2 comments about The Clown Ministry Handbook.

1. Arguably, The book on clown ministry. An excellent resource on gospel clowning (it's not focusing intently on creating make-up or other "clown" activities, but rather how the clown becomes a gospel clown). An excellent resource with several skits as well as interviews with several gospel clowns across the country.



2. This book begins with the history of Christian clowning, taking you back to the Roman Empire, then brings you forward to today. Interviews and profiles with Floyd Shaffer and other "greats". Several interesting and useful skits in the end. A great investment

2 comments about The Uncreated Light: An Iconographiocal Study of the Transfiguration In the Eastern Church.

1. This is an excellent historical study of the Icon of the Transfiguration in the Eastern Church. The author, herself an iconographer, examines representations of the Transfiguration from the 6th C. forward to the most famous representation by Theophane the Greek in the 15th C. She discusses all aspects of these representations including the detailed theology of the icon as well as information on the artistic renderings of the various images. The book has good color illustrations as well as a few in black and white.



2. Solrunn Nes's own iconographic work is strikingly her own, yet it is well within the Church's tradition. Her icons are bright, spare, free of busyness and visual "noise," and immediate to the beholder. Perhaps it is the provenance of her work, painted in her homeland of Norway, that inspires something of its luminosity and vibrancy of color.
   
   The highest compliment I can pay her work, though, is that it induces one to pray and to conceive a desire for the True Beauty objectively reflected there. (One can view her work, though reproductions cannot do full justice to it, on the Internet at [...], as well as in her beautiful and informative earlier book, The Mystical Language of Icons, an expanded version of which has been reissued this year.)
   
   "The Uncreated Light" is centered on the Gospel accounts of the Transfiguration, as rendered and interpreted in four representative portrayals spanning the sixth through the fifteenth centuries (and supplemented by four other works).
   
   With this as its focus, it is nevertheless a statement about the human person in his relation to God. One can find the key to Nes's thesis in this: "Theosis [the deification of the believer] does not imply that the difference between the divine and the human is erased. On the contrary, greater likeness with God will make man more human since the deified man has developed his God-given potential. . . . Iron which is heated by fire is still iron, but is different from cold iron in that it can be formed" (emphasis mine). The point is that the human person is not lost, or disintegrated, or broken down, or made to vanish in his encounter with God. Nothing of the truly human, including personal identity, is "left behind," but is taken up, made infinite and more fully itself in communion with the deifying Christ--human iron infused with divine fire.
   
   In the book, Nes does what most art historians do. She gives us insightful descriptions of two sixth-century apse mosaics, an eleventh-century manuscript illumination, and a fifteenth-century Russian icon of the Transfiguration. But the book is richly theological in a way that art history books generally are not. She "exegetes" the art through two theological controversies that stand as historical bookends for the centuries she covers: eighth-century Iconoclasm (the attempted eradication of iconography) at one end, and the fourteenth-century Hesychasm (dealing with matters of mystical prayer) at the other. Without this grasp of the relevant theology, we soon realize, one could miss so very much that is vital to the iconography itself.
   
   The three-part structure of the book--"Ascent," "Vision," and "Descent"--assumes the shape of the Transfiguration accounts and, by extension, the eastern-patristic path of the mystical journey. Nes shows just how multivalent the Transfiguration of Christ is: In other words, she shows how the various depictions themselves elucidate such perennial truths as the Incarnation, the glory of the Cross, eschatology, and human deification.
   
   She reminds us that, in this event, we find delineated that combination of fear and worship that does not threaten to destroy our fragility or extinguish our identity. Our God descended to lift human nature into the uncreated light, and the human person, united to him, is transfigured in a love beyond comprehension. Out of the fear and worship of the holy mountain comes a reassuring word of comfort.
   
   This volume includes an extensive appendix of scriptural and patristic citations and 15 pages of color plates. It belongs alongside other important works exploring the art of the Church, and its theological weight is especially to be appreciated.
   
   
   Addison H. Hart is a Roman Catholic priest, assigned to Christ the Teacher University Parish and the Newman Catholic Center for Northern Illinois University. He is a contributing editor for Touchstone, in which a version of this review first appeared.

5 comments about Every Day Light : Daily Inspirations.

1. This devotional takes relatively little time to read each day, yet gives you plenty of food for thought. I especially appreciated staying with one topic day after day for a period of time, with slight reviews or other connective pieces.



2. I am 105% pleased with the service. The book arrived in excellent condition and within a very short period of time.
   Thanks a million



3. Mr. Hughes' book is a big help to get closer to God. It allowed me to taylor the daily readings to my needs. It challenged me and helped me to find peace in my life. It gave me a greater understanding of God's word. I can not wait to find more of Mr. Hughes' books.



4. An excellent devotional with scriptural support that makes one think. Much deeper than the average meditation guide. Index of themes is also most helpful. Highly recommend to those in pursuit of a closer walk with God. (Each devotional takes around 15 minutes.)



5. Every Day Light is inspiring and it gives the reader a opportunity to study the Bible. This devotional not only gives commentary but challenges the reader to give their input about the overall theme.

   The beautides study was most helpful. Mr. Hughes presented provoking thoughts on this topic.

   I will be looking forward to the next edition.

1 comments about The Story of Christian Spirituality: Two Thousand Years, from East to West.

1. The Story Of Christian Spirituality surveys two thousand years of the diverse Christian movement, with its evolving history and theology in terms of the spiritual heritage of the Christian faith, from East to West. The contributors present a full, fascinating, and informative portrait of humanity's desire for the dive across the centuries. The Story Of Christian Spirituality highlights the contributions of key individuals as they explored the ways in which Christians from earliest times to the present day sought to express and live out the deepest truths of their faith. A variety of traditions are showcased including the early church fathers, the Celts and Anglo-Saxons, the saints and mystics of the Medieval Wet, the Eastern traditions, the Russian contributions, the Protestant tradition in Europe, the Catholic saints and Reformers, the Anglicans, the Protestant tradition in America, and the 20th century international profusion of spiritualities arising from Christian traditions and innovations. Superbly and beautifully illustrated throughout, The Story Of Christian Spirituality is a remarkable and highly acclaimed addition to any personal, church, seminary, academic, or community library collection.

1 comments about Perfect Illustrations for Every Topic and Occasion (Perfect Illustration Series).

1. This has been an indispensable part of my preaching preparation for over a year. The illustrations vary: some are jokes but more are serious, some are parables but more are life anecdotes. The majority of the illustrations are fresh and relevant. All include full citation info - who said it, when, and where it was previously published.
   
   What makes this volume so useful is the indexing. All illustrations are categorized by their major theme. Two indexes at the back list (a) illustrations by related scripture, and (b) illustrations categorized by alternate themes. It is actually easier for me to find things in the paper edition than using the included computer program on CD.
   
   Sprinkling one of these anecdotes into my sermons every week or two has improved the quality of my message. My congregation often uses the story as a hook to remember what I say.

1 comments about Saints and Their Symbols: Recognizing Saints in Art and in Popular Images.

1. Under the heading of the major section, "Historical Survey or Historical Atlas of the Saints," over 150 saints are included in rough chronological order, beginning with the parents of the Virgin Mary and ending with Theresa Benedicta of the Cross, who died in a German concentration camp in 1942. Along with key biographical facts, entries for each of the numerous saints discuss symbols, settings, poses, clothing, and objects commonly included in paintings or other artistic representations of the respective saint and why these details are associated with him or her. With each entry is a work of art in which the saint is pictured. The large-size, glossy-paged reference has the quality of a coffee-table art book. But its primary purpose is helping reader identify saints in works of art mostly from the Middle Ages and Renaissance, but from other eras as well. The well-thought-out reference is useful in different ways. One can go through the "Historical Survey" in order or randomly to learn about the saints as they have been represented in works of art throughout history and look at the related works of art. The Index, on the other hand, lists the many details found in works of art on saints so that one can find a particular saint from details in a particular work--which one might have seen in a museum or public square in Italy, for example. And there's a third approach to coming to understand and appreciate the the portrayals of saints that have been a large part of Western and Near Eastern visual art in past centuries: The "Dictionary of Saints with Their Attributes" is a visual, alphabetical cataloguing of the saints in typical poses with typical garb and holding or alongside typical symbols or objects. The black-and-white illustrations of the Dictionary can be compared to an image one might have seen or recalled; and then one is directed to the written entry to learn about the saint and the work of art where one saw the image. For its comprehensiveness, attractiveness, and usefulness as a reference, this work is patently a leading work in its field. The authors are involved in different Italian cultural, art, and religious institutions.

No comments about A Wounded Innocence: Sketches for a Theology of Art.

1 comments about Icons: Divine Beauty.

1. Here is a wonderful book -- well writen, informative, and a thing of visual beauty.
   
   The dust jacket alone is amazing.
   
   Clearly a work of love by someone who knows his stuff. (His other books are also excellent, although somewhat hard to find.)
   
   Better yet, he informs and explains very clearly. A rare gift.
   
   A great gift it makes as well.

3 comments about Blessed Art Thou: Mother, Lady, Mystic, Queen.

1. This book presents images and reflections on the Blessed Mother that take rich traditional language and imagery for a new day. Michael McGrath's paintings particularly are beautiful, playful, devotional. The whole book inspired me and connected me with Mary --and throught her to the living Church and to God.
   The book reminds me of the value of beauty as a gateway to God.



2. Beautiful artwork, fascinating personal insights by the author, and meaningful prayers. Taking numerous names given to Mary (Queen of Angels, Gate of Heaven, Virgin, etc.) the artist (and author) created pictures and his own modern, personal view of how Mary fits these titles and what they mean. The author shares how he chose to do each picture (inspiration, colors, etc.) and it's wonderful to look at the picture and feel what he was trying to express. The author makes Mary more personable and down to earth. For example-instead of Mary sitting on a throne as other artists have been wont to do, this artist places her in a rocking chair. He brings her to us where we are. Wonderful book.



3. Both the art work and the prayers in this book are beautiful. I like the way the authors see Mary as a kind of symbol of the Holy Spirit, reminding us of God's feminine dimension. As the artist states, this book is for those "who find delight in a God who is more than white and male." It is inspired and inspiring. I highly recommend it.

2 comments about A Journey into Christian Art.

1. The entries have very good brief historical and religious background. It just failed to show the gradual deterioration of art, in general, and of painting in particular from the time of the Rennaisance to modern times. The entries for modern art were very charitable; the attempt to be sacramental in the descriptions was futile because there was nothing sacramental in most modern art. But the attempt was well-intentioned and acceptable to most reader but it would be disappointing to the theologian.(But the book was not meant for theologians but for artists.) In which case the artist should give it 4 and a half-stars.



2. As the book itself states, 'A Journey into Christian Art' is lavishly illustrated - Helen de Borchgrave's text is accompanied by over a hundred full-colour-process, large-size reproductions of major paintings, as well as stunning photographs of frescos, mosaics, statues and other works of art. Hardly is there a two-page spread throughout the book that does not have a primary image dominant - art is not merely something to be talked about, but something to be experienced, and in a useful way, this book helps the reader accomplish this goal.
   
   This is no simple survey of art, however; it concentrates primarily on the art of Christendom, which is the major portion of the post-Roman Empire artistic tradition of the West until the Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment artistic streams headed in additional directions not directly tied to Christianity. de Borchgrave's purpose here is to do an historical survey simultaneously developing the idea of art with the idea of the spirituality of the artists involved - we as the readers do not simply see the paintings, etc. and admire the handiwork, but are drawn into discussion about the inspiration of the artists, and the hope of the artists in what they mean for their art to inspire.
   
   Beginning with largely anonymous works from late antiquity, de Borchgrave quickly advances into the period where we have names associated with the works (as it is difficult, although not impossible, to get deeply into the spiritual biographies of the anonymous). She explores the images of Christ in different settings during the first thousand years, and sees a division between East and West in different ways - she quotes Chesterton, who said 'the East was the land of the cross and the West was the land of the crucifix.' The issue of symbolism versus realism was one early parting of different artistic streams, which would often flow back across each others' paths.
   
   Key artists such a Giotto, Fra Angelico, Piero, Bosch, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and van Gogh are included among lesser-known figures (or persons whose names are less famous perhaps than their works). Workers in media other than painting are included - Durer's etchings and Henry Moore's sculptures, for example.
   
   'Art, as the eastern church discovered through icon painting, can be a force that takes us beyond knowledge and into prayer,' de Borchgrave writes. This idea is woven throughout the text - she writes about the modern painter Roger Wagner as someone who sat in the same spot where Fra Angelico, centuries before, 'had prayed his frescoes into life'.
   
   This is a truly beautiful book, not just in appearance, the 'look and feel' of it, but also in its text and the message, that art and the spirit are deeply connected, and that the artistic sensibility is both heightened by and heightens in turn the spiritual/religious aspects of Christian experience. The crucifixion and resurrection can be drawn in many different ways, yet always remain the same. The image of Christ takes on many varying characteristics, both realistic and symbolic, and yet always remains a powerful guide to the faithful, leading them to new insights and discoveries of something already familiar.
   
   Helen de Borchgrave is herself an art restorer and a leader of art tours throughout Europe. This book is a good tour for those who are more of the arm-chair traveler variety. It is a great gift for others, and a great treat for oneself.