Book Description
Zacharias invites readers to follow him on this journey through his life and into the lives of others, and see how he has become more convinced with each year that Jesus Christ is the one who came to give us life to the fullest and to point us to the freedom and beauty of truth for everyone--easterner or westerner--all over the world.
Customer Reviews:
A Life of Exceptional Experiences Dosed w/ Humility.......2007-09-20
When this book first came out, I wasn't as interested as I was reading RZ's other more apologetic books. This was more of a biography, very anecdotal, but the more I read it, I saw how so many of what he's seen and experienced were just microcosms of so many worldviews. He himself was a huge cynic, but after his regenerative experience at the hospital, he was led to really explore who God was and His message through Jesus, as well as test the seemingly competitive other world views. And he quotes it accurately, saying the more he learned about other world views, the more beautiful Jesus became to him.
Sometimes his biography was comparable to Forrest Gump, with fortunate exceptional destiny, with the exception that Ravi had immense intellectual potential. But he has really humbly been appointedly woven into the lives of many other prominent theological giants, having also crossed paths with world leaders. It's just amazing to realize all he's been through, but only because of the grace of God...continually guiding His path, and using him, from great revivals to personal intimate testimonies.
And amidst all the glorious stories are his heartfelt intimate thoughts of his family and his closest friends, some who died of age, and some who died spreading the gospel. I'm not ashamed to say how much this book has moved me...it is probably one of the most personal books for me...
this book is definitely rich w/ great lessons, great experience, and great proof that God is really there in the shadows, slowly revealing and affirming His will in our lives at the duly appointed time.
it IS an exceptional life, a great book i sadly put down, wishing there was more to read.
Great!!!.......2007-07-05
Ravi Zacharias truly is a man sent by God to bridge the gaps between East and West. As I read his fantastic story, I was amazed at how much of his story encouraged me in my own Christian walk. He went from being a teen who didn't like to read to being one of the most read apologist in the world.
As I continued to read his story, I was amazed at how much he does and how much of his family life was sacrificed by preaching God's word. The Lord gave him an understanding wife and beautiful children who understand his calling.
When he mentioned how over the years, he had lost his sense of humor because of the serious of apologetics, I felt sad for him. Preaching the Gospel is serious business and it is just that important but I believe God has blessed him richly.
The personal accounts of his friends who have paid for their beliefs with their lives were so inspiring and made me extremely reflective on my own Christian walk? Would I be willing to face all kinds of danger for Christ? I hope I never have to find out.
The book especially gives the reader a view of Eastern mentality and life. It was so vibrant and full of some many images and sounds. For the Western Christian, it is very important to understand the Easter mindset if we are to evangelize to our Eastern brothers.
I wish I could just shake Mr. Zacharias hand and just sit in his presence for an hour. I thank God for him and hope that he continues the good work.
Interesting life. To God be the glory........2007-06-19
Oh! That more Indians would come to salvation and evanglize their country!
This book should have been a biography instead of an auto-biography because you can almost sense the reluctance for Ravi to reveal the full extent of the way God has used him. On a more negative note, if Indian Christians keep moving away from India, who is going to evanglize the country?
An Eye-Opening Pleasure of a Read.......2007-05-02
This enormously vivid and readable book will capture your interest within the first few pages and keep it until the last. Mr. Zacharias has lived life fully, from his humble beginnings on a busy Indian street in his native land to the most prestigious professional and academic arenas all over the world--and met Christ on the way. In fact, that life-changing meeting is the core of what made him successful and motivated, and does so to this day. His is a wonderful story, especially the insights and anecdotes he gives us about India and its people, and of course how God came from "the shadows" to forever change his life. Ever think that God doesn't care about you? That he's not involved in your life? Read this book and listen closely--he may be speaking to you right here!
How Refreshing.......2007-03-08
Zacharias' book will either be life-changing or life-affirming for the reader lucky enough to stumble across this amazing account of a life that saw so much pain and joy. To go along on his journey, watching him go from his desperate youth and into his successful and meaningful adult life is incredible. As someone who has been immersed in a Christian lifestyle her entire life, I find it remarkable that someone can come from such beginnings and end up the man that Ravi Zacharias has become. It really makes me think about how much of the Western experience I take for granted. Ravi is not only passionate about his faith, but he provides an intellectual basis for it as well, something that is often missing in evangelism today. The blend of Eastern and Western cultures presented in this book are extremely significant and helpful. This has caused me to take a new approach to different cultures and unbelievers. He is a living example of walking in someone else's shoes. I could say countless things to praise his life's work, but it seems to me that Zacharias would want any glory to be given to God. After reading this, that is how I want the things I do to be remembered...for the glory of God. I cannot wait to read more from this talented evangelist!
Customer Reviews:
How to move in God's supernatural power.......2007-09-12
Wow! This book really satisfies a true hunger for God. If you are looking for truth, even if it hurts, read this book. What an awesome work. This book truly is a manual for moving in God's supernatural power. The power written about in these pages are for people seeking true change, and are willing to lay everything down to bring the Kingdom of God to earth though relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Becomming spiritual power brokers.......2006-12-05
This book really is chewey. Lots of people who are looking for another Christian MacBook, a quick read full of filler, will fail to take time to understand it. The book contains interviews with leaders who talk to leaders about the importance of discerning the times we live in and how the Church faces a huge clash between the powers of darkness and the power of light. The whole point seems to be this - if we Christians do not bask in the light of God's love, then radiate His love to all they meet and take His anointing into the streets, all that will be left is a vast spiritual wasteland, a habitation of the enemy. We need a global warming of our hearts towards the lost. We need to take our focus off our egos and greed and immediate self-gratification in order to move out in the love and power of God.
What is really of God, what is soulish power and what originates in the demonic is addressed in this book in a way that no other Christian writer has dared to expose. Many people are still confused by the abuses of charlatans in both the Church and in the world who scream flashy prophecies and tout miraculous healings. The book talks about a coming showdown between the prophets of Baal in the World - those who adhere to occult sources of power - and prophets of Baal in the Church...something no one really seeks to really identify or confront. It will take the Manifest Presence of God and the power of God's true anointing to confront modern Baalism. And that power is being seen as thousands of Charismatic believers are taking the healing and prophetic gifts of the Holy Spirit to the streets and winning thousands of unbelievers to Christ.
The book forces leaders to think about where they are going with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Are the gifts of healing and prophetic revelation meant for their glory or for God's glory? Should they be reserved for believers or do unbelievers need to see a demonstration of Spirit in order to accept the Word? Who is leading the way and showing us how to really seek and save the lost?
The book is for serious readers who want answers about where this present move of God is taking us, where we have come from and where we are going. It is less about the occult origins of the New Age and more about the glory and power of God to transform the world than most readers suspect until they get deeper into the book.
I am really challenged by it and I am the author. It makes me want to become one who radiates the Love of Christ and seeks to release the gifts of the spirit to everyone I meet. Those I write about in this book, not only tell me how - but model it for me so I know that it can be done.
a bit disappointed..........2006-11-10
I bought this book because Bill Johnson's name was on it...I wasn't aware that Mahesh Chavda and Bill only contributed a chapter each until after getting the book.
Much of the book had a darker tone to it and then patted the backs of several of the bigger names in the spirit-filled ministerial world. Because I've been so hungry to "learn" more about being "spirit-filled", I was hoping to find good nuggets in this book.
I think if you've encountered people who were involved with witchcraft or other "magic arts" so-to-speak, this book will really appeal to you (which i believe is somewhat prevalent in the Pacific northwest). I haven't personally encountered that so this book wasn't really for me.
Book Description
The renowned author of The American Hour, No God But God, and The Dust of Death examines doubt from every angle and from every major perspective. Os Guinness pays special attention to the two basic questions""Why, O Lord?""and""How long, O Lord?""He t
Customer Reviews:
Reassurance for those willing to examine their beliefs.......2007-02-01
Mr. Guinness examines faith and doubt rigorously by tracing their presuppositions, carefully explaining the indissoluble bond between faith and rationality. Faith can and will lead us beyond reason, but never against reason into absurdity. The God who created our capacity for reason is beyond our reason but never at odds with it.
Although the majority of the book probes the nature of doubt from practical origins, one chapter is entirely devoted to doubt springing from emotional and / or psychological scars. This chapter is handled very well, proving Mr. Guinness thinks deeply as well as with breadth of soul and empathy. I think he is a most uncommon and remarkable man.
I was particularly struck with his comparison, using scripture, of the different kinds of doubt we hold. Some of us doubt the POWER of God to affect our lives for the better. This illustration is made in Mark 9: 17 - 25 (the man who brings his demon-possessed son who is often thrown into water and fire to destroy the child). The father of the possessed child has experienced failure at the hands of the apostles. He approaches Jesus with "...if thou canst do anything...." He doubts the POWER of God. He confesses his weak faith: "...and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."
This kind of doubt is contrasted with the doubt in God's COMPASSION and MERCY as shown in the leper who desires to be cleansed (Matthew 8:2; Mark 1:40; Luke 5:12). The leper says, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." (Matthew 8:2) He doubts the willingness of God to extend healing and mercy - but not God's power to do so. Jesus affirms his willingness verbally: "I will" or "I am willing" and then touches the man (the touch of great compassion and power).
The account of the leper in Matthew is followed very closely by the account of the gentile centurion (Matthew 8:8) who comes to Jesus seeking the healing of a beloved servant of his household. Jesus tells the centurion that he will come and heal the servant, but the centurion (knowing Jesus would be ceremonially defiled by entering into a gentile home) tells Jesus he (the centurion) is not worthy that Jesus should come under his roof, but that a word spoken alone shall be sufficient. Jesus marvels at this great faith and speaks the word of healing. No touch, just the word. The centurion did not need further reassurance because his faith was very strong. He doubted not the power or the mercy and goodness of God.
I am so grateful for these precious insights and so many others which Mr. Guinness gives in this book.
One more insight, which I find very true in my own experience in the battle with unbelief. On page 65, Mr. Guinness explains why many of us (in comfortable circumstances) do not lose our faith. "One reason why many people do not lose their faith is that they are protected by their lifestyles from the uncomfortable logic of the deficiency in their faith. But this is dangerous. The subtlety of the wrap-around influence of alien presuppositions is that they do their work before they are noticed. Whether it is a Christian student surrounded by relativism on a university campus or a Christian family surrounded by the influence of the mass media, too few are awake to the danger. And when they do wake up to the situation, they find that the combat against relativism is not a clean, hand-to-hand fight but a wearing war of nerves against an enemy who is everywhere and nowhere, friendly-seeming but deadly at the same time."
How can anyone resist such beautiful insight and clarity of thought? Does this not describe many of our experiences in the West?
The book has great practical value. After describing and examining the source of each type of doubt, the solution for each is also given with equal logic. That sounds deceptively easy, but Guinness has an ability to illuminate knotty problems so these lose their complexity.
A most valuable book for those who wish to wrestle with their doubt, and love and serve God with gladness and singleness of heart.
Another excellent book by Os Guinness.......2007-01-13
Os's book concisely explains foundational Christian truth and the character of God. It's an excellent tool and support for clearing away misconceptions of belief. His observations about trust are simple and complex. Brilliant.
One of my favorites.......2006-06-28
There nothing else like God In The Dark: The Assurance of Faith Beyond a Shadow of Doubt out there in print that makes such a thorough examination of the phenomenology of doubt.
In part 1 Guinness starts with what he calls the "square one principle": "The person who has the courage to go back when necessary is the one who goes on in the end." Going back and reexamining faith guards against coasting through life on the basis of a faith that, though once vital, has grown inauthentic due to it being taken for granted. When an inevitable crisis comes it fails, leaving one disillusioned and alone in the dark with all kinds of duplicitous thoughts.
From there he "dares" us to doubt by explaining that the idea of faith being "doubt free" only sets us up to drive our faith into the ground like an overloaded donkey. First, it is beaten with a variety of admonitions and cajolings that then lead to warnings and threats of the "big stick" of judgment until it expires and collapses. Then it is beaten for collapsing.
Guinness explains that the doubt is an "in-between" problem that has two minds between faith and unbelief. Unbelief is a deliberate refusal to believe that willfully rejects any affirmation of faith, while doubt is the suspension between the two. The distinction is important, because it makes all the difference in expunging that dreadful perfectionism demanded by "doubtless faith" which ends up being more discouraging than the worst of doubts ever could be.
Part 2 is the lengthy middle section of the book in which Guinness identifies seven different kinds of doubt:
Doubt from ingratitude
Doubt from a faulty view of God
Doubt from weak foundations
Doubt from lack of commitment
Doubt from a lack of growth
Doubt from unruly emotions
Doubt from hidden conflicts
I cannot go into all of these, but I will say that the first two and the last two had the greatest effect on me. Sometimes our doubts are good in that they question our pitiful ideas of God that often are outright misrepresentations of him.
In part 3, Guinness addresses two of the biggest questions that most often shipwreck faith: Why, O Lord; and How Long, O Lord? Suffering and evil are at the center of the first question, and is only answered by trust in the God who knows why--the same one who became incarnate and asked the very same question at the point of his death.
Interestingly enough, Guinness believes the second question is much more difficult for faith than the first. Faith seeks its vision to be substantiated; it does not want to BE, it wants to DO. The prospect of the vision going unfulfilled makes one ask if believing was even worth it, and there is no easy answer except to nourish the vision with the vision of God's character.
The book prescribes remedies for each of these doubts, though none is exhaustive. However, I was struck by the non-simplistic answers to these issues and how one must be diligent in engaging the heart and mind to really grasp for the assurance of faith in an honest way.
Deal With Doubt by Understanding It.......2000-10-25
Got in the Dark is not a fast read because it is so profound. You will enjoy yourself going "wow" and having to stop and think. You will find yourself wanting to read passages to loved ones. Every page is very well thought out and the whole book is very well organized and thorough. The book deals with the doubts that thinking Christians have and stresses that it is healthy and faith building to deal with your doubts and not be ashamed of them. It is refreshing to read an intellectual Christian author that doesn't read like a testbook. I got my "money's worth" with this one.
Average customer rating:
- Mortals should choose to read it
- Simply cannot put this book down
- Great New Fantasy!
- Great new Fantasy Realm!
- Gods & Mortals
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Choices Meant for Gods
Sandy Lender
Manufacturer: ArcheBooks Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Series | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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Magic Bites (Kate Daniels Series, Book 1)
ASIN: 1595071652 |
Book Description
Not even the gods noticed when Chariss was born with the mark of The Protector. Now she and her wizard guardian seek shelter from a mad sorcerer in a household not just full of secrets and false hope, but watched by the god who will unwittingly reveal her role in an impending war. When an orphan sets aside a lifetime of running and fear to accept the responsibilities of guarding an arrogant deity, can she face the trials in the prophecies she uncovers? Will Nigel Taiman of her latest refuge dare to use his dragon heritage to bind her to his estate or to help her in her duty? "Choices Meant for Gods is without a doubt the freshest most engaging high fantasy novel to come out in years and breathes new life into a tired genre. The characters leap off the page and the plot is lightning quick and deftly written with many layers that tease the mind and imagination. Choices Meant for Gods is not a mere novel; it is a gorgeous piece of written art. I can hardly wait for the second book!" Jamieson Wolf, Linear Reflections Author of Hope Falls, Electric Pink, Electric Blue, and Garden City "In Choices Meant for Gods, Sandy Lender takes her readers of fantasy fiction by the hand and leads them through an exciting world filled with sorcerers, gods, goddesses, dragons, and other mythical creatures. Through the use of interesting characters and clever dialogue ("Try not to think, Nicolas. You look so much more handsome when you're bewildered."), she weaves a spell of magic and fantasy. The only problem for the reader may occur at the end of the book when they find themselves wanting more and discover they will have to wait for book two!" Gary R. Hoffman, Author for Short Story Anthologies including Seven By Seven and Never Safe
Customer Reviews:
Mortals should choose to read it.......2007-08-01
I confess: I do not read much. I have an amazing attention deficit that prevents me from finishing even the loftiest of classics. I finished reading this book. This fact may not seem so interesting to most, but is high praise considering the countless unfinished volumes in my office. The characters are endearing, Onweald springs vividly from the pages, and I anxiously await the unfolding of the next scenes in that world's history.
Simply cannot put this book down.......2007-07-13
I have to admit that I haven't finished th book yet, but not for lack of trying! I was explaining to a colleague why I was so tired (staying up until 2 AM, reading "just one more chapter" of "Choices Meant for Gods") and how exhilarating I am finding this book! Sandy Lender has taken great care to develop interesting characters. The book keeps you guessing. The teacher in me likes to try to predict what is coming next -- and I'm almost never right! I can't wait until Ms. Lender writes another book!
Great New Fantasy!.......2007-05-01
It's so refreshing when a novel comes along that grabs you from the outset and won't let go. Such was my experience with "Choices Meant for Gods." The characters are as real as the author can make them without literally leaping from the pages to be with the reader. Instead, the reader is drawn inexorably into Lender's new world, where even gods are "human." I hope that many more readers can have the opportunity to enjoy this marvelous work!
Great new Fantasy Realm!.......2007-04-27
Too many fantasy authors are re-hashing the same old plots, acted out by the same old tired heroes and heroines. Here we have a refreshing new take on things! I love that Chariss is both someone I can identify with and whom I can dream about becoming. . . it's what fantasy is all about!
Gods & Mortals.......2007-04-23
This book has a great deal to offer. It is good fantasy. It is good writing, period. The pace is fast, the characters well-crafted and compelling. The treatment of the gods and their interaction with mortals is original. My big complaint is that I must wait for the sequel(s) to learn the outcome.
Book Description
(Foreword by Eugene H. Merrill) A compelling call for Christians to rethink the role of Arabs--also descendents of Abraham and recipients of his blessing.
Customer Reviews:
Reviewing an outstanding book.......2005-03-09
En route to commenting on the book I should fly my colors, so one may factor in my possible biases. I am a Jew; I belong to the Messiah of Israel, Jesus of Nazareth; I am in the camp of Reformed theologians.
A book such as this, dealing with volatile contemporary issues, is bound to attract negative responses, as one may see. No doubt it will be attacked and maligned by those with hidden agendas (and who do NOT fly their true colors), but this is par for the course as concerns the truth in such an age as this.
The first thing I want to say about Dr. Maalouf's "Arabs In The Shadow Of Israel" concerns its astonishing even-handedness, and that in a number of areas. Theologically (within the broad Christian camp) he does not promote his views but very minimally; politically he walks a balanced line and does not pursue an agenda; historically his scholarship is careful and conservative. And it is because of this unusual even-handedness that the primary thrust of his vision is allowed to manifest with clarity and force, and without drawing forth the usual defensive responses from those in differing camps, such as myself. This "vision" arises primarily from a careful and fresh exegesis of chapters 16 and 21 of the Book of Genesis, as well as the section of Galatians 4:21-31, where Paul uses Hagar and Ishmael in an allegory of the fleshly seed and the seed of promise, contrasting the unbelieving Jews and those Jews and Gentiles who trust Messiah Jesus.
I first read this material in the form of Dr. Maalouf's doctoral dissertation (titled, "Ishmael In Biblical History"), and while marveling at the wealth of attestation and historical references, when made aware it was going to be published in book form, I thought that very few publishers would care to include the copious and extremely valuable documentation that supported much of his scholarly labor. To my delight I find that Kregel did include it, and so the book is substantially the same, save around 30 pages of added historical survey at the beginning to bring the exegetical and historical material into focus for readers looking at this material in the context of the current world situation.
From my earlier years as an evangelical Christian in America, and involved with Messianic Jewish thought and theology, I had the usual Western biases regarding Arabs, and in particular, the standard Western exegesis of the Hagar-Ishmael narratives in Genesis. Maalouf's painstaking examination of the Biblical text, however, opened my eyes to a more careful reading. Nor is this some flaky interpretation, but sound, and worthy of serious consideration. (Even among Christians there is an anti-Arab bias, in large measure because we tend to superimpose the Biblical Israel of old, and its status as the people of God, upon the modern Jewish state, thus justifying its political and military agendas, and assuming at least a partial approval of God. Anyone who is against this Jewish state, we reason, must be against God. And thus we see the Arabs in a dim light.)
I should mention that I am serving as the minister (as an elder in a mission church in the Middle East) of an evangelical Arabic congregation, preaching and teaching the riches of Christ as contained in His Gospel. This assembly of God's people loved hearing the fruits of Dr. Maalouf's textual labors as shown in my teaching that the Scripture depicted Hagar and her son in dignity and honor, blessed by the LORD even though not of the covenant line of Messianic promise. Ishmael did partake of the blessing of God through Abraham as one of his circumcised sons, and thus a partaker of the covenant the Lord made with Abraham, even though, I repeat, not of the Messianic line.
It is balanced and insightful Biblical exposition such as "Arabs In The Shadow Of Israel" affords that will make the glorious gospel of God in Christ far more appealing to the Arab world, where there are many who are disgusted at the violence of militant Islam (which violence is at the heart of the Koran), and a God who showed marvelous love and saving deliverance to Hagar and Ishmael will arrest their attention. With the erroneous Western prejudices (of which I was a holder myself!) removed, so is a cause of warranted offence done away with. Ishmael had been hijacked by Islam (as Maalouf shows), but the Word of God rightly divided brings him back into the fold of those under the caring and almighty hand of the Father of Jesus the Messiah.
I have touched upon only a few of the wonderful insights to be found in this valuable work, where Maalouf demonstrates that the blessing of God upon Ishmael and his seed found fruition, not only in our Scriptures (such as in the Book of Job), but in history, in friendship and support of the seed of his brother Isaac, all too forgotten in this present age of warfare, of Zionist and Islamic violence both! It is worthy of note that in earlier centuries Diaspora Jews fared better under Islamic governments and civilizations than under so-called Christian ones! As emissaries of Christ we need unbiased views of history, and of various ethnic peoples, that we may not carry baggage laden with poisonous stuff on our pilgrimage / missionary journey. We must keep His name hallowed.
I recommend this book as the work of a scholarly and godly Biblical exegete; of a Christian peacemaker whose instruments are historical and theological truth (no matter the deprecations of those with hidden axes to grind!). For those of you who know the groundbreaking works, Elias Chacour's "Blood Brothers", and Colin Chapman's "Whose Promised Land?", this is a book easily of their caliber.
I love books that clear my mind of falsity and dis-illusion me. Thank you, Tony Maalouf, for being Christ's instrument in doing this. And His people thank you with me.
Arabs in The Shadow of Israel: An Unbiased Look.......2004-08-28
Arabs in The Shadow of Israel: A Book Review
After slogging through Arabs in the Shadow of Israel by Tony Maalouf one must first ask, what was his point and what was his purpose in writing? The answer is quick, concise, and simple. His point is that he believes that Arabs and Jews ought to get along and will be able to do so only by mutual application of the gospel. If that is his opinion, he should have so stated and left it at that.
Analysis of his writing also shows that his overshadowing purpose is to elevate the position of "Arabs" in the minds of his readers. No one would deny that Mr. Maalouf ought to have pride in his ancestry. However, one would deny that it ought to be embellished to the point of superiority. This is a temptation to which many ethnic groups have succumbed, and it may help individuals feel good about themselves and thereby give them inspiration to strive to be successful.
Mr. Maalouf also treads on and off of the turf of Islam in his writing. He realizes that in the world at large the religion of Islam and Moslems has become synonymous with Arabs. This is not correct, of course, but the end result, and this may well have been Mr. Maalouf's primary intention, is that he indirectly ends up giving an apology for Islam.
How is this possible, one may legitimately ask. First, you need a gifted and intelligent writer. Indeed Mr. Maalouf is both. However, his application of intelligence is such that it makes one feel that his stated purpose is not his real one and that he does indeed intend to play upon the misunderstanding now extant in the world that all Arabs and Moslems are one and the same and that therefore the good things he has to say about Arabs apply to all Moslems. Again, this is a very surreptitious, intelligent, and ingenious way of making a positive apology on behalf of all of Islam, whether radical, traditional, or moderate.
Mr. Maalouf approaches this task with one primary method. That is that he takes one well-attested fact, interprets it as he wishes, and then ties it in with four or five specious sources to come out with a conclusion that suits his purposes. This is pretty tricky. He first must violate all of the laws of logic along the way. Second, he must take the most rigorously authenticated documents available to us today, namely the New and Old Testament documents, and put them on a par with documents and writings that have little or no credence or attestation. He does this masterfully.
Mr. Maalouf is concerned that instead of being anti-Semitic that the world is becoming anti-Arab (read that anti-Islam in his purview). Has he not read the statistics regarding Islam being the fastest growing religious system in the "civilized" world, be it right or wrong? Of course he has, he is simply subtly revealing his prejudice and overall hidden agenda.
To make a successful case Mr. Maalouf must also take references in the biblical text and interpret them as no other credible theologian has. He then must, of course, assume that everyone else is in error. The reader, unless he or she has the ability to check the original languages, must then choose whether or not to believe the somewhat attractive arguments put forth by Mr. Maalouf. And, many readers will be conned into doing just this if they are either untutored in theology themselves or are unable to check his linguistic scholarship.
It is unfortunate, indeed, that our society has hit such a low ebb in scholarship and intellectualism that Mr. Maalouf can get away with such a book. One can only hope that he will inspire his readers to investigate on their own and that they will thereby come away with a much more informed and balanced view of history. Alas, in our society, that is probably a pipe dream.
While one might take the time to develop a point-by-point answer to Mr. Maalouf another question is again raised. That is, "who cares?" Why should one spend time refuting the points made by a book that certainly did not beg to be written in the first place? However, this would prove to be good fodder for a doctoral candidate in theology. Such an answer would require some research, but would be easy to accomplish. I will, however, leave that up to someone else since I have no need to write such a thesis.
Some Important Points of Deviation.
Mr. Maalouf thinks Moslems have always been and still are monotheists in the same way as Jews and Christians. This is incorrect.
Mr. Maalouf does not understand or chooses to misrepresent the development of the Palestinian problem.
Mr. Maalouf feels that Abraham, Isaac and indeed Israel are all technically Arabs.
Mr. Maalouf either purposefully or with the application of exceedingly poor scholarship incorrectly characterizes the original Hebrew as it describes the situation between Isaac and Ishmael.
Mr. Maalouf wishes to identify the Magi as Arab kings, because of poorly researched tradition, not because of historicity.
Mr. Maalouf characterizes the refuge sought eschatologically by the Jews in Petra as the Jews running to Arabia for help in their time of need.
If it were not for the subtle point Mr. Maalouf is trying to make, his attempt to convince readers, whom he hopes will be uneducated, would be laughable in it's false reasoning and ludicrous thought processes.
Overcoming Evangelical Prejudice Toward Arabs.......2004-05-21
How can American evangelicalism wholeheartedly discard its antipathy toward the Arab world? Simple-read Dr. Tony Maalouf's book. He starts his discussion by noting that before the modern era, Jews and Arabs lived side by side in harmony for centuries. In reality, conflict between the descendants of Isaac and Ishmael has been the exception rather than the rule. It has only been since the rise of Western imperialism effectuated through the Balfour Declaration and the League of Nations that tensions have risen to the point we observe today.
Yet he is quick to bring us to the biblical text to uncover some of the long-standing misconceptions that have clouded the thinking of Western Christians regarding Arab people. The central passage he tackles is Genesis 16:12, "He will be a wild donkey of a man, his hand will be against everyone, and everyone's hand will be against him; and he will live to the east of all his brothers." Contrary to popular opinion, this prophecy by the God of Abraham was actually a blessing rather than a curse. Although Hagar was enslaved, her son, Ishmael, will be free as a donkey to roam the desert in pursuit of his own destiny. Unlike his subjected and powerless mother, he will be independent and strong, able to hold his own in the fierce Bedouin culture of the day. And he will dwell "before the face of his brothers" the Jews (p. 73). As such, Ishmael and his descendants are granted the unrivaled position of inhabiting a region of the world where they could be observers and recipients of the unfolding revelation of God to the nation of Israel throughout redemptive history. Hence, this prophecy would have been nothing but beautiful music to Hagar's ears.
But did not Ishmael mock (Gen. 21:9) and even persecute Isaac (Gal. 4:29), causing him and his mother to be driven from the house of Abraham at Sarah's initiative? Yes, but look closer. As Dr. Maalouf insightfully explains, "[f]rom God's perspective, his plan for Isaac is incompatible with his purposes for Ishmael. No matter how severe Sarah's demand was, and no matter how serious Abraham's concern for his firstborn, God saw it better for Hagar and her son Ishmael to be dismissed to the wilderness and live under his care than to be kept in Abraham's house and live in rivalry with Sarah and her son Isaac. The patriarch had a limited inheritance, and it was ordained to go to the promised seed. . . . This is the primary reason for his summoning of Abraham to listen to Sarah's voice, and not because of any cursing of Ishmael" (p. 92).
The New Testament shows, however, that in an act of divine reversal the Magi (tribal chiefs of Arab descent as Dr. Maalouf convincingly argues) are accorded the privilege of returning to witness and worship the true seed of Abraham, namely, the Messiah (Mt. 2:1ff.). Moreover, Arabs were present in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost and no doubt were counted among the 3,000 baptized (At. 2:11, 41). Surprisingly, they were even given priority in the missionary program of the Apostle Paul (Gal. 1:15-17). And in the future, at the pilgrimage of the Gentile nations to Israel in the Messianic Age, Arabs are first in line to offer their homage (Isa. 60:5-7).
All this confirms Dr. Maalouf's belief that "the religious fate of biblical Israel as a nation and that of the Arabs" are divinely and inextricably linked (p. 223). Accordingly, "this should create among Christians [in the West] a desperate burden to refrain from political agendas and invest in the spiritual awakening predicted among both the Arabs and Jews" (p. 223). Indeed, by "[r]emoving unwarranted biases against Arabs, which neither the Bible nor history sustains, [we can] play a healing role in the Middle East conflict" (p. 223). May it be so!
What the Bible Says about the Arabs.......2004-04-28
Where did the Arabs originate? What does the Bible say about the Arabs and their future? Do God's promises to Israel mean that there are no blessings for Arabs? Were the Magi from Persia or Arabia? These and related questions are answered in a scholarly and readable way by Tony Maalouf, an Arab Christian scholar from Lebanon. This book presents insightful information on the place of Ishmael and his descendants, which is often overlooked by Bible students. Anyone interested in the Midde East and the Arab world will benefit from this excellent study.
Average customer rating:
- A feast for thought but not for the faint of heart
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Postmodern Theory and Biblical Theology: Vanquishing God's Shadow
Brian D. Ingraffia
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0521568404 |
Book Description
This book examines the relationship between postmodernism and Christianity. Postmodernism claims Christianity is ripe for dismantling. Professor Ingraffia argues against the version of Christianity constructed by Nietzsche, Heidegger and Derrida. Attempts to reconcile contemporary critical theory with biblical theology ignore Christianity's distinct identity. Christianity was, he argues, an unacknowledged influence on Nietzsche, Heidegger, Derrida, and much of postmodernism, thereby demonstrating the priority of the Judaeo-Christian tradition over attempts to displace it.
Customer Reviews:
A feast for thought but not for the faint of heart.......2000-10-29
This book provides an in-depth treatment of Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Derrida and the relationships between their thought and biblical theology. The author covers their respective attacks on christianity and then, instead of seeking a synthesis of their thought with biblical theology, he draws on the apostle Paul, Pascal, Luther, Kierkegaard, Barth, Bonhoeffer, & Moltmann to establish a counter position. As a grad student in computer science (at the time), I found this book to be rough going. I suspect anyone with an undergraduate course in Philosophy will have a much better time with the book than I had and some experience with literary theory would make it even more accessible. I give it 4 instead of 5 stars because I didn't have the background to confidently give it a highest rating.
Customer Reviews:
WOW!!!.......2007-09-30
If you liked Witta this book is for you!!
I would have had a alot less problem with this book if Wicca were not in the books title.So much has been thrown into Wicca over the years people really have come to belive that Wicca really is Celtic.I think mostly becuase the word Celtic is a good way to sell you something Runes,Chinese art anything from England and Germany is fair game. The list goes on and on.As long as you are buying they will be selling.This book falls in with the above.I know this is lost of most of you, I really do.I could not get through most of it .This is a Ancient Tradition ?? just becuase you wish it to be will not make it true.If it were called a New Faery Tradition or a Modern Tradition of Ireland that may have been different.
A Beautiful Ritual Guide.......2007-08-04
I used to own this book, but no longer... not because there's anything wrong with it, but because it was stolen. Now, I go online to get a replacement copy and see all these horrible negative reviews. This is just childish. Did anyone actually believe that the faith depicted in this book was handed down through the ages unchanged from the time the Gauls set foot on the shores of Erin and fought the Tuatha De Danann? I don't remember Kisma even so much as implying that it was. What it is, and does a wonderful job of, is a Wiccanization of Celtic faery faith. As Starhawk would say, we are all moving towards the future, "Creating Religion," and it's a shame that some members of the Wiccan/Pagan community see fit to belittle others for their beliefs and the way they choose to implement them. I truly expected more from folks who chant "Burning Times-never again!" but I guess that's too much to ask. Small wonder that we have trouble being taken seriously as a religion in this, and many other, countries.
Courtney Patricia "GamerGirl" Parsons
I am always amazed by my sisters and brothers.......2007-01-05
I have encountered *so* much negativity and unspecified criticism while reading reviews for so many pagan books. I find it interesting because if you don't like I book I agree you should say why and I am all for a critical review but some of these entries are simply spiteful and not consturcutive at all! Putting such negative energy out will surely spill yr glass of milk!! If I had never read the book I would prolly buy it to see what all the fuss is about.
That said, I read these books (both one and two) when I was about 15-16 and at the time I loved and cherished them. They were not my "intro to wicca" (I am pagan not wiccan anyway) they weren't the first or last books I read and they certainly are no where near being the "cornerstones" of my faith or spiritual explorations. But I did love them. I am a voracious reader and even if they were/are complete fiction they are still worth a read.
to those who say she "fabricated" or purely made things up (and it is true Irish folk didn't have potatos in ancient time!) I would have to remind you of the great Monnique Wittig quote:
remember
make and effort to remember
and failing that; INVENT!
My Introduction to wicca.......2005-05-27
This book was my introduction to wicca, I have to say it was a pretty good book. I found alot of the information in it useful and learned alot. There are some things that I just didn't believe and others that now (10 years later) I have still kept very close to me.
I have read alot of the comments on both of the books and all I have to say is this, Wicca is about learning, studying, and helping eachother. Itis not about bashing anauthor for where or how they got there information. I am sure some of the things from this book did come from other souces. But tell me what can you say when you are writing about an ancient religion that has been passed down generation after generation. I for one would not like an author who just made up a fiction book and sold it as a guide to wicca.
I learned a lot from this book not just regular information which is what the words hold but I also learned a very important
thing from this book that I have to say you really don't learn from other books. History is a very important element. I learned a lot of history but also learned to want to learn history. That is a very important element that I feel is missing in a lot of wiccan books That I found in this book.
Does it really matter...........2005-04-04
I haven't read the book... yet... but does it really MATTER if its plagerized? If she still gets the information accross... then what does it matter? She still puts a works cited list... You can check out other books yourself... Stop complaining, enjoy the fact you HAVE information (unlike me, who wishes he had these books, but doesn't have a single wicca book)... Plagerized or not.
Book Description
The Shadow of God is part memoir, part spiritual autobiography, and part tour of great works of art, literature, and music. In the form of a journal written over the course of a year, Charles Scribner shares childhood recollections of a household where figures like Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald were family friends. He tells stories from his own noteworthy publishing career, from his journey toward faith, and from his deep knowledge of Baroque art.
Born an Episcopalian, he charts the story of his interior life and the importance of the arts in helping him choose the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual paths he would follow, including his Catholic conversion. He asks himself questions like “How far back can we trace the roots of faith?” Scribner writes with contagious enthusiasm about the pivotal truths he discovered in the novels of Graham Greene and Evelyn Waugh and the inspiration he found in art, music, opera, and the Bible.
The Shadow of God is a journey through memory, art, and faith that shaped Scribner’s year as it passed through the seasons, from Epiphany to Epiphany. It is a moving portrait of a man who has devoted his life to words and the Word and a work of rare power by a writer whose grace, humor, and candor will touch readers.
Customer Reviews:
Light that is the Shadow of God.......2006-09-12
Charles Scribner III takes his faith seriously but, in the manner of a saint he admires, always with wit and grace. It is a delight to accompany him on the spiritual journey that he so beautifully describes in "The Shadow of God."
On one occasion, Mr. Scribner tells of walking down Fifth Avenue and pausing to watch workmen dismantle the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. He links the abrupt end of the commercial holiday to the rhythms of a church that is always slightly apart from the secular world around it. The author seems unable or unwilling to accept this "disconnect" between the spiritual and the mundane. Indeed, he sees God's presence everywhere -- in lofty cathedrals or hideous parish churches, in his schoolmates or strangers. He has found a way to unite his faith with the thousands of tiny events that make life what it is.
The title of this book is taken from a Latin expression that his father entrusted to him -- Lux Umbra Dei. It not simply the shadow of God but light that is the shadow of God. And this book is filled with light.
A Beautiful and Important Book.......2006-06-21
The notion that a life of privilege is somehow a strike against an author's ability to tell a powerfully insightful story is ridiculous and would damn a whole literature of such books if true. Marcus Aurelius would have nothing to say to us. Nor would Proust.
Scribner writes from what he knows and in doing so goes deep into the universal experience that unites everyone. His writing is refined --and if this refinement suggests a bygone era, it does well to remind us of the measured grace that we have misplaced in the discourse of our own time. "Stately" does not mean staid in this book.
The book is a primer for many who may have forgotten that unfevered reflection is profitable for the human spirit and the close proximity Scribner has had to many of the great literary figures of the Twentieth Century (and how he distills this proximity) is not to be missed.
Two sides to the life of a very privileged man!.......2006-05-06
Great-great grandson of the founder of Charles Scribner's Sons, the publishing house, Charles Scribner III has worked as an editor and publishing executive for nearly 30 years.
This is an artfully arranged memoir of his schooling, his youth, his love for music and art. It is also about his conversion to Catholicism when in college, and highlights epiphanies of coincidence and faith during the course of one year.
While he did have a privileged upbringing-private schools, Princeton, trips to Europe, and incredible exposure to art and music-he also had his share of darkness (deaths by cancer of close friends and relatives, his father succumbing to Alzheimer's, and the alcoholism of a beloved teacher). His profound faith and the meaning it gives to his life every day shines through his words like sunlight through a veil of leaves blowing in the wind.
Not a riveting or exciting read; but a calm and thoughtfully expressed paean to the Catholic Church, the people of his youth, music and art.
Armchair Interviews says: Two unique sides to the life of a very privileged man.
Book Description
"One of the greatest sources of prophetic vision is found by better understanding our past," says Rick Joyner. "I studied Christ's interaction with the apostles as well as the life of the early church to be obedient to a heavenly vision in which I was told that I would not be able to accurately foresee the future until I understood the past." In this important book Joyner looks at the life and ministry of the apostles and of later generations so that Christians today can close the openings the enemy has used to gain entry and do his deadly work. He examines the successes and failures of Christians of the past so we can better understand how to be God's servants today.
Customer Reviews:
GREAT!! Finally something I can understand!!.......2003-05-28
I love this book, for people who aren't big history buffs, but want to get some background on the church with out reading a million boring books, this is the one.
And Oh my goodness! the last 2 reviews for this book couldn't be anymore general or jaded in their accusations! The last one sounds like he is mad because he's trying to figure out what God is doing in his life and wants to blame it on somebody, I guess Rick Joyner and the like will do huh? It's a book review not a review of the things you don't like in life. Come on people!
Excellent book.......2003-05-21
This is one of the best books on church history, and no, not all of it, it's not an encyclopedia. And in response to the other reviews, why would he talk about things that don't have anything to do with his main points? And besides those points, he gives the disclaimer at the beginning: "Though I have studied history for many years, I am not a historian or an academic. This book is not intended to be an academic or objective view of history, but a cursory examination of history for the sake of insight in our on times. Keep in mind that this is necessarily a superficial study of this great subject." So take that into consideration when reading the other reviews. I would HIGHLY recommend this book, to anyone who is interested in church history, simply the part about Constantine is worth reading if nothing else, it will explain a lot about how the church got so off course.
Disjointed Ideas.......2003-02-05
This is the second book by Joyner I've read and he really confuses me. On the one hand he seems sincere about his praise of God and seems to understand who Jesus was (is). On the other hand, Joyner continuously misapplies scripture to suit his purposes and he treats biblical narratives like they were just allegories. In "Shadow of Things to Come" he jumps around so much in his topics that he really doesn't say much. He claims to be well-read and well-studied in the history of the church, but he really isn't; he misses so much and emphasizes a very narrow understanding. My main complaint about this book is that he abuses the Word of God, he uses scripture inappropriately.
Why buy this book? Only the "shadow" knows........2001-04-22
Rick Joyner makes a major interpretive mistake early on in this book when he uses the non-canonical Epistle of Barnabas to construct a prophetic timeline using the six days of creation in Genesis to correspond to thousand-year periods. Yes, of course, 2nd Peter says that one day is as a thousand years to God, but he was speaking SYMBOLICALLY, not literally. For an example of this tortured allegorizing, here's a quote from the book: "One day five, God created the 'great sea monsters.' During this one-thousand-year period, the powerful and monstrous religions of the world were formed that were to rule the 'seas' or peoples, such as Islam, Hinduism, and some of the powerful and dominating institutions of Christianity that would devour so many." Is he giving God credit/blame for creating what he would surely regard as false religions? Joyner proceeds to map out a rather selective survey of Christian history to support his particular agenda.
To give Joyner a little credit, he feels it is important for Christians to know church history. I would agree. Charismatic Christians, especially, seem to have a profound disinterest in anything but the early church and 20th-century Pentecostalism, skipping everything in between. Unfortunately, Joyner seems to skip a lot in between, himself. He at least admits as much, and promises some follow-up volumes. A better suggestion than getting this book and waiting for the sequels would be to get a good, comprehensive history like "The Story of Christianity" by Justo Gonzalez.
Devotees of Joyner and his quarterly publication "The Morning Star Journal" will notice familiar themes emerging: re-establishment of the apostolic ministry, the great revival that is surely coming (in his opinion), and the like. He is particularly interested in the history of revivals, and the story of Sam Jones who evangelized Nashville in the late 1800's is an interesting, not-so-well-known story. Most of the other accounts I have read elsewhere. But Joyner occasionally throws in some real oddball opinions. Did you know that Satan named the planet Venus, for example? Hmmm.
I read this book because I used to be a regular reader of Joyner's "Morning Star Journal" and had read some of his other visionary works like "The Final Quest". I fellowshipped with a group of people who were really into the "prophetic", and even identified myself with those teachings for awhile. About a year ago, I walked away from all that because I felt there was excessive emphasis placed on dreams, visions, and "prophetic words" and not enough on the Word of God. I got tired of always looking for the "next big thing" and the coming "great revival" that never came. I bought this book because I wanted to see if there was still something in me that identified with that particular strain of teaching. Guess what? There wasn't. Now, this book is not without value, but I'm not even sure fans of Rick Joyner will be all that crazy about it, since it is bereft of his personal dreams and supernatuaral visions, and it is a little disjointed. But he certainly uses Christian history to support his own vision for the future, which may or may not come to pass.
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