that is organic and not forced.
I didn't care for all the anti-war jargon in the book, but I do like the idea of peace. There were wars in the Bible and God actually commanded some of them so I find it hard to believe that God is against ALL war.
Overall, I would recommend this book for it's challenging look at how the Gospel is supposed to be "lived out". Let's stop spending millions on megachurches and start using that money to help out the needy.
Book Description
For almost 1,500 years, the New Testament manuscripts were copied by hand––and mistakes and intentional changes abound in the competing manuscript versions. Religious and biblical scholar Bart Ehrman makes the provocative case that many of our widely held beliefs concerning the divinity of Jesus, the Trinity, and the divine origins of the Bible itself are the results of both intentional and accidental alterations by scribes.
In this compelling and fascinating book, Ehrman shows where and why changes were made in our earliest surviving manuscripts, explaining for the first time how the many variations of our cherished biblical stories came to be, and why only certain versions of the stories qualify for publication in the Bibles we read today. Ehrman frames his account with personal reflections on how his study of the Greek manuscripts made him abandon his once ultra–conservative views of the Bible.
Customer Reviews:
For those who take the Bible seriously.......2007-10-03
Whether you are a member of a Bible study group or a skeptic, this book should be read. The author is candid about his personal spiritual path, which allows readers some insight into his possible bias, but he is also scrupulous about his scholarship. If you believe every word of the Bible--whichever translation you read--is divinely inspired, you may have no interest in reading this book. However, if the idea that modern translations alter the meaning of the King James version on which you were raised has already occurred to you, you may have begun to wonder about other changes to the Bible over the years. This book is enlightening, and for anyone willing to study the Bible seriously, reading "Misquoting Jesus" will be important to your spiritual study. Because the author respects his readers enough to explain the painstaking nature of his field of study, the book demands a willingness to wade through some difficult passages, but the effort is worth it. I highly recommend this book.
Clear and respectful exposition of a hot topic.......2007-10-02
In spite of the provocative title, "Misquoting Jesus" is very respectful of Scriptures - so much so that it willing to tell the truth about them. Bart Ehrman does his typically great job of explaining a difficult topic -- in this case, the history, operation and findings of biblical textual criticism -- to a lay audience. Ehrman's journey as a textual critic has been a long and difficult one. Starting as a fundamentalists of the fundamentalists (to paraphrase Paul) he decides to study scripture. His first epiphany is when he ask himself, if the Bible is God's word, then why do I have to learn Greek and Hebrew to understand it? This question leads to others, and culminates in a nuanced and complex understanding of the Bible and its history -- as told by the ways scribes have changed the Bible itself.
Ehrman discusses the history of the Bible's transmission through the centuriues-- via scribes whose "literacy" was sometimes comprised only by their ability to copy the shape of letters from an old copy to a new, without understanding their meaning. This was eye-opening for me, but Ehrman supports his contentions with evidence that is sometimes funny and always persuasive. Ehrman helps us to understand the world from the scribe's point of view, as they miss and repeat words, misunderstand abbreviations and (as they listen to dictation) write down homonyms that sound the same but mean vastly different things.
Ehrman gives us a glimpse at the history of biblical textual criticism. We learn how we got the Vulgate, St. Jerome's 4th-century translation of scriptures into Latin, and 15th century scholar Erasmus's rush to be the first to print a Greek Bible Erasmus's slapdash work then became a basis for the King James Bible. Through Ehrman, we learn of the great men whose work lay the foundations for modern biblical scholarship. We also learn of the tens of thousands of variant readings of Scripture that exist. It is this variation that causes consternation for those who believe the Bible to be unblemished and inerrant, and prompts delight for scholars who use the variants to piece together the original words, and to determine the theological biases of the scribes who introduced the variants into the text.
Ehrman is not on a mission to destroy the sacredness, the authority of the Church or to downplay the teaching of Jesus. In some ways, Ehrman overstates his case. While reading, I wondered whether a verse or variant would bring down the entire Bible. But that never happened. Most of the variants Ehrman discusses are insignificant -- misspellings and such. And interestingly, the significant variants Ehrman discusses are tentative add-ons to the text, where a scribe changed one unpalatable word, but left the rest of the text alone. Lucky for us that even these interventionist scribes were so skittish about changing their sacred texts, otherwise we wouldn't be able to see the mismatch with the larger context. Lucky also that so many variants exist, allowing us determine which might preserve original meanings. Interestingly, the existence of variants, and the careful dating of their insertion, actually tells us much about the struggle for ideas that was the history of the Church. Ehrman identifies texts that were used against heretics like Marcion, against Jews, against gnostics and against women. Difficult texts, says Ehrman -- those that contradict what we would like the Scriptures to say, may well be the most accurate. For instance, in Mark 1:40-45, Jesus encounters a leper hoping to be cleansed. Most translation say that Jesus, filled with compassion, touched and healed the man. But some variants say that Jesus grew *angry* before healing him. Which is correct, and why? Ehrman argues that the variant in which Jesus becomes angry fits better into Mark's overall presentation of Jesus, and may therefore be original.
"Misquoting Jesus" is a terrific primer to the obscure field of textual criticism, especially as applied to the Bible.. Though it provides many examples to illustrate Ehrman's points, it is not an exhaustive study of the discipline, but is an introduction that gently leads Bible lovers to a new level of understanding. There is no question that Ehrman simplifies a bit, and gives us little insight into which textual criticisms are generally accepted and which are hotly debated. Some might see this book as a way for Ehrman to rush his own opinions into print. But Erhman backs up each of his contentions with logic and plausible theories. At the very least, the reader gains enough knowledge to follow the argument.
Ehrman's book helps us to be more careful about selecting biblical translations, and helps us appreciate the work of the legion of scholars who try to parse out the real meaning in its many verses. It lets us see through the gauze of false piety to understand and appreciate the differing worldviews and intentions of the Bible's writers and scribes, letting them speak for themselves. Above all, "Misquoting Jesus" helps us to see that the Bible cannot be read apart from the personalities and world-views of those who wrote it, those who copied it, those who translated it or those who read it. As such, it is a living document, which when you think of it, may have been its Inspirer's idea all along.
Untangling the Texts.......2007-09-24
If I had read this prior to visiting a major temporary exhibit of ancient manuscripts at the Smithsonian early in 2007, I would have appreciated more of what I was seeing. Ehrman discusses clearly for the layman the study of the many changes made in the New Testament texts by scribes, particularly in the first three centuries after Jesus, before copying became the work of professionals. While most of these variations are trivial, some significantly altered the authors' original meanings. This is of particular relevance for English speakers, since much of our appreciation of the Bible has been through the 17th century King James version, which, unfortunately, was translated from a somewhat corrupted text. Ehrman clearly discusses some of the salient differences now understood by scholars and now either adopted or footnoted in the best modern translations. In addition to inadvertent and careless changes, changes were made during the competition for Christian orthodoxy in the first few centuries. The theological disputes over the nature of Christ (divine, human, or both; one being or two beings), disputes over the role of women, conflict between Christians and Jews, and the criticisms of educated pagans all led some scribes, involved as they were, not only to conserve scripture, but to make some changes to texts that they perceived inadequately supported the interpretations that they considered correct. Since no original texts have survived, Ehrman discusses how, insofar as possible, scholars have reconstructed texts as close as possible to the originals. The original reading of some passages will probably never be known. These inspired works are thus nevertheless also very human. Close reading moreover reveals quite clearly that not all gospel writers or other New Testament authors are saying the same thing, but have different points of view and different interpretations of Jesus' life and death.
It's a problem of Epistemology.......2007-09-24
Barts problem is not with the text.
This is a great overview on the canon of scripture. His problems are not with the text. His problem after all is with evil and epistemolgy. Wow! That's nothing new. It's interesting that a textual scholar who has left the faith has a an issue that is philosophical.
Separating wheat from chaff seldom got so interesting.......2007-09-23
Ehrman believes the history of our great stories matters. And his exploration of the New Testament's evolution is an enormous accomplishment. This is a work building on hundreds of years of research, for example, Stephanus's 1550 translation with marginal notes identifying variations between 14 different ancient Greek manuscripts. Or John Mill's 1707 comparison of over 100 Greek manuscripts to show 30,000 points of difference. And Ehrman's data base includes over 5,700 manuscripts in Greek alone, which yield a total of between 200,000 to 400,000 varients among them.
While comparing manuscripts, Ehrman gives us a parallel history of arguments and riposts among scholarly egos, making this a fascinating human story. We have, for example, the French Catholic scholar Richard Simon who in 1689 produced "A Critical History of the Text of the New Testament", giving a partisan blast at Protestant rejection of Church tradition in favor of reliance on scripture alone:
"The great changes that have taken place in the manuscripts of the Bible ... since the first originals were lost, completely destroy the principle of the Protestants ..., who consult only these same manuscripts of the Bible in the form they are today. If the truth of religion had not lived on in the Church, it would not be safe to look for it now in books that have been subjected to so many changes and that in so many matters were dependent on the will of the copyists."
Do all these differences among ancient hand-copied versions of the Bible make any difference? Ehrman shows thay do at many important points -- concerning Jesus, women, Jews, leadership, and more. And that's the really good part. I think this book is a big step forward in separating wheat from chaff in the scriptures.
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