5 comments about Amazing Grace in the Life of William Wilberforce.

1. This sounds like it was a speech, transcribed, and then read by someone else to cheesy music. The book was repetitious. It did way too much hinting at what was coming next. In Piper's sermons it works fairly well, but in such a short book, it was a little annoying.
   
   The book was a short attempt of explaining how Wilberforce's theology made Wilberforce so successful and increased his endurance for doing good. This was interesting, but it seemed pretty light weight to me. I'm sure there are better biographies out there. I know Piper does a magnificient job of explaining the concepts written in this book elsewhere.
   
   All that being said. It was an interesting look at Wilberforce's life and work.



2. I am not a history buff by any means, so it was safe to know that I had no clue who William Wilberforce was. I picked up the book because I am sucker for both John Piper and biographies.
   
   This book was intriguing being it is so small and wasn't in one of Piper's "Swan Biographies," and was on someone that I wasn't familiar with. I didn't know what to expect from a small biography, and to be honest, wasn't expecting much.
   
   The biography really is just a mere introduction to the life of Wilberforce and his convictions. He was a young rich man in British Parliament that ended up, through a close friend, surrendering to Christ. After his conversion he was wondering whether politics was a calling or curse from God and was thinking of leaving his post in parliament. That all changed when he met with another pillar of the faith in John Newton on December 7th, 1785. Newton challenged him to stay within the confines of parliament to change it for the glory of God and Wilberforce did just that. He not only was the sole reason for the abolition of slave trade in Britain but he was also the reason behind the complete abolition of the practice of having slaves as well.
   
   This small biography gives insight to the man and his mission to do all things to the glory of God. It is well intentioned and a great introduction to "tease the mind" to want to learn more of this man's convictions.
   
   For this reason I would recommend the reading to anyone, but don't expect this to be a very deep biography or one that will give you all the ins and outs of the circumstances of the life of this defender of glory and righteousness. But, I also don't think that was Piper's intention, but his attention was to get the reader to be introduced to another dead man that stood for Christ, another man that we can imitate, as he imitated Christ.



3. If you want a brief biography of Wilberforce this is the one to read. It is short and easy to read and tells you what motivated the great reformer. It was his evangelical Christian faith which he evidenced in a joyful personality despite his long struggle to abolish the slave trade, his personal infirmities and problems with his errant eldest son. This was a man who was transformed by his Christian faith. He could probably have been prime minister, but he eschewed personal advancement. If I have one small criticism it is that Piper has produced something of an hagiography with no really critical evaluation of Wilberforce. For this one should read Tomkins. For the answers to Wilberforce's critics, read Hague.



4. Nearly universally, the inquisitive mind is better served to delve deeply into a subject matter through literature rather than taking the quick, easy, and intellectually dishonest route of cinema.
   
   I had high hopes to get some further insight into the trials and tribulations of the Father of The Abolitionist Movement through Piper and Atkins work.
   
   Unfortunately, a similar book (if it exists) by Marvel Comics would have relayed as much information and in doubtless a more entertaining fashion.
   
   Go get the DVD of Amazing Grace, and if that doesn't satisfy your curiosity, find another book to relieve your inquisitive nature on this topic.



5. William Wilberforce, for those of you who are as clueless as I was when I started reading this book, was the British parliamentarian who spearheaded the campaign to abolish the slave trade, and then slavery itself, in the British Empire. This book is the story of this man who fought persistently, even when he suffered defeat after defeat, for a cause he knew was right.
   
   But this little book (76 pages) isn't so much about the historical facts of Wilberforce's life, although it includes many of them, as it is about the faith (or the religious affections, to use Wilberforce's own quaint language) that made him the force that he was. What changed him from the lackadaisical parliamentarian that he was as a young man first elected to parliament at twenty-one? How did Wilberforce's faith influence the causes he chose to pursue? How did it help him persevere in despite defeat? How did it make him a man about whom it was said, "His joy was quite penetrating?" What was the content of his faith? What set him apart from the Religionists (another of Wilberforce's own words) of his day? These are the questions John Piper is seeking to answer in this book.
   
   When I first saw the size of the book, I was disappointed that it wasn't thicker, since I really love reading a thorough biography; but after finishing, I've decided that it's better as a short book with a narrow focus. For one thing, that makes it accessible to those who don't have the time or inclination to tackle a longer biography. For another, its focus sets it apart from the other biographies of Wilberforce, and there are many. In addition, in a longer and more detailed biography, the lesson of this bookthat sound doctrine is necessary in order to persist in fighting for social justice because good fruit over the long haul comes from a healthy rootmight have been lost.
   
   As you can probably guess by now, Amazing Grace in the Life of William Wilberforce is a book I recommend. I enjoyed it; I learned from it. What more could I ask from a book? It prodded me to consider some things I hadn't considered previously, and I'm still thinking about the lessons in it.

5 comments about The Irrational Season (The Crosswicks Journal, Book 3).

1. I have been a fan of Madeleine L'Engle since I discovered A Wrinkle in Time in the 5th grade. As an adult, I have come to appreciate her non-fiction and adult novels. Irrational Season is probably the best of her non-fiction. The story follows the litergical year and in keeping with the seasons and holidays takes the reader through pain and joy while always maintaining hope. This is an excellent book for anyone who has sometimes felt overwhelmed and questioned their faith only to find that their questioning makes them stronger.



2. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to reconcile their belief in God with their intellect. Lyrical and moving (I cried several times), The Irrational Season can be read on its own, or as part of the four-book series.



3. To gain a sense of the various stages of L'Engle's life, read the Crosswicks Journals in order of publication. In The Irrational Season, Book 3, L'Engle does not give any easy spiritual answers, yet somehow a sense of comfort prevails throughout the pages. Never preachy, this is a book to savor again and again. We share L'Engle's struggle as she grapples with age-old questions. One is awed by the grace with which this woman deals with conflict, both internal and external, even as she is sharing her deepest doubts. As we read, we become a part of L'Engle's spiritual quest and we make it our own.



4. I started this book on Christmas Eve...and who knew that this is almost precisely where L'Engle starts the book off at! It was a joyous, challenging, beautiful and often unnerving book that made me flip page-after-page in wonder and awe at the author's very wise words.
   
   Sure, L'Engle sounds a bit like a Christian universalist in some of these pages, but they come from the heart and like all of our hearts, not every thought is theologically right on. So I can easily forgive her for this.For those people getting married, or thinking of getting married, or about to get married within the next 6 months, I'd recommend reading the first 60 pages of this book at least as it will fill you with wisdom, guidance and many wonderful descriptions of what true, ever-lasting love looks like.
   
   Out of "A Circle of Quiet," "The Summer of the Great-Grandmother" and "The Irrational Season," this book comes in a close second out of the three. It's tender, warm, and just what I needed after the holiday season.



5. This is classic L'Engle, full of thoughtful observations and solid spiritual food. It's a good book for meditation and healing. And always L'Engle poses questions that give one pause.

5 comments about Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith.

1. This doesn't get taught every week in Relief Society...! I began this book by thinking she was just a little ? in Mormon history and she has turned out to be in my eyes extremely selfish and worldly almost like a feminist back in the 19th century...
   What i found facinating in the book is she (when she took off the blinders about polygamy in 1843) is that she threatened to divorce, cheat on, and actually tried to poison the prophet twice...! Wow...
   All i have to finish with is the quote from brigham young about her "She was a wonderful woman, and would be more so if she'd start acting like a saint, then acting like a devil"...



2. This book does a fine job presenting the life and times of Emma Hale Smith. She believed her husband, Joseph Smith, was a prophet because he was too ignorant to have come up with the Book Of Mormon on his own. She stayed with him through thick and thin, until his mob-murder in Liberty, Illinois. Their greatest conflict was in her objection of polygamy, which Joseph had considered "The Sacred Principle". Brigham Young, who would later have 41 wives, grew to dislike Emma because of her anti-polygamous position; surprise, surprise. This is a good and valuable book, both for its illustration of day-to-day life back then, and for the picture of Mormon history presented.



3. and very interesting to see what seems to be a very objective story of this woman's life.
   
   Curious and also very sad what a "quandary" the sacred mandates (that come and go depending on which Mormon leaders, Bibles, etc. one happens to read at the time) associated with the plural wives doctrines caused over the course of her whole life. Also shows what life based on a "man" and the changing whims of a man can be like, and certainly does encourage/strengthen my resolve to make sure what I believe is based on solely the Bible :)
   
   Mrs. D.



4. I'm so thankful for the authors who put so much time and effort into constructing this book. It is accurate and fulfilling. My love for Emma and Joseph have deepened as a result, as has my testimony as Joseph Smith as a Prophet.
   
   I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I have not personally experienced what most reviews are saying about the LDS Church's view of Emma. Those whom I know look up to her, respect her, and desire to learn from her example. That is what inspired me to learn more about her. She is, perhaps, the most remarkable woman ever to have walked the earth, aside from Mary the mother of Christ. Her only downfalls being the fact that she was as human as anyone and that because of that and the deep love she felt for her husband, her jealousy made it impossible for her to accept just one of his teachings (pleural marriage). She then went on to shelter her children from that teaching as well, resulting in the RLDS Church, which I also have much respect for, having visited their temple and visitors center, as well as the church history sites they own in Nauvoo, IL.
   
   Having read this book I believe without doubt that the law of pleural marriage is and was true, though few were called to fulfill it in this life due to the fact that most of us would not understand it and/or would have abused it. But, the fact remains that we will practice it in the celestial kingdom. I understand completely why the principal was only taught to a select few by Joseph, and why it was necessary for him to hide his practice of it from Emma. Had he been completely open about it I believe it might have actually killed her. He, too, endured much emotional distress over the pain his marriages inflicted on his beloved "Queen." My heart aches for Emma and her struggles and I doubt I could have endured them with half the grace she did. I cannot wait until the day I can embrace her and thank her for the example she has left for me to follow.



5. While this is a well written book, the authors attempt to int early Mormonism in a positive light. It should be noted that the authors were censured by the Mormon Church for writing the book, but remain practicing Mormons.
   
   In some cases the authors accept Mormon history as it is presented by the Mormon Church without documenting sources. There are places where this history is incorrect based on historical documents. The Mormon Church is not known for being forthcoming with legitimate history, but some of the history that they do recognizes has been included, even though it is not accurate. All in all in was a very good book

5 comments about Trespassers Will Be Baptized: The Unordained Memoir of a Preacher's Daughter.

1. This is an exceptionally vivid, finely crafted and thought-provoking recollection of childhood. It captures with remarkable clarity the experience of seeing the world -- particularly family and community -- from the eyes of a child. It moves with great timing and grace among the situations, both humerous and serious, that formed the mind and heart of the author. Her candor and power of expression are remarkable, but never overcooked. It's an extraordinary first book that engages and builds beautifully to a conclusion that left me wanting more. It is hard to imagine how growing up Southern Baptist (an experience I shared) could have been captured more delightfully or poignantly.



2. Hancock's memoir about growing up as a pastor's daughter in the South during the 1980s is poignant and hilarious. Emy, as she is called by family, is the eldest daughter and full of ideas about what it means to be a PK (preacher's kid). She tries to follow all the rules and live a spotless life so that her sins don't reflect on her father, but at the same time, she wants the spotlight on her, so she occasionally slips up, like taking a pair of stone-washed Guess jeans from the donation box. Meg, Emy's younger sister, is fiercely independent and an enigma not just to her older sister, but to her parents as well. She is described as: and a little child shall spoil it for everyone else. Hancock ennobles the embattled position of minister in her description of her father and his faith. He is unable to cry when a best friend dies, because a pastor tucks those feelings away. He doesn't get to cry, because he has to support everyone else who is. Emy's deepest wish is to understand the her father's dichotomy. How does he wash away sin when baptizing and still give his daughters baths at night? Her mother has to put on her game face at church and hides Redbook magazine inside a Christian mother's magazine when sunbathing. Hancock truly captures not only her family's humanity, but their enormous faith as well. The book is filled with anecdotes you'll find yourself sharing with friends long after you've finished it. Hancock manages to straddle the fine line between humor and heresy with ease.



3. This book is laugh-out loud funny at times. The author has a gift for wordsmithing. Hancock's language is very expressive and paints vivid imagery. The discription of an older relative's beehive is especially noteworthy. I know of no other author who could have made a beehive so interesting or so funny.
   
   For anyone who grew up in the south, the characters are immediately recognizable. It reminded me of my Baptist relatives in Alabama. So glad I picked up this book. Highly recommended.



4. Elizabeth Emerson Hancock's humor is evident from cover to cover in "Trespassers Will Be Baptized". She brings the reader to deeper insight into the Baptist faith with humor and respect. She tells poignant stories about her life as a preacher's daughter with frank readability. The sections are cleverly divided by topic - each one a different fruit of the Spirit. And the chapter headings are hysterical!
   
   This beautifully written book is personalized with photographs and honesty. It is a memoir that is truly a treat to read.



5. 
   
   I've read a few memoirs in my day and I'm drawn to the entertaining storytellers who both tell it like it is and also manage to paint reality a little more 3-D, a bit glossier, or even smellier. It is a rare person who can touch on the childhood struggle of figuring out our own little acre and put that immature angst into adult language and rich visuals. Elizabeth Emerson Hancock has that gift. Her story of growing out from underneath the crushing burden of the Preacher's Kid label caused me to smile and sometimes laugh. Hancock has a knack with stringing just the right words together to make her guided tour down memory lane amusing and recognizable to anyone who has spent hours at church potlucks and in Sunday best outfits with thigh backs glued to polished oak pews.
   
   But as well written as this series of life-lessons named for the Fruit of the Spirit is, I couldn't help but struggle with sadness while I read it. Some characters are so human (i.e. awful) I wondered if the author needs to consider forgiving them for the pain they caused in her life. I'm all for laughing, but some of these lessons on the road to faith felt a touch bitter. I know people can be hideous and mean-spirited. Church people can be some of the worst. And it's unfair for adults to put expectations of perfection on kids. I appreciate the emotional cost the author paid out to bare her soul for the world. I can't imagine the toll she paid for the expectations she placed on adults who disappointed her and crushed her tender heart. But Jesus did die for every mean Baptist Sunday School teacher, too. And He is willing to equip us to forgive and move on. I also don't think He wants us to make other human beings all-powerful in our lives and let them steal, kill and destroy our joy, peace or faith long after they perpetrated against us. Elizabeth has every right to tell her story, but I wonder whether some of her thoughts may have been better left unsaid.
   
   This may be one of the more difficult books I've read this year. I want to love and recommend it, but in spite of all the humor and great writing, I can't help but feel melancholy after visiting her childhood.

5 comments about In Exile from the Land of Snows: The Definitive Account of the Dalai Lama and Tibet Since the Chinese Conquest.

1. Books Like "In Exile from the Lands of Snows and Movies like "Seven Years in Tibet" and "Kundun" destroy the myth of Shangri-La while portraying Tibet as real through participation in the production and giving advice on the historical accuracy of both movies and book giving Tibet complexity. The myth of Shangri-La as laid out by James Hilton in "Lost Horizon", as far as the West is concerned, is as real as any Homeric myth can be. Westerners, mired in the irony of losing a fantasy, do not have to deal with real flesh and blood issues. Deconstructing by examining the power relations lifts the veil of fantasy and offers a more authentic discourse. Read this book with an open mind and be ready to discard old notions of myth, fantasy and construction. A resounding 5 stars!
   
   Miguel Llora



2. If you have had any Shangri-La type illusions about Tibet, this book will soon blow them away. Not that that is a bad thing, but just be warned. This book will open your eyes, make you laugh, weep, clench your fists and probably curse before you're done, but it will not leave you unchanged, either in your opinion of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, and especially of China.

   This is a very balanced account from the Tibetan perspective of the period roughly from the end of WWII until 1990. In addition to an unvarnished account of Tibetan bravery, desire to retain their homeland at all costs and credulity, and unlimited Chinese brutality and treachery, there is a great deal of social insight woven in. This is not a "feel-good" story to garner sympathy for the Tibetans, this is a tell-it-like-is book whose message is so daunting that I'm not sure most of the world, much less the Tibetans themselves are ready to face much of it.

   This is not a book so much about religion, although you cannot write about Tibet without writing about Buddhism, as about world politics thundering down on a small, isolated nation. It is about the bravery and resourcefulness of the Tibetan people and the greatness of their leader. And it is about the utter shameless cupidity and determination of the Chinese to lay hold of this strategic bit of real estate and anihilate its native population. This book should serve as a powerful reminder of what the PRC is capable of and just how much their talk is worth.

   After reading this, I believe (and HHDL must realize) that the chances for any kind of an autonomous, much less independent, Tibetan region are slim to none, but that the facade needs to be kept up for political and morale reasons. None the less it is a bitter truth that the Chinese have done the rest of the world a favor: by driving the Tibetans out of Tibet, they have released a great force for peace and good to the rest of us in the form of Tibetan Buddhism and the presence of HHDL.

   I do highly recommend this book.




3. A must read to truly understand the complex story of Tibet, although it may disuade you from ever going there. This is the story of the destruction of Tibet, told through a narrative of political history and a few well-chosen personal stories. Internal squabbling contributed to the Tibetan's own downfall, but in the end this small underdeveloped nation could not have withstood the Chinese without significant support from the rest of the world, and that support was shamefully lacking in the 50's. The destruction that followed was unbelievable. I've always thought it would be fascinating to go there, but I now realize that the treasures of Tibet are probably now in China or in the hands of private collectors after the Chinese sold them off, and what's left is part of a carefully constructed show for tourists. I agree with the reviewer who says that Tibetan independence seems a long shot at this point, but the world should keep the pressure on until the Tibetans gain some measure of cultural and religious freedom. My only criticism of this book is that it ends in the mid-80's, and the newer edition that came out in the late 90's contains a rather feeble attempt to update the story through a chronology. Interesting though is the interview with the Dalai Lama.



4. If your serious about learning about Tibet and the Chinese take- over read this book.Some of the more explicit chapters made me really angry and kept me questioning "How can humans treat each other this way"?



5. Probably this book has not been read in recent times as much as it was before. The reason is that it practically stops at 1985 with a small attempt of updating to 1997. For an historical essay that relies greatly on updated information on a dramatic world situation such as that of Tibet and that still has written on the cover "the definitive account of the Dalai Lama and Tibet since the Chinese conquest" this is a major drawback. However, John Avedon's 500-page book has really represented a milestone for the awareness of the West on Tibetan reality and the crimes and genocide carried out by the Chinese. In the 1980's it was the most read book on Tibet and practically the only updated, precise, journalistic source of all information. If anyone remembers Bertolucci's "Little Buddha" on the airplane to India the boy's father is reading this book! Having been such a great bestseller it is natural that it has slightly passed out of fashion. But this takes nothing away from its value. If you want a readable, engrossing, historical narration of the last years of Tibet's freedom, to the 1955-59 Chinese invasion and especially of what happened from 1959 to 1985 to the refugees in India and to the prisoners in Chinese jails, up to the apparent "normalization" of the 1980's and the visits of the Tibetan delegations to their native land, this book remains the best document around.
   One of the main narrative themes is how Tibetans and the Dalai Lama managed to maintain their cultural and religious heritage and only regarding to this aspect there is a wave of optimism running through the book.
   
   John Avedon had a personal relationship with the Dalai Lama and was also interested in Buddhist philosophy and Tibetan culture, so the first journalistic part of the book, mostly built up out of life experiences of eminent Tibetans who survived the genocide, is followed by brief essays on Tibetan medicine, the report of a pilgrimage to Buddha's sites in India by the Dalai Lama, and a personal interview with HH on the philosophy of Buddhism, its outlook on death, life and personal experience. This last part is interesting, but it is detached from the principal narration and it seems introduced only to lengthen the book or to cram into it all the Author's knowledge. The notes and the bibliography are excellent even though dated.
   
   A must read for those interested in modern Tibet, but it would be more honest to subtitle the re-editions "Tibet from the Chinese conquest to the 1990's".
   
   I am looking for a book that tells what has been happening in the last 10-15 years. Have any suggestions?

5 comments about Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time.

1. Read the Koran. It is a short book. There is no need to rely on Karen Armstrong to tell you what it says. Her omission of the parts of the Koran which call for violence and intolerance makes her book a truly one-sided affair. To her credit, she warns you of her agenda right up front. She wants to convince you that a particular point of view is correct. What she does not say is that she omits passages from the Koran, Muhammad's utterances, and other facts inconsistent with that point of view.
   
   She says nothing of the passages in the Koran which tell Muslims not to help unbelievers and not to be their friends. She ignores the parts of the Koran which mandate violence against unbelievers (Suras 8 and 9, for example). She does not mention the Hadith relating Muhammad's statement that, before the Final Day, the Muslims will kill the Jews (If you think such things have no relevance to Muslim's today, you will find reference to this Hadith in Article 7 of the Charter of Hamas, the present ruling party in Palestine). To read Armstrong's book, you would not guess that most Muslim scholars teach - based on Muhammad's statements - that unbelievers should not be allowed to set foot on the Arabian peninsula.
   
   Armstrong also fails to take into account the principle of Koranic interpretation which requires that later suras be given more weight than earlier ones. Muhammad's earlier suras tend to sound more tolerant and peaceful - he was part of a small minority in Mecca when he uttered them. The later suras are more intolerant and violent because they are from the time when Muhammad was in power in Medina, raiding Meccan caravans for a living. "Raiding" means killing people (Armstrong says killing people was not really the point), taking their property, and enslaving survivors. Armstrong says Muhammad did these things to get the Meccans' "attention." No doubt. These later suras are given more weight by Muslim scholars.
   
   Armstrong does relate some facts which reflect badly on Muhammad. That is unavoidable in even the most pro-Muhammad account. When she does so, however, she consistently makes excuses or tries to explain them away. She does a truly remarkable job of telling the story of the Muslims' execution (by beheading) of 700 male captives in one day, the selling into slavery of their families, and Muhammad's approval in advance of these actions. It is clear these executions could not have happened if he had opposed them. Muhammad is a "prophet for our time" anyway.
   
   Armstrong also blurs the distinctions between Islam and other religions. For example, she says that Muslims believe in Jesus, but does not point out that the Koran clearly denies the Christian belief that Jesus was the son of God and also denies he was crucified. While it may be fair to point out that Muhammad believed in Jesus, it seems misleading not to add this information.
   
   Because you must read several other books - including at least the Koran - to disabuse yourself of the silly notions Armstrong states as fact, her book seems a waste of time.



2. "Islamic Sex Laws Are Easy to Break, Impossible to Enforce"
   Los Angeles Daily Journal
   
   August 5, 1999
   
   By Khaled Abou El Fadl
   
   Laws endeavor to resolve conflicts and regulate human behavior. However, often the real force of law is in making moral points, educating and indoctrinating. Some legal systems moralize explicitly, while other legal systems indulge in the fiction of moral neutrality. But all legal systems say something about the morality of right and wrong.
   
   For example, in Islamic law, one of the world's oldest and perhaps most significant legal systems, sometimes morality is the only point - which is hardly surprising considering that Islamic law is also a religious system. But what is fascinating about Islamic law is the way it balances competing moralities at the expense of the possibility of enforcement.
   
   For instance, Islamic law is reputed to be a rather strict, puritan legal system. This is both true and false. Consider the way Islamic law punishes illicit sexual relations. The punishment for fornication or adultery in Islam is rather harsh. A fornicator is flogged 100 lashes, and an adulterer is stoned to death. However, adultery or fornication can only be proven in two ways.
   
   First, it can be proven by a free, uncoerced confession that is repeated three times on three separate occasions. If the alleged perpetrator confesses twice but recants on the third time, he or she cannot be punished.
   
   The second way fornication or adultery can be proven is by the testimony of four adult males who witness the actual act of penetration. It is not sufficient for the witnesses to catch the couple naked in bed. Likewise, if the witnesses see an act of oral copulation, that is not sufficient. A videotape or pregnancy is also inadequate to prove fornication or adultery. Furthermore, the evidence is excluded if the witnesses violate the defendant's privacy. In other words, spying will not do.
   
   A false accusation of adultery or fornication will result in punishment for sexual slander, which is 60 hard lashes. For example, if three witnesses say they saw the act of penetration while the fourth witness changes his mind at the last minute saying, "I am not sure I saw the penetration," then the first three witnesses are punished for slander.
   
   Obviously, in Islamic law the crime of fornication or adultery is hard, if not impossible, to prove. So why have the punishment at all? There are two competing values here.
   
   Illicit sexual relations must be condemned. At the same time, people should mind their own business, and spying or slandering cannot be tolerated. The solution was to make the moral point that fornication and adultery are terrible crimes, and only if they could be proven would they be punished severely. Nevertheless, the issue is generally between a person and God. Societal interests are implicated when these crimes are committed openly and publicly.
   
   At the same time, an accusatory culture in which people spy and slander is reprehensible, and that will be punished as well. Unlike our legal system, making the moral point is a sufficient justification for the law, even with practically no chance of enforcement.



3. Karen Armstrong's Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time directly addresses the central conflict of our times, "Some Muslim thinkers regard the jihad against Mecca as the climax of Muhammad's career and fail to note that he eventually abjured warfare and adopted a nonviolent policy. Western critics also persist in seeing the Prophet of Islam as a man of war, and fail to see that from the very first he was opposed to the jahili arrogance and egotism that not only fueled the aggression of his time but is much in evidence in some leaders, Western and Muslim alike, today."
   
   Karen goes out of her way to present a balanced and fair perspective on the life of Muhammad. She does this by basing her biography on the Prophet's response to al-Jahiliyah: commonly translated as "an Islamic concept of 'ignorance of divine guidance.'" Karen examinees more than Jahiliyah's theological significance, going into its practical impact on the culture of the Arabian peninsula. The dominant jahili spirit of the time was arrogant, quick to take a offense, warlike and vengeful. Islam, as practiced and taught by the Prophet, Karen makes clear, was a rejection of all of these traits - usually to the great consternation of his followers:
   
   "And the servants of Allah, Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant (jahilun) address them, they say, `Peace!' " (Sura The Criterion 25:63 - translation from The Qur'an: Text, Translation & Commentary.)
   
   The revelations that form the Qur'an came to Muhammad not always in dreams or trances, but were sometimes aggressive even terrifying experiences. Muhammad describes the nature of revelation as gently falling like rain" and, at other times, traumatically, where he feels his "soul ripped away."
   
   After revelation, even the Prophet needed to take time to understand what had been revealed. Karen writes, "[Allah] instructed Muhammad to listen to intently to each revelation as it emerged; he must be careful not to impose a meaning on a verse prematurely, before it's full significance had become entirely clear."
   
   "High above all is Allah, the King, the Truth! Be not in haste with the Qur'an before its revelation to thee is completed, but say, "O my Lord! advance me in knowledge." (Sura Ta-ha, 20:114)
   
   Karen, like others, notes that the Qur'an itself has been structured as high-level Arabic poetry, a concept central to the impact of the Qur'an on its Arabic audiences. This is a point entirely missed by Western audiences. You can get some sense of it by listening to a good chanter reciting the verses, but it's a shallow appreciation at best. Karen describes how listening to "the rich, allusive language and rhythms of the Qur'an helped [the Muslims] to slow down their mental processes and enter a different mode of consciousness."
   
   Karen portrays, through the biography, the Qur'an's shared vision of the "people of the book" - the Islamic concept of a shared heritage of monotheism between Muslim, Christian and Jew:
   
   "Say: `We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will [lahu muslimun].' " (Sura The Family Of 'Imran 3:84)
   
   In addition to the creed that there's "no God but God" these three great religions believe in a similar destiny and consequently all deserve both tolerance and freedom to practice their faith:
   
   "Those who believe (in the Qur'an), those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Sabians and the Christians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness,- on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." (Sura The Table 5:69)
   
   "To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that hath come to thee. To each among you have we prescribed a law and an open way. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to Allah. It is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute[.]" (Sura The Table, 5:48)
   
   I have a couple of minor complaints. I wish that Karen had used the Qur'anic names for the characters that both the Holy Bible and the Holy Qur'an have in common. For example, Jibrl for Gabriel; Ibrahim for Abraham; Isa for Jesus; Musa for Moses, and so on. After all, Karen is telling the story of Muhammad and quotes extensively from the Qur'an. It just would have seemed more natural and less distracting to me.
   
   Another problem is that the book is edited sloppily in a couple of places: for example on page 43 (of my paper bound edition) a footnote starts out explaining that "Arabs customarily take an honorary title known as the kunya [...] Muhammad was known as"
   
   And the footnote ends right there. Whatever Muhammad was known as, was lost somewhere between Karen's word-processor and the printing press.
   
   Karen's biography of Muhammad reveals a very human prophet; a man who struggled with his faith, culture, peers and enemies. She strikes a balance between the "easy" teachings of Islam (tolerance, generosity, etc.) and the "hard" teachings, contrasting "jihad" to Augustine's "just war" is a comparison most Christian minds would prefer to avoid.
   
   Karen ends the book with some good advice, "If we are to avoid catastrophe, the Muslim and Western worlds must learn not merely to tolerate but to appreciate one another. A good place to start is with the figure of Muhammad [...]"
   
   All in all, this was an interesting read, only occasionally "preachy" and a good introduction for those who may want to pursue deeper studies in Islam or the Islamic culture that has so dramatically shaped the Middle East. I wish I'd read it before tackling In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad. It would have made that book a lot clearer.



4. Karen Armstrong, noted religious historian, writes here her second biography of the prophet Muhammad, this time with the explicit intention of combating the rampant Islamophobia of the West.
   
   I knew almost nothing of the prophet before reading this book, and so Armstrong's is a welcome (if not scintillating - she can be a bit dry) introduction. I appreciated the historical and cultural context she placed him in, the stories from his life, and her non-condescension towards the spiritual. That said, her bias seems clear by the end: This is a favorable portrayal. Muhammad eschews luxury ("not simply a waste of money, but ingratitude, a thankless squandering of Allah's precious bounty"), he champions religious tolerance, non-violence, and women's rights (the veil was only for his wives, to protect them from his enemies). Armstrong seeks to put his repeated marrying and his sometimes brutal actions (beheading several hundred Jews, for example) into an - again, sympathetic - cultural context. Of course, with books like The Truth About Muhammad: Founder of the World's Most Intolerant Religion on the market, a sympathetic portrayal from a learned outsider is perhaps welcome. Yet I would have appreciated a more balanced-feeling book. And Armstrong gives no clues to the gap between the Muhammad she portrays and the perceptions of Islam by the West today (oppression of women, religious intolerance and violence among certain subpopulations). That said, as Laurie Goodstein writes, this may be a good way "to glimpse how the vast majority of the world's Muslims understand their prophet and their faith" [1].
   
   With those caveats: I would recommend this to a novice desiring to learn of the prophet; but of course, since I haven't read any others, perhaps I'm not the one to ask. (Once I tried Introducing Muhammad but drifted on to other books.)
   
   I located three professional reviews easily available on-line. One is positive: "Ms. Armstrong argues that he [Muhammad] prevailed by compassion, wisdom and steadfast submission to God. This is the power of his story and the reason that more parents around the world name their children Muhammad than any other name" [1]. The other two are negative, one on content (the book "is a thinly veiled hagiography" [2]) and the other on style ("Readers will find her style stilted" [3]).
   
   [1] Laurie Goodstein, "Seeing Muhammad as Both a Prophet and a Politician," New York Times, 20 Dec 2006. [Also published in the International Herald Tribune.]
   [2] Efraim Karsh, "The Perfect Surrender," The New York Sun, 25 Sep 2006.
   [3] Ilan Stavans, "The path of the prophet," Boston Globe, 29 Oct 2006.
   
   * I listened to the unabridged audiobook, narrated by the author. It was only six discs but took me a while, as this isn't exactly a page-turner (or track-turner, if you will).
   
   ** One aspect I found particularly interesting was that some stories paralleled stories from my own faith tradition, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For example, when one antagonist went to attach Muhammad and was instead converted, followed by another; this is evocative of a story about early Mormon apostle Wilford Woodruff. And when an army of Muslims is slaughtered but their bravery leads to the conversion of many of the attackers, the story of the Anti-Nephi-Lehis in the Book of Mormon comes to mind.



5. It would be too much to expect that the founder of any of the world's major religions could be understood from one book, even at the introductory level (not counting sacred scripture, direct exposure to which may be essential). Consider Christianity, consider Buddhism. In the U.S., especialy after 9/11, it may be especially difficult to understand the life of Muhammad. Even before 9/11, even from the early times of Islam, Christian sources were critical of Islam and Muhammad. It is difficult to get a balanced read from any single source: if such a source exists, how to know which it is?
   
   I had read the Qu'ran years ago but recently have read criticisms of Muhammad from conservative Christians. I had been impressed from my own reading of the Qu'ran and by my Muslim friends so was more than skeptical of the criticisms I read of both Islam and Muhammad. Not expecting to get to an answer easily but not wanting to spend too much time to get some perspective, I opted for this portrait which, by intent, set out to present Muhammad in a "balanced way". I had not read Karen Armstrong before. I knew she did not have a scholarly background in Islam ( excepting self-made), but that she seemed respected in the area of comparative religions, although not without critics. So I chose this book expecting it to have introductory value and to offset or put into perspective some criticisms of Muhammad I had heard from conservative Christians.
   
   This is an exceptionally well-written book and it does not seem to dodge some of those aspects of Muhammad's life that others were critical of. It does, as Armstrong intended, appear to attest well to his contributions. I expect it will serve me well as I learn more about Muhammad and the formative history of Islam, which I mean to do.
   
   Armstrong does bring alive the conditions under which Muhammad responded to challenges and made key decisions. The success of early Islam was far from a "done deal". On the other hand, it by no means seems that Islam was nearing any final form when Muhammad died [of course, think how far from any final form that was of Christianity or Buddhism when Jesus and the Buddha died].
   
   Any impressions of Muhammad I have at this point are tentative but having read this book I feel better equipped to consider the impact of Muhammad on how women were treated in Islam, of the expectations on Muslims to care for one another, of how Muslims should treat others (Armstrong emphasizes the pluralism of early Islam), of how the fight for survival was mingled in to the efforts to reveal the sacred. Armstrong presents a complex and dynamic Muhammad, who changed and developed, leading his people while at the same time experience the revelations of the Qu'ran]. There is a lot to take in here and, for me, re-reading the Qu'ran seems on inevitable step.
   
   It does seem most remarkable, as Armstrong makes quite clear, that Muhammad so strongly discouraged that he himself be regarded as divine. Armstrong writes, echoing Abu Bakr, who was close to Muhammad about a warning from Muhammad: "He was a mere mortal, no different from anybody else." Armstrong quotes Abu Bakr: "O people, if anyone worships Muhammad, Muhammad is dead. If anyone worships God, God is alive, immortal." [ Ibn Ishaaq, Sirat Rasul Allah, 1012 in Guillaume, Life of Muhammad]. How different Christianity would have been with such an understanding: the nearest Christian teaching have been as that of Arius and rejected by 4th century Christian orthodoxy.
   
   There is plenty of information about historical events, revelations from the Qu'ran as they occurred, historical context that helped give me at the least a side of the picture of Muhammad's life. Is Armstrong's depiction too sympathetic? I can't decide yet. It will undoubtedly take time. There seems to be a struggle to control how we view Muhammad and early Islam: it would be surprising if I were otherwise but makes it difficult to expose biases and factor them out to the extent they can be.
   
   As for the current situation, I plan to read Carl Ernst's Following Muhammad: Rethinking Islam in the Contemporary World (Islamic Civilization and Muslim Networks) soon. I recently read Alaa Al Aswany's Chicago: A Novel, an outstanding novel about Egyptian Muslims adjusting to life in the post 9/11 U.S. It provided me at least some sense of how Muhammad and Islam guide the day to day life of U.S. Muslims, fictional characters but perhaps seeming all too real.

5 comments about Luther the Reformer: The Story of the Man and His Career.

1. This is a terrific book, both for people who want a first book to read about Martin Luther, and for those who know the story well. Luther has been the subject of many biographies; Kittelson's book is unique in blending the development of Luther's theology with an account of the life of the man. Kittelson's expertise allows him to tell a complex story clearly and concisely. The book inspired me to read more about Luther, including some of his own writings.



2. Luther had many contributions to the history of the Christian church. He was the father of the Protestant reformation. Many of the reformers looked to him as inspiration, if nothing else. He also promoted the pillars of the Reformation: sola scriptura, sola fide, sola sacerdos, sola gracia, and sola Christe. He changed how people relate to God and impact people's daily lives. People denounced monastic vows and embraced marriage. Luther single-handedly weakened the power of the Catholic Church. By teaching Scripture, he undermined the sale of indulgences, destroyed the Church's sacramental system and undermined its ecclesiastical authority. The Church would be forced to clarify its teachings at the Council of Trent, which would push it farther away from the possibility of reform.
   
   After just reading a tortorous biography on John Wesley, this biography was much better. Even while Kittleson discussed theology, he kept it interesting and in context.



3. The order arrived promptly, but all 10 books were defective. One section was inserted twice, and one section was left out entirely. I contacted customer service, who were very prompt with their assistance. I returned the defective books and promptly received a new shipment. This shipment contained five books that were correct, and five were defective, as before. I contacted customer service, who said they could not guarantee a good shipment, so my money is being refunded. It seems to me that once a defect is noted and explained to them, it should be pretty easy to look at the books before they ship to make sure they are ok. I was very disappointed with the lack of quality control in your warehouse.



4. Brought up as a Roman Catholic in the thirties and forties, I had a negative take on Luther. He was the heretic who caused so much trouble. I am no longer a Catholic, but mostly Buddhist. However, unable to find a Buddhist community in my area with which I could identify --- I tried some Christian churches, of which, naturally there is an abundance. I happened upon Peace Lutheran Church here in Las Cruces, NM, and found a place where I thought I might settle down at least for the sake of some spiritual community.
   
   I decided to read a biography of Luther -- starting but not finishing -- one by Ronald Bainton. I stopped reading it partly because of the writing style, and because i wanted some more time spent on Luther's theological explorations and the views that he came to have about Jesus and the Church.
   
   Luther the Reformer by Kittelson fitted my needs almost perfectly: It was clearly stated, well written, interesting, delving below the surface, but still not getting bogged down in erudite details.
   
   It was insightful, helpful, and an enjoyable book for me. Highly recommended.



5. This was an exceptional biography of Martin Luther. While most biographies tend to focus on only a small portion of his life (usually his initial "discovery" of his doctrine of justification and the initial break from Rome), Kittleson tackles the life of Luther as a complete story. While he did spend far more time (i.e. the first 200 pages) on Luther's early life and "conversion," he spent the remainder of the book looking at the often neglected later life of Luther. While Bainton's biography was groundbreaking, and is still a good book, this one surpasses it in it's fairness and completeness (though it does lack a little of the entheusiasm that Bainton had).
   
   This book makes Luther's life and theology very accessable to non-historians. Kittleson always puts Luther's ideas and writings in context, giving us a feel for why he said what he said. While many of Luther's words still seem harsh and divisive, they are at least a little more understandable when looked at in context. Further, Kittleson does what most biographers fail to do when writing about Luther: he really helps the reader understand what Luther's personality was like. Instead of presenting Luther as a disembodied intellect pumping out ideas, he gives information that helps us put together a picture of what Luther the person was really like.
   
   The only complaints I have about this book are the brevity of his treatment of Luther's later life and his slight bias in favor of Luther. While I can tell that he is trying to be fair, he often ends up defending Luther's harsh comments and actions. While I do admire Luther, I have no problem admiting that Luther was wrong about some things, was far too harsh at times, and really was far more divisive than he needed to be. Kittleson seems to realize this, but always tries to defend Luther's words or actions by explaining that he was doing these things because he was so devoted to defending his conception of true doctrine. That may be, but does that really mean he was not wrong about some things? Lest you think that this book is merely a defense of Luther, it is really not so blatant as I am making it sound. In comparison to most Luther biographies written by a Lutheran, I imagine that it is very objective. Kittleson never explicitly says that Luther did no wrong, he just seemed to lightly imply it in many places. The mere fact that he actually presents the distasteful writings/actions of Luther in the book should speak volumes about his desire to be fair, and my complaint is really very minor.
   
   Overall, this is definitely a recommended book. It seems to be THE place to start in learning about Luther, even above Bainton's excellent biography. I have obviously not read every Luther biography out there, or even a decent portion of them, but I would be very surprised if there were a better one than this which covers Luther's whole life.
   
   Overall grade: A

5 comments about Hush: Moving From Silence to Healing After Childhood Sexual Abuse.

1. Books like this reveal that free will can be a terrible thing. But without free will people would be robots. The D word (devil) also is involved in the evil that occurs.



2. I recently discovered the answer to this question: "ever read a book and feel like the author stole a part of you that only you knew?" My answer is yes, and it comes in the form of the book "Hush." Being a survivor myself, it was hard for me to find anyone who I could relate to because I kept my secret hidden. Once I met Nicole and read her book, all of that changed for me. Her message is one of hope and optimism while still speaking poignant truth. Nicole shows compassion in every word that's written. She does an excellent job of detailing where abuse survivors have misconceptions about the world and how to get rid of these thoughts. She also uses her own personal stories to show where those thoughts manifested themselves in her life. By acknowledging these beliefs about other people and myself I finally could start making strides to heal. I hope that everyone in my situation will also be lucky enough to feel the power of healing in their life, a healing that I have learned can only come from a personal relationship with Jesus.
   
   Anyone who is a survivor of or even just knows someone that has dealt with childhood sexual abuse can gain much from Nicole's book. I not only recommend reading this book, but also I recommend if Nicole comes to your area you should definitely go and see her speak because it will change your life.



3. For those who have experienced sexual abuse, this is a must read. The author has walked the same journey and shares from her heart of what it takes to move toward recovery and healing. Highly recommend as a resource for young adult leaders as well.



4. A must read, not only for the abused individual but for all those involved with that individual. Nicole's words touch you on so many levels. Her ability to connect and empathize with the reader is amazing. Her "voice" is honest and straight forward. She gives the reader tools that are easy to understand and use that will assist them in their healing. I highly recommend this book.



5. This is one of the best books I've read regarding finding the path to true healing following childhood sexual abuse. The author, Nicole B. Bromley, does an excellent job of relating to the reader as she expresses her caring heart, and she clearly points out the steps that the victim needs to take in order to move toward healing. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever been sexually abused.

3 comments about St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Francis of Assisi: With Introductions by Ralph McInerny and Joseph Pearce.

1. I found this book by accident and haven't even finished it yet, but what a pleasure to read! Chesterton's logic and humor are delightful and the way he is always looking at the "big picture" of Christianity is wonderful. It's a good thing it has footnotes to explain some of the references to British politics. He writes as though to non-Catholics (which I am) who know very little about St. Francis (other than he preached to the animals) and next to nothing about St. Thomas Aquinas. If you like Chesterton and are remotly interested in these two saints who were in many ways opposites of each other, buy and read this book.



2. St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Francis make for quite a contrast--St. Thomas was one of the greatest brains of the Catholic Church, and St. Francis had one of the greatest hearts. Chesterton has a knack for putting ideas and people into the largest possible context with the least amount of details. These biographies, though short on specifics, put across the essence of each man's character and his impact on the world. Chesterton's writing style in both is more poetic than his essays and even some of his fiction.
   
   "And for him [St. Thomas] the point is always that Man is not a balloon going up into the sky, nor a mole burrowing merely in the earth; but rather a thing like a tree, whose roots are fed from the earth, while its highest branches seem to rise almost to the stars."
   
   "He [St. Francis] devoured fasting as a man devours food. He plunged after poverty as men have dug madly for gold. And it is precisely the positive and passionate quality of this part of his personality that is a challenge to the modern mind in the whole problem of the pursuit of pleasure."
   
   Chesterton piles on insights like these on page after page. Chesterton paints a very personal picture--after reading these biographies, I felt as if I really knew who these men were, how they spoke, how they thought, how they might have talked to me.
   
   One caution--these works may not be the best place to start. In my case, I didn't know much about St. Francis to begin with. Since Chesterton doesn't provide many historical details, some of his references (e.g., to his miracles and famous sayings), were hard to follow.



3. Legendary Christian philosopher GK Chesterton wrote concise semi-biographies of St. Francis and St. Thomas Aquinas in 1923 and 1936 (the year of his death), respectively. Those years saw him convert to Catholicism, crystallizing a journey taking him from early appreciation of St. Francis in poetry and essays, to the depths of Oscar Wilde's nihilism to the freedom of orthodoxy expressed in that book and in his classic "Everlasting Man."
   
   For their contrasting both saints' lives, drawn differently as silhouettes of Sancho Panza and Don Quixote (to name one of Chesterton's first, richest allegories in the Aquinas book), both books could with editing meld into the single volume Ignatius Press published. Both used Chesterton's mix of allegory, paradox and common sense eloquence making each of his books a re-discovery. Best of all, in Chesterton's words, both saints "reaffirmed the incarnation, by bringing God back to earth."
   
   Chesterton writes each saint's biography inside out, seeing the major events of both lives through the prisms of their times. He shows both refuting their near-assigned destinies: born "on the hem of the imperial purple," Aquinas asks to be a begging friar and winds up arrested, imprisoned, and even tempted by his family. Born a successful merchant's son, young Francis Bernadone renounces his possessions (including his father Peter), takes poverty and dependence as a lover and walks into the woods in a hair-shirt, taking every existing thing as his family, every day as one without history, and finally writing his life philosophy in "Canticle of the Sun."
   
   Loving the poor, having and wanting nothing, both depended on and thanked God for everything. Francis begged for the worst crumbs and traded down with beggars, using the remainder rebuild churches and lives. Aquinas appreciated his gift senses as windows into God's beauty and reality, refusing to separate earthly process from heaven's factual logic. His "Ens" philosophy, stemming from his need to draw Aristotle's influence back to Christ, filled volumes and stood as the easiest theory to understand and accept of how the world works. (Chesterton's image of the child at the window watching grass makes it simpler still.)
   
   The same can be said of Chesterton's humorous to miraculous anecdotes attributed to St. Francis. These range from Francis' attempts to convert the Sultan of Damietta by throwing himself into fire, creating a snow angel substitute family to refute temptation, to receiving Stigmata (which Chesterton defends with stiletto-sharp apologia). Chesterton also shares part of Francis' relationship with St. Clare, from which formed one of three religious orders he'd inspire. After Francis' death, without his guidance, these would splinter into heresy before the Papacy wisely reigned its passions against what Chesterton referred to as "the staleness" of a new religion.
   
   Benito Mussolini, who hijacked his country's proud religious and secular history to gain power, once said, "The history of saints is mainly the history of insane people." Chesterton's sketches of Thomas Aquinas and Francis of Assisi counter by saying both these sane, logical saints, mistaken by their times for poison, were medicine because they were antidotes. They stood and yet stand against changing 20th-21st century fashions and facelessness. Few Chesterton writings bring his enduring linguistic and logical gifts to such high yet focused purpose and proof. These books, economically and ideologically joined, make essential reading for followers of Chesterton, Catholic apologetics, and Christian history.

5 comments about Paul: The Mind of the Apostle.

1. Wow!!!!Unbelievable garbage...I guess the author never read the Didache...I can't believe the 5 star reviews praising his scholarship...Notice they are by people with an ax to grind against Christians.......One even suggested the movie" The Last Temptation Of Christ." as a companion to this worthless garbage....
   
   No research.Just the author's own suppositions..A great read for those with narrow minds and limited I.Q.'S...



2. The first tip that we are in the realm of the skeptic is the blurb by Karen Armstrong on the back of the hardcover. Then as we read the first chapter we find the author's aside that although first century Christians probably did not deliberately start the fires in Rome that Nero used as a pretext to slaughter them, maybe there might be some truth to the mad Emperor's claim as the fire may have accidentally started in a Christian's home. Then a few pages later we read that although Nero's immolation of Christians and feeding them to wild animals was cruel, certainly later Christian Church endorsed acts such as the persecution of the Albigensians were more terrible in scope and nature. Hmm, if one were reading a book that touched incidentally on the Cambodian genocide or the Holocaust and one read sentences like "Perhaps the Cambodian victims inadvertently brought their persecution upon them by their dedicated adherence to a foreign culture..." or "Although the Holocaust was terrible, later acts of oppression and apartheid by the Israeli state were far worse..." one would think one was reading the work of a kook with an axe to grind. That is about the scope of what we are looking at in A.N. Wilson's book. He has a marked distaste for Christianity as an irrational peasant religion (Gibbon is quoted frequently and admiringly) and feels Jesus was an ordinary preacher whose death created a synergy with the messianic and apocalyptic mood of the times to offer a ready-made myth that was developed and expounded into a more universal religion by Paul and others.
   
   No matter what one makes of Wilson's premise, the tools of his analysis are clumsy and ill-wielded. The only evidence we have of the preaching of Jesus and Paul's life and career come from Scripture. Wilson postulates the entire New Testament is inaccurate propaganda written long after the event that occurred and is mostly fictional, intended to justify certain ideological conclusions that the actual events did not necessarily ratify. The problem then is that if every piece of evidence offered is tainted and flawed, how can you use it to argue any position let alone a contrarian one? That is Wilson's dilemma, and he cannot fulfill this impossible mission. He selectively cuts and pastes texts, opposes Gospel to Acts, Acts to Epistles, Epistles to Gospels and sometimes finds one source convincing and other times the other source, based on, you guessed it, whether or not that particular source agrees with his thesis. So some parts of Acts are good, others bad, some parts of the Gospels useful, others unreliable, etc. He also completely ignores the Gospel of John, saying it is entirely propaganda and not at all truthful, which is necessary for Wilson's premise as some elements in John (Jesus' claims of divinity and ministry to Gentiles) completely sink Wilson's main ideas.
   
   The extreme arbitrariness of Wilson's judgment and overt manipulation of relevant texts suggests to the reader that his argument is not to be taken seriously. Basically Wilson says don't listen to the Christian interpretation of the Bible, listen to his instead. I see no reason why we ought to do that, as his jumbled argument and cavalier attitude towards his main sources would be unacceptable in a college freshman's research paper. The Biblical story as presented and interpreted by mainstream Christian thought is far more persuasive, compelling, and logical than anything Wilson offers in opposition.
   
   Strengths of the book? Wilson appears to like Paul more than he thought he might. As a result, he does a bit to clear Paul of the slanders made against him by post-Enlightenment secular culture. Paul's attitudes to women, homosexuality, and oppressive political authority are justified in Wilson's view because of the eschatological mindset of the apostle and the intellectual and cultural background he was raised in. (It is a sad sign of the state of scholarship in our times where an author recognizing such obvious points is unusual, but I will give praise where it is due.) Besides this relative and limited open-mindedness, Wilson has done much research into the ancient world, and his knowledge of the history and culture of ancient Rome is impressive, although again very selectively presented and interpreted so as to buttress his conclusions. He is a witty writer, and very entertaining at times, and his willingness to speculate wildly can occasionally produce some interesting insight, like in his chapter on Paul in Arabia. Overall though, much of Wilson's narrative is utter speculation and not in the least well-grounded in any objective historical evidence.
   
   I am hard pressed to define an audience for this book. Devout Christians will find Wilson's condescension, anti-Christian bias, and utter skepticism to be off-putting, if not actually blasphemous. Open-minded believers willing to at least listen to secular interpretations of the Biblical world will be disappointed as the wild-eyed manufacture of radical theory and overt heavy-handed arrangement of history and Scripture into a tortured knot that supports the radical premises is paradigmatic of bad scholarship, an exercise in futility that makes "The Da Vinci Code" seem realistic and nuanced in comparison. Atheists who could care less about Christianity won't want to waste time on this odd little diatribe when they could be reading that new book by Dawkins instead, and anti-Christians will be annoyed by Wilson finding anything good to say about that "nasty paternalistic homophobe", Paul.
   
   In conclusion, this book's overly partisan mindset and flawed historical and text analysis methodologies leave much to be desired. Wilson wants to twist the evidence to suit his idea of what Christianity is and how it started, and unless you agree with his every premise and will turn a blind eye to his dishonest and biased mishandling of the historical record, you will find this book to be a dead end. Occasional moments of wit and generally good writing cannot justify a wrong-headed intellectual premise and inept literary execution.



3. Full disclosure up-front: I am not a Christian though I was raised in a semi-Christian household by a Catholic mother and Lutheran father. I knew the stories but they were never forced on me. I was never asked to believe anything, religious or otherwise, without testing it out first for myself.
   
   It is probably for this reason that "Paul: The Mind of the Apostle" appeals to me so strongly. Wilson admits right up front that there are no extant non-biblical references to Paul which makes his task as biographer extremely difficult. Nevertheless, there is a fair amount of non-biblical historical data of the era and a great amount of literary scholarship of the past 1900 years that he utilizes to paint an incredibly detailed picture of the eastern Mediterranean of the first century. Within that framework, he creates as definite a portrait of the wandering tent-maker as he can without grossly overstepping the boundaries of speculation (or at least qualifying those few occasions as speculative).
   
   Other reviews on this page cite him for picking and choosing his sources, agreeing with parts of Acts and discounting others, crediting certain sources above others, etc. This is true. However it is accompanied by an explanation of why he is doing this that is always well researched and well justified. Numerous times he pulls out the original Greek of the text he is critiquing and demonstrates how the original word has been corrupted by translation and what the original actually means. His critique of Acts is specifically along the lines of comparing the fiery temperament of Paul in his Epistles to the Rome-appeaser portrayed by Luke in his pseudo-history.
   
   In the end, it is a compelling and entertaining read that walks a road considered dangerous - even blasphemous by one reviewer - by those who blindly accept traditional biblical history. For those who are interested in the process of searching for the actual story - and even some suggestions as to what "The Way" might have been had orthodox doctrine not taken it over - I have yet to find a better read.



4. All I wanted was a closer understanding of who Saul was. What I got was a harsh doubting editorial. Wilson continuously unfocuses his train of historical narritive to cast shadows upon Saul, Jesus, and Christianity' roots.....Book Quotes: "Paul was to develop into a richly imaginative, but confused, religious genius" pg27. Luke's gospel is "a rather strange introduction" pg 67. "Luke is a ham-fisted historian who attempts to put a shape on recalcitrant material" pg 67. Regarding feeding the five thousand; "We do not even know whether these events took place" pg 64. Regarding Stephen's martydom "It is hard to know how much of this story to believe" pg 64. Wilson calls Saul's conversion "Christian Mythology" pg61. Are you sitting? Hardy little Wlison goes onto attack the New Testament "the absurdity that bodies really come to life or float through the clouds" pg 73. Brothers and sisters he then turns upon you. "The modern Christian who bravely continues to believe in a real star of Bethlehem or an actual Garden Tomb in Jerusalem from which Jesus rose is making the same mistake....as Finding Homer's Troy" pg73. In one bold sentence Wilson slashes the reader, the resurrection and reduces Christianity to a myth. Doubtings and accusations fill this supposed biography. Page 205 "We can now guess" about Peter and Paul. Do you think that Wilson forgot to chip away at the Christian church? On page 163 he compares it to a "club" or "Freemason's lodge". He accuses the church as being "incorrigbly misgynistic" pg 143....... A biography is exactly that; a related culture bound experience. This fixated psychotic book does no justice to the indexes of 'biography'. It reduces early Christianity to the notion of a fantasy and Christ as a myth. This virulent editorial's ambition is raging gauze covered Christ bashing. Looking for history I was frustrated. Reading as a Christian I was exasperated.



5. Since the Catholic church declared "The year of Saint Paul" commencing in July, 2008, a lot of people will be wondering whether to buy this book. I say yes - with some caveats.
   
   Wilson is an engaging writer and makes a lot of illuminating observations. For example, describing the Temple as an "abattoir" sounds disrespectful at first glance, until you consider just what was happening to all those doves, lambs, goats, and heifers people brought in. This is an easily read book that is hard to put down.
   
   But far too often Wilson builds his arguments on decidedly shaky foundations. On one page he will openly speculate and 20 pages later he treats that speculation as proven truth. And this happens again and again. This habit constitutes a major flaw of the book.
   
   Surprisingly, Wilson seems most comfortable analyzing the theology of the "authentic" letters. And, while he is sceptical of Jesus' divinity, he can not help but wonder how a "simple Galilean exorcist and faith healer" exerted such an influence on his countrymen.
   
   Perhaps this is best read from the library or as a used book.