Whose Bible Is It? A History of the Scriptures Through the Ages

Average customer rating:

BERN iN HeLL

celebrating the nature and function of Scripture

Interesting and well organized history

A brilliant history of the formation and use of the Bible through the ages

Good Overview of Pelikan's Study

Whose Bible Is It? A History of the Scriptures Through the Ages
Jaroslav Pelikan
Manufacturer: Viking Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Criticism & Interpretation | Reference | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Church History | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
History | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Bible & Other Sacred Texts | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine, Volume 1: The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition (100-600) (The Christian Tradition: ... of the Development of Christian Doctrine)

The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine, Volume 2: The Spirit of Eastern Christendom (600-1700) (The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Christian Doctrine)

Jesus through the Centuries: His Place in the History of Culture

Credo: Historical and Theological Guide to Creeds and Confessions of Faith in the Christian Tradition

The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine, Volume 4: Reformation of Church and Dogma (1300-1700) (The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Christian Doctrine)

ASIN: 0670033855
Release Date: 2005-03-07

Book Description

No book has been more pored over, has been the subject of more commentary and controversy, or had more influence not only on our religious beliefs but also on our culture and language than the Bible. And certainly no book has been as widely read. But how did the Bible become the book we know it to be?

In this superbly written history, Jaroslav Pelikan takes the reader through the good book's evolution from its earliest incarnation as oral tales to its modern existence in various iterations, translations, and languages. From the earliest Hebrew texts and the Bible's appearance in Greek, then Latin, Pelikan explores the canonization of different Bibles and why certain books were adopted by certain religions and sects, as well as the development of the printing press, the translation into modern languages, and varying schools of critical scholarship.

Both an enduring work of scholarship and a fascinating read, Whose Bible Is It? will be eagerly welcomed by the many fans of Elaine Pagels's books and Adam Nicolson's God's Secretaries.

Download Description

Customer Reviews:

BERN iN HeLL.......2007-06-29

BBERN IN HELL FOR READING AND RIGHTIN THIS BOOK! YOU'LL BE SORRY!!!

I am over the age of 13.

celebrating the nature and function of Scripture.......2007-01-18

Reading any book by Jaroslav Pelikan is a rare privilege and pleasure, not to mention an occasion for envy and humility by lesser mortals who fancy themselves as scholars. Magisterial, meticulous, encyclopedic, prolific, and prodigious, Pelikan is the Sterling Professor Emeritus of History at Yale University where he served on the faculty from 1962-96, the past president of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and in 2004 the recipient of the Library of Congress's annual John W. Kluge Prize in the Human Sciences (the $1 million award focuses on academic disciplines not covered by the Nobel prizes). Most in his guild would consider him the greatest historian of Christian thought in his generation.

Now in his early eighties, Pelikan has written a wonderfully accessible book about the nature and role of the Bible in its worshipping communities that follows as a sequel to his Jesus Through the Centuries (1985) and Mary Through the Centuries (1996). The Biblical documents are decidedly historical documents, not gold tablets dropped from heaven and kept "pure" from human time and place. The thirty-nine books of the Hebrew Scriptures, for example, were written across about 1,000 years. The twenty-seven books of the Christian New Testament, he observes, are hardly a single book but rather a sort of mini-library of early believers. As documents embedded in human history, Pelikan reviews how these Scriptures were first written, then transmitted, formed into a single rule or canon in a way that excluded other noteworthy candidates, translated into other languages, hand-copied and then commercially-printed, and variously and often divergently interpreted. Along the way he demonstrates how the Scriptures impacted and were impacted by art, architecture, hymnody, classical music, liturgy, economics and politics.

However historical, though, believing readers rightly approach the Scriptures as more than ancient artifacts that require, even deserve, scholarly scrutiny, for in them we encounter the God who speaks and acts. Pelikan clearly loves "the Good Book" that he has studied so assiduously for sixty-plus years (both his grandfather and father were Lutheran pastors), and he always has one eye on the ordinary believer in the local church or synagogue. In their personal piety and corporate worship believers encounter "the power of the Bible to change lives" (p. 133). We can and must analyze and scrutinize the text with all the tools of the historical sciences, but ultimately, Pelikan reminds us, "I am not the subject but the object in my encounter with the word of the Bible...The historical or philological desire to comprehend what it says has been and is vastly less important than the religious need to understand it in order to obey it" (pp. 249-250). This is because "to the eyes and heart of faith," the Bible is, "after all, a love letter, one long love letter." Pelikan's ultimate intention, then, in this book about the Book, is "not to undermine its authority but to celebrate its message" (pp. 201, 231).

Interesting and well organized history.......2007-01-12

If you have a large study bible with many features, you probably have a diagram in the back that looks like the "family tree" of various bible translations--who went back to the Hebrew texts, who to the Vulgate, etc. I always found this interesting, as it helped explain why some versions of scripture were so markedly different, as well as giving the year of translation which helps understand the historical and cultural climate.

Pelikan's "Whose Bible Is It?" is like that diagram--only more dynamic, more interesting, more informative and more complete. He gives you the cultural, political, and social climate throughout the evolution of the Scriptures as we have them today; in addition, he touches on important historical and cultural events that were impacted by Scriptural translations, or influenced the actual translations or transcriptions.

I found this book to be interesting and informative. It is at times challenging to read--not something to read piece-meal, or while you are half asleep, as Pelikan's sentences are longer than the Apostle Paul's, and his train of thought rather convoluted at times. He weaves history and his commentary together in a very readable way, highlighting major figures and events not like a textbook, but as someone who is so well aquainted with the whole story and all of the details that he is chosing to share only the juiciest, most relevent and interesting sections with his readers.

This is not a book to fortify one's faith as a Christian, it is not a book to put on the shelf next to books by Lewis, or Packer, or Vieth, or Pless. In particular, it seems to deliberately try to discount the notion of the innerrancy of scripture and even the one-way-to-salvation held by the Christian faith. Pelikan was Christian (Lutheran then Orthodox), but seems to be trying so hard to be "fair" or "PC" or "well rounded" that he does not push Christianity as "the way"; maybe it is that he did not let his personal religious convictions mingle with academic objectivity, but this is not a book that promotes Christianity above Judaism or even Islam. It is also apparent that Pelikan was at least something of a proponent of the "higher critical" way of thinking; he does discuss this aspect of the history of scripture in interesting detail.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. When I opened it for Christmas, my brother in law saw the title and said "when you finish reading it, let us know [whose bible it really is]". I don't think there is a good answer to that question--which ambiguity seems to be even what Pelikan intended.

A brilliant history of the formation and use of the Bible through the ages.......2006-12-29

Jaroslav Pelikan's wide-ranging book follows the origins of the Bible from oral tradition and early writing, the gathering of the canon, translations from the Septuagint to modern missionary translations, the impact of the Reformation on use of the Bible and historical-critical study and the ways in which this has changed our view of Scripture.

He writes with a wonderfully light touch, adding occasional flashes of humour and referring to history and scholarship within the Jewish, Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox traditions as well as commenting on the Qur'an. His chapter which outlines the books and message of the Old Testament (Hebrew Tanakh) is masterful and there are many other highlights of the book which offered new insights into how modern Christians see this amazing piece of literature that has so shaped our western culture in the last 3000 years. This is the best book that I have read on the history of the Bible and it is a wonderful resource as well as a fascinating read.

Good Overview of Pelikan's Study.......2006-12-18

Jaroslav Pelikan is a Kluge Prize-winning historian and author. In this short book he traces what he says as the evolution of the Jewish and Christian Bibles from early Hebrew, Greek and Latin texts to the modern versions. He also examines the formation of the New Testament, influences of the Renaissance and Protestant Reformation.

The author is respectful and this work will appeal to a broad audience. He does correctly affirm the role of the Bible as the Word of God. Pointing out that the Bible has been through many revisions and was once a body of oral tradition. The author seems to mainly be summarizing his knowledge on the history of the Bible with broad-brush strokes as we follow its history over the centuries. But he does state the obvious, which I agree with, that it is important to study the Bible in the original languages. I suggest you take your time reading this book in order to gain the most benefit from it.

Whose Bible Is It?: A Short History of the Scriptures

Average customer rating:

Purely honest, deliciously readable, short history of the most influential and #1 printed book in western culture and the world
Scholarship and Readibility
A capstone for an amazing life of scholarship
An excellent survey
N. Ravitch, I am laughing at you.....

Whose Bible Is It?: A Short History of the Scriptures
Jaroslav Pelikan
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

History | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0143036777

Book Description

Jaroslav Pelikan, widely regarded as one of the most distinguished historians of our day, now provides a clear and engaging account of the Bible's journey from oral narrative to Hebrew and Greek text to today's countless editions. Pelikan explores the evolution of the Jewish, Protestant, and Catholic versions and the development of the printing press and its effect on the Reformation, the translation into modern languages, and varying schools of critical scholarship. Whose Bible Is It? is a triumph of scholarship that is also a pleasure to read.

“An engaging and highly readable survey of biblical scholarship that tells a fascinating and complex story.” —The Wall Street Journal
“A crisp, remarkably succinct history of the Bible as preserved, interpreted, translated and canonized by the various faiths that believe in it.” —Los Angeles Times
“Engaging . . . an excellent overview.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Outstanding . . . Pelikan takes the reader through the process of scripture building with a fluency and ease that is both accessible and understandable.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Masterly . . . Pelikan weaves a tapestry of the power of the Word to mold religious communities, nations, and culture. . . . Engaging, concise, and highly readable.” —The Christian Science Monitor

Customer Reviews:

Purely honest, deliciously readable, short history of the most influential and #1 printed book in western culture and the world.......2007-01-15

INTRODUCTION:
It is unfortunate that most Christians in the US are clueless of how the Bible (Old Testament + New Testament) came to be compiled or made into the canon that we have today. Pelikan's short history (that spans 256 pages) of Bible's origins, translations, transmission, re-discovery, preservation, and publication is one of the most readable and accurate book in this topic of the history of the Bible.

Unlike the subtitle, the title question spurs the reader to search for the answer. In its introduction, it seems the answer is ... it belongs "to all the people that believe" (the Jews and Christians) ... but the real answer is revealed in no uncertain terms at the very end, in the Afterwards chapter.

AUTHOR:
Recently deceased Dr. Pelikan, former Yale professor, Lutheran believer progressing towards and adopting Orthodoxy, is one of the best historical theologian America has ever had. For a man who jokingly said recently that he would be "dying without an unpublished thought" and with over 30 scholarly books written, he is best known for his magnum opus 5 volumes "The Christian Tradition - a History of the Development of Doctrine", "Jesus Through the Centuries", "Mary Through the Centuries", and "Creedo."

CONTENT:
As someone who loves history and for whom the Bible is not a strange topic, there was lots of things to underline and notes to write in "Whose Bible Is It?" Too much to even list here. What I will say is that the mystery behind such terms as Septuagint or TaNaKh have been demystified. Also, as a result of this read I know better how to discuss with Muslims about the Jewish and Christian Bible. The most insightful chapter, I have to say, has been "The Strange New World within the Bible" (the one before
the Afterwords chapter.

CONCLUSION:

* Have you ever read a book and said, wow!?!

* Do you wish you had an appetite for reading or studying the Bible?

* Do you wonder how this complex book called the Bible (Jewish and Christian ones) came into being and how it was read throughout the centuries?

"Whose Bible is it?" provides more than answers to these questions. This book provides a delectable account of the history of the book Jews and Christians revere so much and call the "revealed word of God" - a great short history geared for everybody: Jew, Christian, and Muslim; for believer and non-believer; for the curious, the timid, and also the devout ones; for the liberal, the fundamentalist, and the moderate ones; for the novice and scholars; for the young and old.

Enjoy your re-discovery of the historical and literary beauty of the Bible !

Scholarship and Readibility.......2006-11-03

Jaroslav Pelikan is a well-known religious scholar who writes for us laypersons in "Whose Bible Is It?" Solid scholarship as well as readibility (and it is not a huge tome) make it a useful tool for those of us who lead Bible-related discussion groups.

A capstone for an amazing life of scholarship.......2006-08-21

Pelikan's death this May drew my attention to his life and work. Til then, I hadn't been aware of this book. It's a wonderful review of biblical scholarship -- accessible yet in no way condescending. Pelikan was a student and thinker of the highest order. This book shows his deep respect for his subject and for his readers. That he never quite answers his title's question is no drawback for me. On the contrary, I'm grateful that he has given me great tools to use as I struggle with the question myself.

An excellent survey.......2006-08-07

This is an introduction to the History of the Bible, but even readers who are already familiar with the outline of the subject will, I think, discover many details that are new to them in this very well told story.

The first half of the book deals with the establishment of the Jewish and Christian Canons. The summary of what is in the books of the Old and the New Testament is perhaps a little pedestrian, but I found the discussion of the Septuagint and its importance interesting.

In the second half of the book, Pelikan discusses how the Bible was used, revised and interpreted from the Middle Ages to the present time. It includes, for instance, a discussion how Christians squared the making of sacred images in illuminated manuscripts or icons with the prohibition against such a practice in the Old Testament; a section on the Qur'an's relationship to the two parts of the Bible; one on new translations of the Bible during the Renaissance following the revival of Hebrew, Greek and classical Latin; and one on the hugely important role the Bible played during the Reformation. He discusses `lower criticism' - the clearing up of linguistic problems presented by the texts - and `higher criticism' - the work done from the 17th century onwards which examined the Bible as one might examine a text attributed to, say, Homer: as a patchwork put together by human beings of human writings produced at different times, rather than, as in the case of the Five Books of Moses, being the text by one author working under divine inspiration. Other challenges to the literary truth of the Bible were to come from historical, archaeological, anthropological, and finally of course scientific disciplines, starting with a critique of the Pentateuch but eventually reaching the figure of Jesus himself. Pelikan suggests interestingly that the Roman Catholic understanding of the Bible was slightly less vulnerable to these developments, since the medieval Catholic Church had long taught that the Bible could be understood on four different levels: the literal, the allegorical, the moral and the eschatological, whereas the Protestant beliefs had based themselves firmly on the literal meaning of the Bible. Even so, it was Protestant scholars who were most active in Higher Criticism.

None of this, Pelikan points out, affected the increased circulation of the Bible. In English the Authorized Version has been followed in recent times by a flood of revised versions in more modern English. In 1986 the American Bible Society distributed nearly 290 million bibles. There has been an explosion of bibles in Africa (Pelikan gives a charming extract from a Masai creed in which `Jesus was always on safari doing good').

The last chapter and the Epilogue are Pelikan's own eloquent meditations on the eternal value of the Bible to him, to our culture, but first and foremost to the Jewish and Christian communities, `neither of whom would be anything without it'.

I regret the absence of an index, and having the source notes at the end of the book rather than at the bottom of the relevant page is a minor inconvenience; but it does not detract from the value of this scholarly, sensitive and thoughtful book, a fitting memorial to a distinguished author who sadly died in May this year.

N. Ravitch, I am laughing at you............2006-02-21

Rarely is one's ignorance and arrogance so boldly posted! Prof. Pelikan is an emeritus Yale professor and is critically applauded by reputable institutions. Anyone with his credentials has much to offer. Maybe he isn't always right (who is?), but did you read what other (more reputable) readers have said? YOU lack credibility in the extreme. Be more humble in your reviews - or, better yet, don't review.

Average customer rating:

Excellent!
ears to hear
Learn with an open mind.
A Fresh Challenge !
Covenant Theology from a Pentecostal viewpoint

Whose Right It Is
Kelley Varner
Manufacturer: Destiny Image Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1560431512

Customer Reviews:

Excellent! .......2007-01-28

"Whose Right It Is" has been one of the most influential books in my Christian walk. It takes head on all the commonly used scriptures used to support the "Rapture Theory". Why anyone hinges their walk on a theory when the truth is readily available I do not know. We have no excuse for following false doctrine. God is no longer winking at our ignorance. The Spirit of Truth has been shed upon us, and those who diligently seek will come to know. I seek truth. I pray God strips every shred of untruth that I may be harboring within myself. The Church will walk in the fullness of Jesus Christ when it completely walks in Truth. The problem with most is they are only trying to protect what they perceive as truth. They approach the Word in a way that they are trying to prove what they believe. Instead, we should approach the Truth always with an open heart and with humility, letting God unveil His Truth. There is always more to God. Seek the truth, not proof for the validity of the doctrines of man.

I highly recommend Whose Right It Is. I also highly recommend "The Three Prejudices" by Dr. Kelley Varner. It dispels the prejudices that are so prominent in most of what we call church. Every minister of the Gospel should give The Three Prejudices and Whose Right It Is a read.

ears to hear.......2001-12-28

Kelley Varner has done his homework in this book. It is a watershed work for correctly understanding Bible prophecy. In view of orthodoxy, intellectual honesty, and spiritual truth, those who question the major points and premise of this volume, should themselves be questioned when all sides of these issues are clearly viewed. The author has no axe to grind and is not poised to build a kingdom on his theology or writing gift. The winds of popularity are not blowing this vessel into the port of the accolades and celebration of the multitudes. He is sailing through what appears to be a narrow channel but in reality is navigating a course through the River of Life. It examines and communicates what the Spirit of God has revealed to him as he endeavors to effectively share words of Truth. Any serious and honorable student of Bible prophecy will want to thoroughly study and digest this treatise.

Learn with an open mind........2000-09-29

Kelley Varner more than adequately explores the very interesting possibilities that perhaps, I'll Fly Away isn't the only possible scenario.

In a manner that is totally supported by scripture, Kelley Varner picks apart the smallest details of dispensationalism and adequately points to the true nature of the scripture. To speak frankly, Kelley Varner makes a bold statement that Jesus isn't coming back any minute for a sick and dying church but that He is indeed coming back at some time for His mature, clean and holy bride.

To those who would scoff at this book, open your mind for just a moment. To those who would question Kelley Varner's reasoning on this, ask yourself one question. What does he have to gain by attempting to the reveal the truth in the scripture?

In all things, however, keep a stable and balanced view. Kelley Varner never once deviates from the bible in his supporting scripture and in fact uses the scripture, as it was written in the Greek, as the basis for the book.

If you want an alternative to the same old fear focused, 'rescue-mission' rapture, read this book.

A Fresh Challenge !.......1999-01-07

This indeed is a challenge to many, but such challenges are needful in this time of stale pie in the sky theology ! The purpose of the book is to show the aspect of God's Covenant with Christians. It is up to the openess of the reader to consider the content. It is also the very nature of humanity to embrace what the majority does, as if that determines truth. There is a historical look at the orgin of the rapture that fails to tickle the ears of main stream Christianity. However, the most important mention in the entire book is the constant focus on Jesus Christ ! The writer very well knows the importance of the centrality of Christ. This alone stands apart from the vast multitudes of those that are taken up with micro chips, a coming anti-christ, a one world government, a gospel based on speculation, a defeated life style with a someday quick zip out of here, and a evil report that is mixed with fear! The writer refers to the scriptures, shares a good report and mixes faith. The appealling factor comes at the end of the book in these words, "I beseech you. Don't beleive these things just because I or some other preacher have said them. Pick up your Bible. Read. Study. Think. Rethink. Then get mad enough to change. . . by giving your life and ministry totally to the Lord Jesus Christ, the only one "whose right it is" Maranatha !" Of course to give ourselves in this manner may have its cost. Nevertheless, without such challenges the christian walk may be nothing more than a repeated cycle of tradition. Many would do well to read this fresh challenge and ponder it before they let tradition rob them of the good report.

Covenant Theology from a Pentecostal viewpoint.......1998-12-08

The book starts slowly but finally gets into meat in the last few chapters where it attempts to show the Covenant view of passages commonly referred to by Dispensationalists for the Rapture and Daniel's 70 weeks, etc.

As is typical with Covenant writers he slyly states that the word "rapture" does not occur in the Bible, but using the same reasoning the word "God" does not appear in the Bible either since "Raptus" occurs in the Latin Bible where the English uses "caught up." ("God" would only occur in an English translation). Being a Dispensationalist, I will let Mr Varner judge himself using quotes from his book:

P.132 "Good men almost become violent when Scofieldian dispensationalism is challenged (perhaps a hint of its spiritual source)."

Now compare his judgement with his own words in other places in the book:

p153 He calls Dispensationalism satan's "most effective tool" p206 He calls Disp. a part of "the lie" in Romans 1:25. p225 He calls Dispensationalists "the wicked". p275 He calls Disp. "the favorite teachings of the god of this world." p289 He calls Disp "another gospel."

Last time I checked, Disp. teaches salvation by grace apart from works as Galatians points out while Pentecostalism teaches works salvation and Covenant Theology teaches Law as a Rule of Life. I'll let the Bible judge who is teaching "another Gospel" here.

He points out that Dispensationalism started in the 1800s along with many cult groups but fails to mention that his own Pentecostalism started around the same time and that the former has done more for promoting true spiritual growth and soul winning than the latter will ever do.

Customer Reviews:

A Book For Those Just Want the Facts, Ma'am........2004-09-12

Colin Chapman's book is one of a very few books that contends that, like every other problem, political answers are seldom satisfactory because they seldom recognize the real problem. Many Evangelicals have bought into a purely political view of the Middle East. This involves taking sides in an intense propaganda battle between Palistinians and Israelis.Colin Chapman does not take sides in the conflict but applies an accurate reading of history along with careful biblical scholarship to both protagonists. Some, whose minds are made up, won't want to be confused with the facts. For all others, this book is indispensable.

A must read for Christians.......2000-10-17

This book revolutionaized my perspective of Biblical prophecy. The terrible political position of Christian Zionism has created untold havoc in the Middle East. The violence and hatred is only supported by Christian Zionists who fatally misread Biblical text. Chapman does an excellent analysis of the situation and makes a prophetic call for Christians to change.

Unavoidable critique of Christian Zionism.......1998-09-21

Colin Chapman has taken on the unpleasant task of confronting a modern theological innovation that has captured the imagination of the evangelical church - dispensationalism. The concept, born in England in the mid-1800's as the brainchild of John Nelson Darby, has developed into a complex system of biblical interpretation that has become attractive due to its claim to a simple, straightforward, literal interpretation of the Bible. In Whose Promised Land?, Mr. Chapman brings together a myriad of voices on the topic, beginning with the oldest biblical texts, working his way through the historical maze of details and treaties, to the modern day crisis of the Palestinian people and the Jewish State. He does this successfully by letting the voices speak for themselves by way of extended quotes and detailed references for further research. After laying out the historical details, he makes biblical argument for the rejection of the dispensationalist's unqualified support for the State of Israel. For those interested in hermaneutics (biblical interpretation) and the sensitive issues involve, the trek through all the historical data will be worth your while when you arrive at the section entitled "Is there a word from the Lord?" The worst thing about this book is that it is currently out of print. This is unfortunate. For, any serious student of biblical prophecy and theology will want to have this book in their collection.

Average customer rating:

Superficially appears balanced, actually is profoundly partisan
Sadly unbiblical
Fair and balanced
Very arbitrary and biased
Review of "Whose Promised Land"

Whose Promised Land?
Colin Chapman
Manufacturer: Baker Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

Israel | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0801064414
Release Date: 2002-09-01

Book Description

Two peoples, Jews and Palestinian Arabs, lay claim to the same piece of land. But who does it really belong to? Scripture, history, and contemporary politics add to the volatile conflict in the Middle East. Whose Promised Land?, now in a fully revised and updated fifth edition, provides an evenhanded approach to this complex dilemma. The book begins with the history of the territory, explaining the development of the conflict and the complexity of the issues. The second section surveys biblical teaching on the theme of the land, both from the Old Testament point of view and the perspective of Jesus and his followers. Building on the analysis of history and the biblical studies, the final part examines the major contemporary forces affecting the conflict today. Unlike many evangelical Christian books on the topic, Whose Promised Land? does not automatically assume a pro-Israel stance, but seeks to present an honest appraisal of modern Israel while clearly delineating the interrelated issues surrounding the crisis in the Middle East.

Customer Reviews:

Superficially appears balanced, actually is profoundly partisan.......2006-12-31

Colin Chapman's book is sprinkled with quotes from both 'sides', warns of the danger of older forms of anti-Semitism and focuses on some of the hardships Jews have suffered. It urges caution in forming judgement and maintains an appearance of objectivity and balance, including an interesting, if ironic, quote from Edward Said on the need for intellectual honesty.

However the foundation of his section examining the justice of the dispute is a favourable citation of Naeem Ateek, who himself part justifies suicide terrorism. In the quote Ateek claims biblical Naboth's murder and the theft of his property by the vile Ahab, 'has been re-enacted thousands of times since the creation of the State of Israel'. This fabricated accusation lies at the heart of the book's case.

Chapman almost completely ignores the defensive character of the 1948 and 1967 wars (almost as though the Poles and Czechs were responsible for Dresden or Hitler's 'murder' in 1945), the repeated calls for Israel's annihilation by Arab leaders and their media, the sharp difference in Arab and Jewish murder rates before 1948, and extremely oppressive British policies in handling refugees frm the Holocaust. Not surprisingly he also neglects to mention the Palestinian Grand Mufti's close association with the Nazis, meeting with Hitler and shared genocidal intentions.

His quotes are highly selective and I suspect many are sourced from the partisan Middle East Council of Churches, as well as some rather one-sided historians (Gentile and Jewish).

Let the reader beware of a carefully concealed but highly virulent bias against Israel!

Sadly unbiblical.......2006-12-16

I picked up this book as the result of hearing an interview of Mr. Chapman on Hank Hanigraff(sp?)s program. I found it alarming that Mr. Hanigraff endorsed this book. I also found it alarming that one reviewer at this web-site was so swayed by Mr. Hanigraff's endorsement that he commented accordingly. That reviewer is guilty of a transgression of which surely his "mentor" Mr. Hanigraff, would accuse him... namely neglect of a "Berean" (or critical) look at Mr. Chapman's work.

I did not look at Mr. Chapman's historical overview prior to writing this review so I have no right to comment on that section. However, I did read through his "Biblical" overview. I must say that his hermeneutics is not atypical of what one would find with classical anti-Semitic replacement theology which can be summarized as "If something good is said about Israel, it's really talking about the church and if something bad is said about Israel, it's really talking about the Jews."

Mr. Chapman replaces what God says with a human twist on what God "really meant". In essence, he is not biblical but humanistic. For instance, he says "... if you happen to be an Arab Christian, and find that you are identified in the minds of Israeli Jews with the ancient Canaanites and all the other tribes which Joshua defeated in the thirteenth century BC? How are you likely to think about the book which seems to give the Jews a divine right to take away your land in the twentieth century AD?" By making such a statement, therefore, according to Chapman, this must mean that God did not really promise the land to the Jewish people. On the contrary, it stands to reason that God would not make such a promise because He wouldn't want to slight other people (e.g. the Arabs) and have them reject his book.

This is utterly ridiculous (aside from the fact that wealthy Arabs sold the land to Israel and, contrary to popular opinion, the Arabs were not 'dispossessed' e.g. see full quotes of Moshe Dayan)! Scripture overwhelmingly supports the promised inheritance of the land by the Jewish people. Undoubtedly, however, the way that it will be governed according to the eschatological providence of God in the future will be far different than the way it is governed today. The fruits of this governance will be earmarked by the humility of its citizenry and visitors alike, with shared mutual respect. Scripture promises that "all the nations will flock to Jerusalem" to learn about the one true God of ISRAEL... the God who superintended the writing of the Bible. It promises that in that time, the world will be blessed in ways unfathomable because they are outside of our present realm of experience.

The Bible says "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring the Gospel of Good News who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, 'Your God Reigns!'.(Isa. 52:7). Mr. Chapman calls for "Peacemakers". He proceeds to describe them. However, again, his description of a peacemaker is not the Biblical view of a peacemaker. A Biblical peacemaker is someone who not only practices the presence of God but preaches the Gospel of peace. Biblically speaking, the fundamental problem in the Middle East is not land. It's the fact that two warring people groups, en masse, do not know the love of God and His Gospel. From a Biblical standpoint, they have a misunderstanding of the nature of God, how He is to be worshipped and of His Messiah. If Mr. Chapman (and Mr. Hanigraff for that matter) claims to be Biblical then he must fundamentally accept that premise. If he did hold to that premise, his emphasis would not be a political discussion about the land, but the eschatological blessing that will ultimately come out of that land and more importantly, a call to challenge these people groups over the veracity of their world views by preaching the gospel of the Prince of Peace... Jesus the Messiah of the Jews and redeemer of all mankind including the Arabs. No where, in Mr. Chapman's Book is this even an issue of discussion!

Mr. Chapman makes many claims including a claim to being a "Christian" but a claim to being biblical ought not to be one of them.

Fair and balanced.......2006-07-02

I found this book to be both fair and balanced in its presentation of the evidence from both sides of the issue. Chapman relies much more on quoting historical sources than he does on giving his own opinion. He presents a very brief, readable, balanced history of the conflict from both sides. I have learned a lot from the book; it has definitely changed my opinion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and what the Christian response should be. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to gain an overall understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict quickly without a lot of extra verbiage and interpretation thrown in.

Very arbitrary and biased.......2005-12-02

Should people be allowed to have the human rights of life, liberty, and property? Does that mean they ought to be allowed to bid for land? And acquire it if they are high bidders? And live on that land without getting murdered, robbed, or evicted? I think so!

Well, that's all the Zionists did. They bought some land at high prices and improved it. Some racists who were stunned by the emancipation of the despised Jews tried to steal it back and assert their Superiority to mere Jews. But so far, these people have not succeeded in swiping the land back.

Of course, one can ask if the Zionists were a little too greedy. They did wind up with around ten thousand square miles of land, for a mere 5 million people. But anyone who looks at the sizes of other nations will realize that whether the Zionists are greedy or not, Israel is amazingly land-poor. Meanwhile, the Arabs have 5,500,000 square miles!

This author seems to want to find excuses that will support a conclusion that the Jews ought not be entitled to human rights or land in the Levant. Oh, he's willing to be practical and allow them to exist there, as if making a concession to Evil. But I think he really wants them to falsely confess that they have no right to do so.

Still, this book is not entirely unbalanced. It mentions a number of historical facts about the conflict, and it often gets some of them right. And it does admit that there has been such a phenomenon as anti-Semitism. Unfortunately, Chapman then goes on to paint a completely preposterous picture of the conflict. He does so by quoting many well-known people, but then appearing to agree with some of the most racist and mendacious opponents of Jewish rights the world has seen, such as Hanan Ashrawi, Naim Ateek, Norman Finkelstein, David Hirst, and Ed Said.

Well, what possible solutions are there to the conflict? Chapman discusses some of them:

1) There might be a "one-state" solution. Chapman says this is no good, as the Arabs would quickly outnumber the Jews, just by having more children. While that may be true, I think we ought to be careful to remember that Israel is land-poor. I can't believe we ought to restrict five million Jews to a little Bantustan, especially on the grounds that such a Bantustan is too large!

2) There might also be a single secular state. But that idea was tried before, and it did not work.

3) The Levantine Arabs might be defeated. Chapman scoffs at this idea, implying that one would need to kill every Arab to do that. But the Japanese were defeated in World War Two, and not every Japanese was killed. The Sudeten Germans were defeated in World War Two, and while it did entail defeating Germany, not all Germans were killed (nor were all Sudeten Germans killed).

4) Israel might be annihilated, but Chapman doesn't like it. Too bloody! I agree with him about that, and I have a couple of other problems with it. For one thing, Israel has not been the problem, so getting rid of it will not solve anything. In addition, it's usually a bad precedent to let aggression, lies, and destruction triumph.

Chapman says that all this leaves the two-state solution, which is, after all, is considered by many to be a reasonable idea. I don't like this idea because one of the states would almost surely be an anti-state, committed not to serving its citizens but to hurting and destroying a neighboring and genuine nation. In addition, Chapman wants to ethnically cleanse as many Jews as possible from the disputed West Bank. I think that would be a horrible precedent, and one day we'd see all sorts of people evicted from all sorts of areas, for equally absurd reasons. Only this time, they might not be Jews, so more people might realize the problem!

Oh yes, whose land is it? Chapman says it belongs to God. I disagree very strongly. First of all, I am a Pagan, and I recognize only real Gods and Goddesses, not the monotheist god. And second, as Jefferson said, the land belongs to the living. We living humans are the ones who live on the land and improve it or run it down. And we need to take responsibility for what we do to it. Claiming that we do not own it relieves us from that responsibility.

Christians own land, and they're sovereign over some of it. Muslims own land, and they're sovereign over some of it. Let's allow Jews to own land and be sovereign over some of it as well. And let's reject arbitrary and ad hoc excuses to make the Jews special people who are somehow not entitled to such rights.

Review of "Whose Promised Land".......2005-08-02

Very well balanced study of this central problem facing the world today. Chapman first presents a historical view of the problem, then looks at biblical claims to the Land.

Alexander the Corrector: The Tormented Genius Whose Cruden's Concordance Unwrote the Bible

Average customer rating:

Alexander the Corrector: The Tormented Genius Whose Cruden's Concordance Unwrote the Bible
Julia Keay
Manufacturer: Overlook TP
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Religious | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Bible & Other Sacred Texts | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1585678015

Book Description

Cruden's Concordance to the Bible—a combinations index, dictionary, and analysis of the Bible—was a monumental achievement; at 2.5 million words, it is four times the length of the Bible itself, and in nearly 300 years it has never been superseded. Yet Alexander Cruden is remembered today not so much for this monumental work as for the widespread belief that he was mad.

Born in Scotland in 1699, Cruden spent much of his early life in and out of asylums. Just weeks after completing his Concordance, he was back in the madhouse—abducted by a rival jealous for the affections of a rich widow—and committed to a private asylum. Each time he took his persecutors to court; each time his case failed because, for different reasons, he refused to explain the circumstances of his original incarceration.

Book Description

The story of Ruth will help children recognize key values of loyalty and commitment as well as the personal providence of God.

Whose Holy City?: Jerusalem and the Future of Peace in the Middle East

Average customer rating:

A Positive Thrust
A real solution
Preaches in favor of injustice

Whose Holy City?: Jerusalem and the Future of Peace in the Middle East
Colin Chapman
Manufacturer: Baker Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

Israel | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Church & State | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Comparative Religion | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

History | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0801065569
Release Date: 2005-05-01

Book Description

Jews, Arabs, and Muslims alike have fought over Jerusalem, the city of peace, for centuries with no foreseeable solution. In Whose Holy City?, Middle East expert Colin Chapman covers the history and background of "the most famous city in the world" and traces its days from Old Testament times to the contemporary scene. Many regard Jerusalem as the key to peace in the Middle East. Still, Chapman believes that the Middle East question is not one that will be easily resolved. Bringing biblical insight and expert analysis to the search for peace, he reflects on Jerusalem's place in Scripture and history, assesses the present-day conflict, and all the while looks at possibilities for peace and resolution.

Customer Reviews:

A Positive Thrust.......2006-11-10

Inciteful summation of the Israeli-Palestinian standoff with suggested possibilities for settlement. (p183)

A real solution.......2006-11-03

This book is written by someone who lived in the Middle East and knows that culture very well. He suggests realistic and doable solutions to the Jerusalm problem and Middle Eastern conflicts. I wish our politicians and policy makers in the USA read this book. If you want to read one book about this subject, this is the book. Don't miss it.

Preaches in favor of injustice .......2005-07-15

Occasionally, I characterize religious arguments against the rights of Jews to their country and its capital city as follows:

1) God does not exist.

2) Therefore, God is not in the real estate business.

3) Therefore, God did not give Israel or Jerusalem to the Jews.

4) Therefore, God did give Israel and Jerusalem to the Muslims.

5) Therefore, Israel and Jerusalem belong to the Muslims, in perpetuity, no matter how often they sell it to others.

I was reminded of this illogical type of argument throughout this book.

The truth is that Jerusalem is Israel's capital city. It became the capital city of the Jews very long ago, for historical reasons. And it remains their capital today.

Other nations have capitals. Lithuania has Vilnius. France has Paris. Austria has Vienna. Italy has Rome. Germany has Berlin. Even the United States has a capital city. There is no good reason to give away, divide, or internationalize any of these capital cities.

Other religions have holy sites. The Christians have the Vatican. The Muslims have the Kaaba in Mecca. The Mormons have a Temple. The Baha'i have a beautiful Temple. There is no good reason to rule that the Jews, although they have a Temple-based religion as well, are Special, with no right to have a Temple in their capital city.

In my opinion, if the Dome of the Rock is torn down to build a Jewish temple, many Muslims will complain and many Jews will appear to taunt them about it. That will not be conducive to peace. On the other hand, if the Jews are pressured into not having a Temple anywhere in Jerusalem, many Jews will complain, and many Muslims will appear to taunt them about it. That will not be conducive to peace either. I'd recommend a compromise here, with Jews being allowed to build a Temple elsewhere in Jerusalem (maybe on top of the Mount of Olives, or, better yet, on top of Mount Scopus). It's just an idea. But I think it might eventually resolve the religious aspects of the conflict over the Temple Mount.

However, that will not resolve the conflict over truth, justice, and human rights. That's a conflict that Chapman entirely overlooks.

Chapman claims that the only Jewish claim to Jerusalem is religious. That is preposterous. Secular Americans claim the American capital as their own. Seculars in France claim Paris. And so on. Chapman then says that the Christians who agree that Jerusalem is the Jewish capital do so for incoherent religious reasons. That's equally preposterous. Many simply see the issues as truth and justice.

The author says that by contrast, Muslim claims to Jerusalem are secular: it was in Arab hands for years, and Muslims have been especially tolerant and are thus worthy of keeping it. I have five complaints with this. First, Jerusalem was in Jewish hands for a long time as well, and it has had a Jewish majority since the 1870s (a time when Jerusalem was virtually the only town with a Jewish majority in Asia). Second, Jerusalem is the Jewish capital. Third, many Muslims have been very intolerant of Jewish rights in the region and still are. Fourth, even if the Muslims became more tolerant, that would not justify their proposed theft of the city. Fifth, a major reason for Muslim interest in the city appears to be that it is the Jewish capital.

Chapman calls these Muslim claims to the city an appeal to "principles of human rights and international law." But I think they're just taunting threats to swipe the capital city of those they wish to oppress.

The author faults Israel for being unwilling to give away enough of its capital city. When Israel was willing to give away Arab portions of the city, he wanted it to give away Jewish portions as well! He falsely says that the Camp David accords would have split the Arab portion of the Levant into "Bantustans." And he boasts, incorrectly, that all non-Jews in Jerusalem would vote to be part of a new Arab state, and not Israel. That's plenty of self-serving untruths on his part!

In 1938, we could all have demanded that the Czechs admit to crimes that they never committed. But that would not have led to peace in Europe. Today, we can demand the same of Israel. But that will not lead to peace now. Instead, I think we need an Arab willingness to face up to the past and to tell the truth. And I think we need a big apology from many Arabs. As well as from the author of this book.

The Beloved Disciple: Whose Witness Validates the Gospel of John?

Average customer rating:

A Great Read that has been unfairly rated
Author should have paid more attention to Biblical Greek...
Good Book, and good thesis!
Charlesworth's thesis falls short
Charlesworth's "comprehensive" work fails to look at all pos

The Beloved Disciple: Whose Witness Validates the Gospel of John?
James H. Charlesworth
Manufacturer: Trinity Press International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1563381354

Customer Reviews:

A Great Read that has been unfairly rated.......2006-01-04

Charlesworth's careful study on the identity of the Beloved Disciple (BD) has been grossly under-rated by many of the other Amazon.com reviewers. While this monograph is anything but a influential and momentous study, it serves as a nice introduction to the sub-field of the identity and role of the BD in the Gospel of John. Charlesworth does a great job of introducing the problems and perplexities of the BD as well as offers a great overview of various speculations on the identity of the BD throughout history.

Some criticisms of the work are indeed justified. Charlesworth theorizes that Thomas Didymus was the Beloved Disciple of John and offers marginal and controversial evidence to support his claim. This is a rather liberal view for the BD and one that many conservative scholars (Brown, Dodd) would probably have rejected. In spite of this, "The Beloved Disciple: Whose Witness Validates the Gospel of John?" is a great read and is highly recommended.

Author should have paid more attention to Biblical Greek..........2003-12-02

Perhaps if Mr. Charlesworth had a better working knowledge of Biblical Greek, he would have understood that the word often translated as "son" in John 19:26 also meant the gender-neutral "child." Although the word has historically been translated as "son," that is most definitely not the only possible, or the only likely, reasonable reading.

The Gospel itself invites speculation as to the gender (and the identity) of the beloved disciple, as the author chose not to use the accepted Greek word for "son," which would have solidified the gender indicated.

The Gospel quite clearly names Mary Magdalene as being present, but no male disciple. This too leaves a great deal of room for a reading that Charlesworth dismisses.

In fact, far from being a far-fetched idea, given the context of the Gospel itself it seems much more likely that Mary Magdalene is the witness, rather than any of the male disciples. Such a conclusion is not a radical wish or fantasy, but rather the fruit of careful and attentive study -- even if Charlesworth disagrees with this concept (of a female witness in such a position of power), still he should not dismiss it out of hand. Such a move displays merely the author's (and the Church's) own ideological wish-fulfillment, a stretching of the Gospels to fit their own desired reading.

What might have been an interesting and thought-provoking book is undermined by the author's own prejudice and unfortunate lack of depth in his reading of the Gospel of John. It is only through disciplined, rigoruous, and skilled readings of the Gospels that questions such as those Charlesworth raises may be resolved, and unfortunately, this book does not provide such a reading.

Good Book, and good thesis!.......2003-09-04

I agree completly with Charlesworth, about Thomas! Some people try to associate a women with the title of "disciple" but they forget the context where Jesus were living.

Charlesworth's thesis falls short.......1999-07-10

This book is an excellent survey of the scholarly research that has gone into the attempt to identify the anonymous Beloved Disciple of the Fourth Gospel. However, he fails to provide compelling arguments in support of his own thesis that the Beloved Disciple was the apostle Thomas. The chief reason for rejecting Thomas as the Beloved Disciple is MOTIVE. Charlesworth does not provide a plausible motivational hypothesis in support of his idea that the writer(s) of the Fourth Gospel concealed the identity of St. Thomas as the primary source behind this biblical text. The question here should be: "Why?" Thomas was one of the Twelve Apostles. Why would the writer(s) of the Gospel not be willing to identify one of the Twelve as their eyewitness source? ...Indeed, after careful consideration it is difficult to understand why they would have needed to suppress the identity of any MALE disciple mentioned in the Gospel. In his introduction to this book, Charlesworth says the following: "It is obviously inconceivable that the Beloved Disciple might have been a woman, perhaps Mary Magdalene, because from the cross Jesus told his mother, 'Behold your son'"(5-6). In quickly dismissing the possibility that the Beloved Disciple may have been a woman, Charlesworth probably rejected ideas that are more plausible than his own. The motive for concealing the identity of the Beloved Disciple may have been precisely because that disciple was indeed female, perhaps even Mary Magdalene. In fact, the recently discovered ancient Gnostic documents of the Nag Hammadi Library repeatedly refer to Mary Magdalene as the disciple whom Jesus loved the most. The Fourth Gospel was written at a time when the testimony of women was not considered to be very credible by the patriarchal power structure. Perhaps the reason for the anonymity of the Beloved Disciple in the Fourth Gospel was because the disciple was a woman and the final editor(s) of the text did not wish her gender to become an issue among possible detractors who would not accept their Gospel as credible if it was primarily based on the testimony of a woman. Charlesworth should have pursued this possibility rather than rejecting it outright with one sentence. There is a growing amount of research among many Scripture scholars which shows that women probably had more to do with the expansion of the early Church than traditional scholarship has led us to believe. The idea of a woman, perhaps Mary Magdalene, having been the Beloved Disciple may or may not actually be the case. But, it is a possibility that Charlesworth should have investigated. It is hardly "obviously inconceivable."

Charlesworth's "comprehensive" work fails to look at all pos.......1998-07-18

Charlesworth provides a detailed analysis of scholarship on the question of the identity of the mysterious "beloved disciple" in the gospel of John. After carefully anaysing each scholar's thesis, he lays a case for identifying Thomas as the beloved disciple. Unfortunatly, like most other scholars, he fails to consider the candidacy of Mary of Bethany, who fills the bill better than Thomas does. See Thomas W. Butler's LET HER KEEP IT: JESUS' ORDINATION OF MARY OF BETHANY, Quantum Leap Publisher (1998) for a careful study of Old and New Testament evidence to support the thesis that the beloved disciple of Jesus was a woman. Her identity was hidden because that fact was not acceptable to the established leaders in ancient Christian, Jewish and Greek culture.

Educating the Christian Mind: Whose Responsibility Is It? (What We Believe)

Average customer rating:

Educating the Christian Mind: Whose Responsibility Is It? (What We Believe)

Manufacturer: Back to the Bible
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Pamphlet

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0847409333

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books