Book Description
A new translation of Max Weber's classic The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism--one of the most enduring and influential books in sociology--is now available from Roxbury.
Translator Stephen Kalberg is an internationally acclaimed Weberian scholar. In this Third Roxbury Edition, Kalberg offers a precise and nuanced rendering of The Protestant Ethic that captures Weber's style as well as the unusual subtlety of his descriptions and causal arguments. Kalberg's standardization of Weber's terminology facilitates understanding of the various twists and turns in his complex lines of reasoning. Weber's original italicization, highlighting major themes, has been restored. A glossary of major terms and numerous clarifying endnotes have been added; foreign terms have been translated; bracketed insertions in the text identify obscure names. In short, the Protestant Ethic thesis is presented in a clear and highly readable manner.
There are three compelling reasons for students to read this classic:
It explores the continuing debate regarding the origins and legacy of modern capitalism in the West.
It helps the reader better understand economic development today around the world, especially in Russia, Eastern Europe, Asia, and South America.
It plumbs the deep cultural forces that affect contemporary work life and the workplace in the United States and Europe.
In his introduction, Kalberg offers a sketch of Weber's life and his major concerns, examines the intellectual context at the time The Protestant Ethic was written, and summarizes major aspects of Weber's complex analysis. Kalberg also discusses this classical study in the context of Weber's other writings. Finally, Kalberg investigates the contribution of The Protestant Ethic for understanding the role played by cultural forces in modern economic development.
The new translation includes Weber's 1906 essay "The Protestant Sects and the Spirit of Capitalism." Written after his extensive travels in the United States in 1904, Weber comments here on the diverse ways in which the legacies of early American Protestantism remain influential. Also contained in this edition are Weber's masterful prefatory remarks to his Collected Essays in the Sociology of Religion, in which he defines the uniqueness of Western societies and asks what "ideas and interests" combined to call forth modern Western rationalism.
For students, The Protestant Ethic is a starting point toward understanding the multiple dimensions of social change. The continuing debates about the main elements of modern life, economic cultures and business ethics, our "common sense" economic determinism and "rational choices," the future of modern capitalism, the relationship between cultural forces and social structures, and the tension between science and religion are very much part of the Weberian project. Small wonder, then, that The Protestant Ethic continues to be one of the most frequently assigned readings in sociology.
Translator Stephen Kalberg is the author of Max Weber's Comparative-Historical Sociology (1994), Max Weber's Sociology of Civilizations, and numerous articles on Weber. He is the editor of Max Weber: The Confrontation with Modernity (2003l). He teaches at Boston University, where he is Associate Professor of Sociology. He is also co-chair of the German Study Group at Harvard University's Center for European Studies.
Customer Reviews:
Modern capitalism and its origins.......2005-02-01
What Weber's ideas most clearly demonstrate is not capitalism as it is seen by the the devout protestant or any derivation thereof, he clearly proposes that capitalism itself is founded and practiced solely on the moral and ethical teachings of the protestant refromation. Furthurmore, the continued presence of God or any other religious influence is secondary to the overall implications of their socio-political indoctronation.
Weber essentially argues, that it is protestantism's continued comitment to a vocational calling as compared to traditional catholic virtue of church commitment, that is the essential method of spiritual distinguishemnt.
It is aided by the virtualy simultanious growth of both capitalism and Protestantism that enabled capitalism to extend beyond simply a seclar practise and over-all "necissary evil," into a fully encompassing and consuming reflection of an individual's spiritual right of passage.
Evidence of Weber's theory is distributed widely through contemporary polotics, fully 20 of the top 30 industrailized nations are predominantly protestant. Even countries such as Japan that seemingly have had no protestant influence and have had success with a capitalist economy, inevitably, must submit themselves to Weber's theory because, Weber is not concerned pervasiveness protestant traditions, only with the occurence of protestant ideals.
This book, though highly debated and controversial, is a must read for anyone with the slightest interest in global context or concerned with capitalism metioric rise to power. With a growing Globalized capitalist system, Webers ideas undoubtedly will become increasingly more apperent as capitalism invades every nook and cranny of an increasingly shrinking world; will cultures with otherwise foreign or dissimilar beliefs and practices every really be able to accept the merits of capitalism if they must equally reconcile themselves with the ethical premises of protestantism?
Interesting but not really scholarship.......2002-09-11
There are so many problems with Weber's idea that it is hard to know where to begin. First of all, there are no examples anywhere in the text of statements of purpose from capitalists reflecting on the Protestant Ethic. The closest Weber comes is Benjamin Franklin, but Franklin was an American who lived several generations after the origin of capitalism in Europe. Franklin better reflects the "can do" spirit of a new continent, the "American Adam," than he is a "secularization" of Calvin. Couldn't Weber find a European Ben Franklin?
Moreover, Weber's thesis fails the Ockham rule. As Adam Smith argues, the reason people chose to play rather than work is because work offered such paltry returns. Why invent this complicated "secularization thesis" when "greed" is a sufficient explanation?
Third, as one astute reviewer noted below, Weber inherits a Kantian ethics that he was never able to lose. Why must the capitalist pursue money or success "for its own sake"? Are there not perfectly rational reasons for working hard, including greed?
Why must the capitalist adhere to a Kantian ethics of "wealth for its own sake" without any ulterior motives? No one before the Objectivist wackos ever argued that unlimited accumulation of wealth is an "end in itself," or argued that the pursuit of unlimited wealth is a right independent of the good it may do for society.
It should also be understood that Marx is not the only target of Weber's polemical thrusts. He considered his primary target to be Werner Sombart, but Sombart has never been taken seriously in the US because he was a conservative and briefly a Nazi. Sombart's books are in fact much more plausible than Weber's. Luxury and Capitalism is in fact a very "Smithian" account of the origin of capitalism in the seigneurial lord's fascination with luxury goods, and his gradual displacement by the urban manufacturer.
All of that said, Weber tells a very interesting story that is more about the "rationalisation" of "demagification" (Entzauberung) of society than it is about capitalism. By equating capitalism with "efficiency" or "rationalization," however, Weber obscures the basic issues.
Book Description
Dedicated as few men have been to the life of reason, Bertrand Russell has always been concerned with the basic questions to which religion also addresses itself -- questions about man's place in the universe and the nature of the good life, questions that involve life after death, morality, freedom, education, and sexual ethics. He brings to his treatment of these questions the same courage, scrupulous logic, and lofty wisdom for which his other work as philosopher, writer, and teacher has been famous. These qualities make the essays included in this book perhaps the most graceful and moving presentation of the freethinker's position since the days of Hume and Voltaire.
"I am as firmly convinced that religions do harm as I am that they are untrue," Russell declares in his Preface, and his reasoned opposition to any system or dogma which he feels may shackle man's mind runs through all the essays in this book, whether they were written as early as 1899 or as late as 1954.
The book has been edited, with Lord Russell's full approval and cooperation, by Professor Paul Edwards of the Philosophy Department of New York University. In an Appendix, Professor Edwards contributes a full account of the highly controversial "Bertrand Russell Case" of 1940, in which Russell was judicially declared "unfit" to teach philosophy at the College of the City of New York.
Whether the reader shares or rejects Bertrand Russell's views, he will find this book an invigorating challenge to set notions, a masterly statement of a philosophical position, and a pure joy to read.
Customer Reviews:
shocked to discover Russell is an antisemite.......2007-09-14
I was extremely shocked and pained to read Russell's essay Ideas That Have Helped Mankind (as well as his writings on China) and discover that he was a flaming antisemite, and also something of a fool.
He writes: "We know what the Nazis did to Jews at Auschwitz. In mass cruelty, the expulsions of Germans ordered by the Russians fall not very far short of the atrocities perpetuated by the Nazis." Here he is skirting close to Holocaust denial, comparing post-war suffering of East Germans to genocide of 90% of Europe's Jews!
Elsewhere he lists the contributions of Jewish ethics to Western civilization as fanaticism and intolerance, and pretends that we got our belief that all men are created equal from the Stoics and the New Testament, with quotes that are mere paraphrases from the Hebrew Bible. He ignores all the Jewish lessons on equality and sacredness of every life including, Love thy neighbor as thyself. This is pure religious bigotry. What a hypocrite!
What is truly distressing is that his antisemitic comments from the book on China have been picked up and repeated by Chinese web sites today, so Russell's evil deeds are poisoning the present.
The Hobo Philosopher.......2007-09-09
Well, clearly if you are a Christian you will indubitably not relish this work nor would I see any reason why you would want to buy it. This book is for those who do not find Christianity appealing. Russell has many arguments that are logical and rational. This book is not difficult. It is not harsh. It is not mean spirited. I have read many others that are much more denigrating. Russell stays well above the shallow and vicious. He backs his arguments with history, science and logic. He is simple and to the point. This book is old. I bought my first copy back in the late 50's. But for those non-Christians and semi-Christians who are newly starting on the road to dubiousness and other possibilities, this book is as relevant as it ever was. Common sense doesn't really change all that much.
Why I am not a Christian is only one of several essays in this book. There is another great one on the Fate of Tom Paine and there is also a concise explanation of Russell personal beliefs. I've read this book several times and I will read it again, I'm sure.
The Fount Of Much Modern Criticism of Christianity.......2007-05-23
If you have read any of Richard Dawkins' or Sam Harris' works, you will recognize immediately, as did I, that essentially they have not progressed very far in the main from what Russell was saying at the turn of the 20th century.
Russell writes clearly and with wonderful wit. This book is easy to read, accessible at all levels and straight forward in its conclusions. I disagree with Russell on just about everything, but there is no denying the consistency of his thought nor his willingness to live consistently what that which he espouses.
His multiple marriages and numerous liaisons are absolutely convergent with his disapproval of any societal strictures against sexual freedom. He adamantly insists that all moral formulations only reflect the inherent desires of those who espouse them. This leads him to conclude that there is no absolute difference between the poet and the murderer and that it is illogical to build a statue to one and to consign the other to the realm of shame. To Russell, all human actions result from the combined causality of genetics and social conditioning and that we should no more look down upon one who is doing criminal things than we should look down upon a person who has the measles.
Like most radical liberals of his day Russell understood education as the realm of the Messiah. Education, under the guidance of enlightened thinkers such as himself, would radically alter and improve the human specie so that we could hope to live lives of love and freedom. Utopia beckons, we have only to embrace it rationally and pursue it energetically.
In all his brilliance Russell never comes to grips in these essays with his primary problem. He was totally lacking in grounds on which to criticize the rising stars of Hitler and Mussolini other than the fact that their methods and their conclusions differed from his own. He had no standard other than appeal to like sympathies in others to say that perhaps the manner and nature of those regimes was worse or better than his own. He cannot discover in the world of science why "what is" is either "what ought" or "what ought not" to be.
Read the book and discover the ultimate vacuity of a world view without external referrent.
A Must. Do read it, please........2007-04-24
Russell teaches to be atheist, a concept none can develop if left, unarmed since a boy, under the havy bombings of christian ideas.
THINK ABOUT IT.......2007-03-14
Isn't it interesting that Mr. Russell claims that all religions are shackles to the mind, but yet why is it that only Christians are attacked, even the title of this book is WHY I AM NOT A CHIRSTIAN, well if it's true that Mr., Russell believes this of all religions why is only Christianity attacked? Why is it that out of all the religious leaders in history of all the religions only Christ is made fun of, only Christ is repeatedly sought out to be disproved...Because HE IS THE TRUTH. The world and things of this world will never understand that. But lies will always attack the truth. Granted there are fanatics to every religion, but if you want to know the truth find a REAL Christian. They are rare to be found but there are still a few.
Book Description
Millions know Thomas Merton as the author of The Seven Storey Mountain, the autobiography that became an international bestseller and a modern spiritual classic. Merton, a prolific spiritual writer and social activist, inspired a generation from the silence and solitude of a Trappist monastery. Decades after his death, he remains a modern spiritual master, a source of wisdom on peace, racial harmony, poverty, alienation, and the engagement of Eastern and Western spiritual traditions.
Now Merton is also revealed as a man whose spirituality is rooted in nature, an environmentalist ahead of his time. His writings on nature serve as a primer on eco-spirituality. He approaches ecology as a spiritual issue, one that exposes the degree of human alienation from the sacredness of the planet.
When The Trees Say Nothing gathers for the first time over 300 of Merton's nature writings, grouping them thematically into sections on the seasons, elements, creatures and other topics. Edited by Merton scholar Kathleen Deignan, the collection is cohesive and accessible, drawing from both Merton's public writings and his recently published private journals. The lyrical writings are enhanced with Deignan's own informative Introduction, along with a Foreword by Thomas Berry, renowned spiritual mentor for the environmental movement.
Unique and powerful on its own, When the Trees Say Nothing is enhanced with the art of John B. Giuliani, known for his stunning iconography. Giuliani's drawings harmonize exquisitely with Merton's meditations on nature, making When the Trees Say Nothing a spiritual and aesthetic prize.
Customer Reviews:
When the Trees Say Nothing: Writings on Nature.......2007-01-18
Very good read, with a 5 star being his The Seven Storey Mountain. This is a great collection for anyone looking to group Merton's works in to topics, seasons, or just short chapters. This is a definite "must get" for anyone into Merton or nature, even if they are not looking to use it for prayer and meditation. This is the book you sit and read as Merton walks you through the woods of beautiful landscape and little creatures, taking you away from the kids, city life and traffic.
Become One With the Creative Mystery.......2004-03-01
Kathleen Deignan, a professor of religious studies at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York, really outdid herself here in compiling and editing some THREE HUNDRED works by Thomas Merton in this text. It's not a particularly long book, surprisingly, with only 190 some odd pages in it. With that being said, not much is left out here, either. It's by all means complete. There are chapters on the four seasons - on the mountains and the forests. Nature herself.
Merton even likens a mountain to sainthood, seeing God`s creative beauty and wonder all throughout nature. If you have ever been to the Abbey of Gethsemani, you may understand why that is, too. The monastery is surrounded by absolutely stunning and expanding landscape, the perfect spot for the kind of reflection and introspection Merton apparently did in this work. He urges us to be engaged with nature. That probably means for us modernists to get out there off of our sometimes lazy butts and take a walk; go ride our bike. Whatever it is feel your connection to nature in a very raw sense. It opens up the sunshine that is already within. Merton's helpful finger pointing us the way in this work on how wonderful nature really is, serves as truly a great inspiration to do just that.
say nothing is everything that matters.......2003-10-17
Kathleen Deignan's When the Trees Say Nothing
is a fresh rendition of Thomas Merton's writings evoked from creation. In times when chatter is normative and being alone is mistaken for loneliness we have a wonderful lectio book of quotes and context of 'seeing' from the inside.
This book will live beyond the writer but not without chanigng many readers into the vast beauty of 'silence'.
Spiritually rewarding for readers of all faiths.......2003-04-07
Compiled and edited by Kathleen Deignan ( Sister of the Congregation of Notre Dame), enhanced with drawings by John Giuliani (Founder and Overseer of The Benedictine Grang, a spiritual center in West Redding, Connecticut), and featuring an informative foreword by Thomas Berry, When The Trees Say Nothing: Writings On Nature is an impressively thoughtful and thought-provoking collection of commentaries by the late Thomas Merton (1915-1968), an influential Catholic monk, poet, spiritual writer, and social activist. The commentaries, observations, and writings are superbly organized into eight chapters: Seasons; Elements; Firmament; Creatures; Festivals; Presences; and Sanctuary. These, along with the postscript "Sophia," a section of notes, a list of abbreviations, and a bibliography, combine in a movingly written, enthusiastically recommended volume of readings that are appropriate and spiritually rewarding for readers of all faiths who seek to experience the sacred and the sacramental in God's handiworks.
Book Description
This is the first new rendition for a generation of The City of God, the first major intellectual achievement of Latin Christianity and one of the classic texts of Western civilization. Robert Dyson has produced a complete, accurate, authoritative and fluent translation of De Civitate Dei, edited together with full biographical notes, a concise introduction, bibliography and chronology of Augustine's life. The result is an important contribution of interest to students of theology, philosophy, ecclesiastical history, the history of political thought and late antiquity.
Customer Reviews:
What a slog..........2002-04-18
Although this has been published as part of the "Cambridge Texts on Political Thought" series, it is only incidentally a political work. Its proper genre is Christian Apologetics - the reasoned defense of Christian belief.
Augustine's motive for writing it came from the sack of Rome in 410, which many Roman pagans blamed on the Empire's abandonment of its pagan gods for Christianity. Augustine began writing it in 413, continued with it on and off for the next 13 years, before finally completing it in 426. It is by far the longest of Augustine's works.
Although "The City of God" is formally divided into twenty-two "books" (the books of works of this period were quite short - broadly equal to the modern chapter), the book is more a unit of length than of structure. The highest level of structure of the work is more or less as follows:
(1) Against the belief that the pagan gods can give rewards in this life (5 books)
(2) Against the belief that the pagan gods can give rewards in the next life (5 books)
(3) Origins of the City of God and the City of Man (4 books)
(4) Histories of the City of God and the City of Man (4 books)
(5) Comparative futures of the City of God and the City of Man (4 books)
The first section, against the belief that the pagan gods should be worshipped for what they can give in this life, was primarily concerned with Roman history. The pagan argument was that Rome had been prosperous while it had worshipped the pagan gods, but had suffered disaster after abandoning them. Augustine's response is a recital of disasters - civil wars and despotic rule - suffered by Rome prior to turning Christian. Augustine admitted that Christianity had not brought prosperity to Rome, but pointed out that it never promised to - that Christianity's promises of reward were not in this life, but in the infinitely more important life to come.
The second section was aimed not at what might be termed 'popular paganism', but at the philosophical efforts to give paganism intellectual credibility, particularly Neo-Platonism. Following the Roman writer Varro, Augustine considered the paganism of the poets, the paganism of the state, and the paganism of the philosophers. His argument was that the philosophers admit the paganism of the poets to be nonsense, but that the paganism of the state could not be separated from that of the poets and must equally be condemned. Augustine was respectful of the paganism of the philosophers, but argued that the philosophical arguments were better fulfilled in Christianity than in paganism.
The third section was written around an exposition of Genesis. Its purpose was to define the relationship between God and creation, God and man, man and sin, sin and death, and the nature of the life to come. In the prior two sections, Augustine was primarily on the attack, but in this section he was on the defense, explaining Christian belief and defending it against philosophical objections that he thinks either arise from misunderstandings of Christianity or mistakes in Neo-Platonism.
The fourth section was devoted to history - Biblical and Roman. Augustine's account of Biblical history was quite literal - the long lives of the patriarchs, for example, was taken at face value and defended as accurate history. In it, Augustine developed the division of the world into those submitting to the will of God (the City of God) and those defying it (the City of Man). Augustine's history paid particularly close attention of prophesies of the coming of Jesus, through whom the City of God would spread over the entire world.
The fifth section was concerned with prophecies of the future of the world, particularly in the Book of Revelation, and with the nature of the next life for both the damned and the saved. Again, Augustine was quite literal in his readings of these prophecies, although he later wrote that he had probably been too literal in some of his prophetic interpretations.
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In the title of my review, I described the book as a slog. It is time to explain why.
The book's first two sections consist of a 400 page attack on the truth of Roman paganism, a conclusion that the modern reader would have conceded before reading page 1. The reader's ability to get through this is not helped by the fact that it is repetitive and that much of it will mean little to readers without a solid background in Roman history. Further distancing this section from the interest of the modern reader is Augustine's frequent invocation of aerial daemons as being behind paganism. At that time, aerial daemons were believed in by pagans and Christians alike, but few (if any) moderns still do. As a result, contemporary readers will likely find Augustine's frequent references to them more hurtful than helpful to the Christian cause.
The book's last three sections, of about 700 pages, are largely concerned with the Bible. The first of these, dealing with Genesis, I found by far the most interesting of the book's five sections, but I also thought that Augustine treated the subject better in his "The Literal Meaning of Genesis". The fourth section, dealing with the rest of the Old Testament, was a by-the-numbers retelling of the original that felt like a deliberate test of the reader's powers of endurance. The last section, dealing primarily with prophecy, I found largely uninteresting because I found it unconvincing, a conviction that Augustine himself, at least to some extent, later shared.
I've given the book four stars less for itself than its author and its historical importance. Of all the works of Augustine I have read, however, this is near the bottom of those that I would recommend based on contemporary interest.
Should be the new standard.......2001-02-22
It is hard to find recent work on De Civitate Dei in English that does not use this newest edition and translation of probably Augustine's most influential work (if not his most readable). I am convinced that this will be the translation that will be used for the foreseeable future. An excellent rendering of the Latin original, wonderful introduction and copious notes. So clear and precise is the translation, and so helpful is the supporting scholarship, that one could conceivably come to this particular text of Augustine's work having no prior knowledge, and leave it with complete fluency. It is that good. For the full effect, get the 3 vols of the Loeb Classical Latin-English edition (the MacCracken-Greene translation is still very useful, though not in comparison to newer scholarship such as Dyson's) and work though the text yourself. I think that Augustine's Latin and Dyson's English match up well next to each other--this is a volume to own if you are contemplating any serious work with Augustine, or if you are just curious about what all the fuss over Augustine is about. A polemical, brilliant, controversial, and stimulating work, City of God is as good a place as any to introduce yourself to Augustine, and this is an excellent translation to use.
Book Description
A survey of the various ways--often unrecognized and overlooked--whereby Christianity has impacted the world, making the world a better place and enriching our everyday living. Formerly titled Under the Influence.
Customer Reviews:
Understanding the Foundations of Western Society.......2007-05-31
I have a friend who works in the criminal justice system. He tells me chilling things like some of the young offenders he works with have no sense of right and wrong. They show no remorse for the vilest of crimes. In a society that seems all too intent on casting off its Christian influences, we do well to remember what those influences wrought. Losing them would create a terrible world.
Alvin Schmidt takes us on a tour of the many civilizing influences christianity has had, including the valuation of human life, the institution of healing arts and humane care for the mentally ill. Even an atheist would have to admit the faith has built much of what we value and take for granted in our society.
Major Eye Opener.......2007-01-28
I have always known that Christianity had an enormous impact on the world, but I didn't realize the depth and scope of its influence, until reading Alvin Schmidt's amazing book. No other religion, ideology, or person has affected the course of history like Christianity.Schmidt explores the different fields and institutions that have been produced or
improved upon by the world's largest and most widespread religion.
I especially liked the chapters on science and education, which no doubt,
will spark some controversy, particularly, by atheists and scientists. But history shows that contrary to prevailing thought, science and the institutes of higher learning got an incalculable boost from Christianity.
Monasteries were the predecessors of the modern university. Schmidt
also correctly pointed out that Christ's passionate directive to "teach all nations" was the true driving force behind global civilization, not merely military conquest.Women were elevated in status. Children were rescued from exposure, and sick people who weren't rich or important by societal standards, were cared for and sparked the rise of today's hospitals. Also, Schmidt cogently argues that Jesus has been the single greatest artistic inspiration for the past 2000 years. From the Pieta to
the Last Supper, the Ascension to the Descent From the Cross, Schmidt clearly shows how Christ poignantly influenced artists as diverse as DaVinci, Durer, Raphael, and the incomparable Michaelangelo.
This book will be a major eye opener for everyone who reads it. Even atheists and secularists will be hard pressed to disprove its claims.
May Dr. Schmidt receive undying praise for his marvelous effort to enlighten our world about the greatest religion ever founded.
How Christianity Changed the World.......2007-01-19
This book exposes the truth behind the institutions of compassion and education that secularism has conveniently eliminated from the pages of history.
Knowing these truths opens ones eyes to the reality of true Christianity in our world.
A must read for truth seekers.
In Defense of the Faith.......2007-01-10
In an age when denigrating true Christianity has become the in thing to do this book brings forth solid answers and reasons for christians to be bold and confident in their faith. Dr. Schmidt is meticulous in his footnoting of sources. He also has written the book in a very reader friendly style that even reluctant readers can easily follow and enjoy.
What a difference this man has made.......2006-02-11
In this well-documented volume of over 400 pages, Schmidt marshals the evidence for the transforming power of the Christian faith. He shows how Jesus has the power to transform men, who in turn are able to transform society. And on every level, that is exactly what has happened. Several specific examples can be mentioned.
In spite the claims of some today that Christianity oppresses women, the historical record shows just the opposite. Women were oppressed in almost every culture prior to the coming of Christianity. By elevating sexual morality, and by conferring upon women a much higher status, the Christian religion revolutionised the place and prestige of women.
The way Jesus treated women was in stark contrast to the surrounding culture. In Roman law a man's wife and children were little more than slaves, often treated like animals. Women had no property rights and faced severe social restrictions. Jesus of course changed all that. The way he treated the Samaritan woman was one remarkable example. And this was not lost on the early disciples. We know from the New Testament documents that many women exercised various leadership roles in the early church. Indeed, during this period Christian women actually outnumbered Christian men.
Admittedly there were some anomalies later in the church's history, when chauvinistic and anti-feminine views were allowed to re-enter parts of the church. But such aberrations must not detract from the truly revolutionary elevation of the status of women achieved by Christianity.
Consider also the issue of health care. Prior to Christianity, the Greeks and Romans had little or no interest in the poor, the sick and the dying. But the early Christians, following the example of their master, ministered to the needs of the whole person. During the first three centuries of the church they could only care for the sick where they found them, as believers were then a persecuted people. Once the persecutions subsided, however, the institutonalisation of health care began in earnest.
For example, the first ecumenical council at Nicea in 325 directed bishops to establish hospices in every city that had a cathedral. The first hospital was built by St Basil in Caesarea in 369. By the Middle Ages hospitals covered all of Europe and even beyond. In fact, "Christian hospitals were the world's first voluntary charitable institutions".
Care for the mentally ill was also a Christian initiative. Nursing also sprang from Christian concerns for the sick, and many Christians have given their lives to such tasks. One thinks of Florence Nightingale, for example, and the formation of the Red Cross.
Education, while important in Greek and Roman culture, really took off institutionally under the influence of Christianity. The early Greeks and Romans had no public libraries or educational institutions - it was Christianity that established these. As discipleship was important for the first believers (and those to follow), early formal education arose from Christian catechetical schools. Unique to Christian education was the teaching of both sexes.
Also a Christian distinctive, individuals from all social and ethnic groups were included. There was no bias based on ethnicity or class. And the concept of public education first came from the Protestant Reformers. Moreover, the rise of the modern university is largely the result of Christian educational endeavours.
As another example of the Christian influence, consider the issue of work and economic life. The Greeks and Romans had a very low view of manual labour, and so it was mainly the slaves and lower classes that were forced to toil with their hands. The non-slave population lived chiefly for personal pleasure. In these early cultures slaves usually greatly outnumbered freemen.
Thus there was no such thing as the dignity of labour in these cultures, and economic freedom was only for a select few. The early church changed all this. Jesus of course was a carpenter's son. Paul was a tentmaker. And the early admonition, "If a man will not work, he shall not eat" was taken seriously by the early believers. Thus work was seen as an honorable and God-given calling. Laziness and idleness were seen as sinful.
The idea of labor as a calling, and the idea spoken by Jesus that the laborer is worthy of his wages, revolutionised the workplace. The dignity of labor, the value of hard work, and the sense of vocation, soon changed the surrounding society; the development of a middle class being one of the outcomes. The development of unions is another result. Indeed, the works of Weber and Tawney, among others, records the profound effect the Protestant Reformation has had on work and modern capitalism.
Other impacts can be noted. The commandment against stealing of course redefined the concept of private property and property rights. And the protection of workers and workers' rights also flows directly from the biblical worldview. The early unionists were Christians, and concerns for social justice in the workplace and beyond derive from the Judeo-Christian tradition.
Other great achievements might be mentioned. The Western political experience, including genuine democracy at all levels of society, equality, human rights and various freedoms, all stem from the Christian religion, along with its Hebrew forebear. The rise of modern science has been directly linked with the biblical understanding of the world. The many great achievements in art, literature and music also deserve mention. For example, how much poorer would the world be without the Christian artistry of da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Bach, Handel, Brahms, Dante, Milton, Bunyan, and countless others?
The bottom line, as Schmidt notes, is that if Jesus Christ had never been born, to speak of Western civilisation would be incomprehensible. Indeed, there may never have been such a civilisation. The freedoms and benefits we enjoy in many modern cultures are directly due to the influence of this one man. Schmidt deserves an enormous amount of gratitude for this sterling collection of information and inspiration. Christians have made many mistakes. But they have also achieved many great things, all because of the one whom they follow.
Book Description
Written by a preeminent religious historian, this book provides an introduction to early Christian thought. Focusing on major figures such as St. Augustine and Gregory of Nyssa, as well as a host of less well known thinkers, Robert Wilken chronicles the emergence of a specifically Christian intellectual tradition. In chapters on topics including early Christian worship, Christian poetry and the spiritual life, the Trinity, Christ, the Bible, and icons, Wilken shows that the energy and vitality of early Christianity arose from within the life of the Church. While early Christian thinkers drew on the philosophical and rhetorical traditions of the ancient world, it was the versatile vocabulary of the Bible that loosened their tongues and minds and allowed them to construct the world anew, intellectually and spiritually. These thinkers were not seeking to invent a world of ideas, Wilken shows, but rather to win the hearts of men and women and to change their lives. !
Early Christian thinkers set in place a foundation that has endured. Their writings are an irreplaceable inheritance, and Wilken shows that they can still be heard as living voices within contemporary culture.
Customer Reviews:
"A Tale of Two Books, part 2", or "The Spirit shines through the Fathers".......2007-07-30
It is hard to believe that this book is by the same man who wrote "The Christians as the Romans Saw Them". What a difference 19 years makes.
This is one of the most inspiring books I have ever read. I must have highlighted the whole book since I found almost every sentence edifying.
I had become accustomed to reading the Church Fathers from an apologetic or polemical standpoint. This book made me realize how I had overlooked the faith and piety of the Early Fathers. Prof. Wilken shows among other things how they sought to ground their all their arguments Biblically, and how little Christian doctrine actually owes to pagan thought, other than perhaps a few philosophical terms.
If you really want to understand how Christian doctrine was shaped by faith and inspiration, and not by cerebral distillations, you simply MUST read this book.
Enjoyable, but..........2007-06-07
This book left me feeling very torn. On the one hand, it was really a great read. On the other hand, it seemed that there was an underlying agenda that the author refused to admit (or realize). At times, it seemed a little like Bart Ehrman's book--only half the story gets told to bend the conclusion. Of course, Wilken admits that he is not telling the whole story, but he leads the reader to believe that he is being fair. Allow me a few examples. Wilken admits that Augustine is the giant of early Christian thought, and quotes him in every chapter, and on almost every subject. However, when he begins to talk about free-will, there is no talk of Augustine, and Wilken says that all the early fathers believed in free-will. While Augustine may have been in the minority, the average reader (to whom the book is written, as purported by Wilken) would have no other idea. Also, Wilken talks about the monothelite controversy. Usually, he deals with all the bishops and emporers on both sides of a debate. However, in this discussion, he fails to mention Honorius, prelate of Rome. This would be unknown to the average reader, but seems (to me) that it would be important enough to mention. There are a few other, mostly minor, examples of things like this. It all seems to be an apologetic for Roman Catholicism. While that's fine to write an apologetic for your church, telling half the story is deceitful.
That being said, the book is a good read. It flows well, and is enjoyable. Technical terms (usually Greek or Latin words) are explained and used in useful ways. The book contains a good amount of information, yet is presented in an understandable way and is made easy to remember. It isn't just another book on early church history--it traces other things like poetry, etc. Another underlying theme is that knowledge of God is not true knowledge until it is experienced. It seems simple enough, but Wilken explains it quite well. And to this end, I agree with another reviewer, that there is a devotional, not just academic, use for this book.
The negative side of this review shouldn't deter anyone from reading it. This book is a great read, but it needs to be read with discernment (of course, everything does).
Excellent Book.......2007-05-09
I am impressed by the writings of Robert Louis Wilken in this history book. He tells us that the purpose of his book is "to depict the pattern of Christian thinking as it took shape in the formative centuries of the Church's history."
His purpose leads me to believe that he understands that the Bible is the central factor that appeals to all the religious writers from the very beginning to the present time. I cannot help but to be aware that the central theme for anyone will be to understand what God has helped man to write in this great book, The Bible. Readers should come to an awareness in the introduction of this book that we need to understand the history, rituals, and the text to have the proper knowledge of Christian history in order to convey facts and thoughts to all concerned people.
Interesting read.......2007-03-26
An aspect of this book I particularly enjoyed was the discussion of Justin Martyr and the early church's liturgy and beliefs on the Eucharist. It would seem logical that the Christians closest in time to Christ would be in the best position to understand Christianity as Christ intended it. Justin Martyr's descriptions of the earliest liturgies and Christian beliefs on the Eucharist reflect the essentials of modern Catholic belief and practice. It is this type of evidence that prompted me to convert to Catholicism several years ago and Wilken writes about it well and makes it interesting. I also particularly enjoyed his treatment of the thought of Augustine and Maximus the Confessor, the latter of whom I knew very little about.
Masterfull Presentation.......2007-02-20
Robert Wilken has penned a remarkable book that is accessible to the lay person. Eloquently and powerfully written, early Christian figures such as Augustine, Gregory and Origen are examined. Wilken explains to us how these early Christian thinkers developed an intellectual and spiritual world that remains the foundation of the church still to this day. The intellect played an integral role and Wilken opens a window into that world of these early Christian thinkers. This book is impressive and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in early Christian theology.
Amazon.com
Divided by Faith by Michael O. Emerson and Christian Smith has an ingenious, troubling argument. "[E]vangelicals desire to end racial division and inequality, and attempt to think and act accordingly. But, in the process, they likely do more to perpetuate the racial divide than they do to tear it down." Emerson and Smith, who conducted 2,000 telephone surveys and 200 face-to-face interviews in preparing this book, argue that evangelicals have a theological world view that makes it difficult for them to perceive systematic injustices in society. In particular, evangelical emphasis of individualism and free will seem to predispose them to believe that most racial problems can be solved if individuals will only repent of their sins. Therefore, many well-meaning strategies for healing racial divisions (such as cross-cultural friendships) carry within them the seeds of their own defeat. Divided by Faith also includes a brilliant, concise history of evangelical thought about race from colonial times to the civil rights movement. Clearly written and impeccably researched, this book ranks among the most compassionate and critical studies of contemporary evangelicalism. --Michael Joseph Gross
Book Description
Through a nationwide telephone survey of 2,000 people and an additional 200 face-to-face interviews, Michael O. Emerson and Christian Smith probed the grassroots of white evangelical America. They found that despite recent efforts by the movement's leaders to address the problem of racial discrimination, evangelicals themselves seem to be preserving America's racial chasm. In fact, most white evangelicals see no systematic discrimination against blacks. But the authors contend that it is not active racism that prevents evangelicals from recognizing ongoing problems in American society. Instead, it is the evangelical movement's emphasis on individualism, free will, and personal relationships that makes invisible the pervasive injustice that perpetuates racial inequality. Most racial problems, the subjects told the authors, can be solved by the repentance and conversion of the sinful individuals at fault. Combining a substantial body of evidence with sophisticated analysis and interpretation, the authors throw sharp light on the oldest American dilemma. In the end, they conclude that despite the best intentions of evangelical leaders and some positive trends, real racial reconciliation remains far over the horizon.
Customer Reviews:
What You Never Knew.......2007-09-16
This book gets you out of your own hide and context and helps you better understand your context as opposed to the context of others from another type of family, neighborhood, race. We in america have a terrible bias that makes us think of ourselves as the best in the world. We base that mostly on material possessions and military power, not on any real attempt to identify with those in other parts of the world. The same is true of the white culture of this country who do not realize - and cannot without a lot of hard work and introspection - what it is like to be non-white and to grow up in a non-white family, neighborhood, and deal with whites and the predominant white culture. There are multiple white contexts just as there are multiple black and multiple Hispanic contexts - looking at them and seeing the bias helps towards understanding one another and working together. We have a lot to learn about God and Jesus that we can simply learn from breaking down walls and talking.
Powerful, Yet at Times Missing the Ultimate Power Source.......2007-07-31
Please, don't read this book without reading the "sequel": United by Faith.
"Divided by Faith" probes the problem, as understood through a dissertation research project, of race relations in Evangelicalism in America in the 1990s. The results are troubling and at times produce hopelessness. However, facts are facts, and this sort of detailed quantitative and qualitative study is all-too-rare in Evangelical circles.
Emerson's premise is that much of what white Evangelicals do to unite across racial lines end up being counter-productive. He does so by showing a concise history of Evangelical thought about racism from Colonial times to the Civil Rights movement. His basic premise is that most work done is too individualistic--one person trying alone to cross racial boundaries. His basic suggestion is the cross-cultural congregation. Unfortunately, until one reads "United by Faith," how to accomplish this goal is left to the reader's imagination--which may by now have been stunted by all the piles of statistics suggesting that Evangelical racial reconciliation is futile.
The power of God, starting with one person's commitment to cross-cultural relationships, can start a chain reaction--and lead to hope.
Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction, Soul Physicians, Spiritual Friends.
Intolerant of Policy Disagreement.......2007-04-18
What we have here is a leftist author who believes the way to fix all racial problems is for everybody to accept his policy prescriptions.
He thinks white conservative Christians, although showing little racial animus toward blacks, are "part of the problem" because they don't accept his particular political views. This bias taints any insightful parts of the book.
Some good, some bad in this book.......2006-07-22
First off, I am a white evangelical in a moderately sized city to give you some idea of the perspective I bring to reading this.
THE GOOD:
The statistics in the book (the median net worth of blacks is $3,700 compared to $43,800 for whites, P.13...the subtle racism in depiction of the 'evils' of heavy metal music which is usually consumed by Caucasians and rap music which is more favored by urban blacks, p.15...the 1998 National Congregations Study showing 90% of U.S. congregations are formed at least 90% by one race, P.136) reveal that the Church has a long way to go to demonstrate that "Red and yellow, black and white they are precious in His sight".
The personal anecdotes of average evangelical laypeople, both black and white, help put a human face on the views of those on each side of 'the divide'. It helps to remind us that the answers may not lie in 'one size fits all' political solutions.
Chapter 7, as another reviewer mentioned, does a good job of explaining why it is difficult to maintain a mixed-race congregation. "Birds of a feather flock together" and over time, congregations tend to bleed toward one hue or another even despite the pastor's attempts and the founding members best intentions. (The story of 'First Church' 147-150 is illustrative) Also, the tendency of churches to 'market' themselves toward specific groups cause this too...most churches that feature hymns do not also feature contemporary rock-tinged praise and worship music..those who feature 'black' gospel chorals don't tend to feature country infused "Southern gospel".
THE BAD:
The book seems to be very dismissive towards free will determination and individual effort, even as it states these are evangelicals' bedrock values. Since the authors themselves are evangelicals, it seems self-flagellating that they more or less paint two crucial elements of the evangelical belief system as endemic to preventing racial harmony.
It also does seem to embrace a government oriented method of "fixing things": i.e. whites and blacks would get along better if they rubbed shoulders as neighbors, therefore laws must artificially mandate that this happen. The problem with this is the authors seem to not try and understand WHY the inner city areas, which tend to have a higher percentage of black population, don't have as much racial diversity as they would like to see. Is it all simply "white flight"...or is it possible that people desiring the best they can manage for their families choose not to live in neighborhoods they perceive as crime-ridden and unsafe? The same reason why middle and upper income blacks would choose to leave the same areas...they're doing the best they can to provide safe haven for their children as that's what good parents do (or at least try to do).
The argument can be posited I suppose that what Jesus would do is to go where the 'trouble' is and I can see the wisdom in that perspective, but I'm more willing to take more risks with my own PERSONAL safety in the attempt to minister to others than I am willing to do with my FAMILY'S safety. My wife and child are more vulnerable to criminals and because of that I do my best (nothing's 100 percent mind you..even in our 'better' neighborhood we've seen break-ins) to minimize danger and try to make them feel sheltered.
I second the comments another reviewer made in that the problem seems to be 'fixable' in the authors' view primarily through human efforts. Little to no mention is made of individual believers, both black and white (and other races for that matter), who strongly desire to see Christian racial unity as the beginning of the larger healing of the country by actively PRAYING for it on a repeated basis. For an evangelical, the belief that God ANSWERS prayer is foundational and should be a cornerstone of any push to bind society's wounds.
BOTTOM LINE:
Asks a lot of the right questions and for that it's worth reading. Just don't expect to find the answers for the "race problem" here.
Petty Politics Disguised as Social Science.......2006-02-11
I had high hopes for this book, as I was expecting an analysis of why church congregations are one of the most segregated places in America. Except for one chapter (more on this chapter below), that is not at all what the book is about.
Unfortunately, the bulk of the book plays out into a typical conservative/liberal disagreement. Much of the disagreement between conservatives and liberals stems from two very different views on how the world works. Conservatives generally view the world on an individualist basis, and they count the bulk of life's happenings to be the result of cause and effect from the individuals actions. Liberals generally see the world with a more corporate view; they tend to claim institutions as the causes of problems, and collective responses as the remedy.
The main conclusion of the authors from their interviews with Evangelical Christians is that they claim to want racial equality, and in fact the bulk of them sincerely desire racial harmony in the world and act accordingly in their own lives, but the vast majority of Evangelical Christians are doing nothing to change *the system*. Per the authors, the main cause of racism today is institutional racism - e.g. a stacked legal system, unfair lending practices, unequal salaries, etc. The fact that Evangelicals are not standing up against this is inexcusable to the authors.
The statistical proof for this institutional racism is laid out in chapter one, which brings me to my main criticism. The authors' use of statistics to back up their claims is both sloppy and irresponsible. The issue of race in America is important and filled with emotion; proclaiming loud condemnation based on very poor statistical analysis does not help. I am a professional statistician by trade, and if I was to draw definitive conclusions from the stats that the authors quote, I would be out of a job quickly. If institutional racism does exist, then Christians absolutely should be fighting against it. But I am unconvinced by the given statistics.
But at this point it degenerates into politics. These statistics have been lobbied and attacked by liberals and conservatives for years. This book argues nothing new. Its point: there is a lot of division in America, and if conservatives would adopt the world view of liberals we would all get along.
Chapter 7, however, is the wheat among the chaff. Chapter 7 is an insightful view on race and religion and why congregations are so segregated. The chapter is a bit more theoretical, but the analysis is thoughtful and the conclusion challenging. If possible, I would recommend that people read only Chapter 7 and ditch the rest, unless of course you are in the mood for some typical political bickering.
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Religion in the Age of Romanticism: Studies in Early Nineteenth-Century Thought
Bernard M. G. Reardon
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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ASIN: 0521317452 |
Book Description
This book presents studies of early-nineteenth-century religious thought in Germany, France and Italy in so far as it reflected the influence of the Romantic movement. Romanticism may be notoriously difficult to define, but the cast of mind usually associated with it -- manifest in philosophy, theology and social theory as well as in literature, music and the visual arts -- is never hard to detect, even though the forms of its expression may vary widely.
Book Description
A major figure in eighteenth-century Christianity, John Wesley sought to combine the essential elements of the Catholic and Evangelical traditions and to restore to the laity a vital role in church life. He began one of the most dynamic movements in the history of modern Protestantism, a movement which eventually produced the Methodist churches. This volume offers a representative selection of theological writings by Wesley and includes historically oriented introductions and footnotes which indicate Wesley's Anglican, patristic, and biblical sources.
Customer Reviews:
A Must Have For Studying Wesleyan Theology.......2006-12-26
For those of us who follow in the footsteps of John Wesley in our theological heritage (mine being Arminian), I have grown to love the works of John Wesley. Sadly, much of what comes from the United Methodist Church here in the United States is liberal and very bias against John Wesley. Too often liberal Methodist try to either misrepresent the teachings of Wesley or they deny what he taught such as inerrancy.
That is why you need this book. While this book is a collection of the writings and teachings of Wesley, the book itself is a very indepth analysis of Wesley's teachings. In the book you will not only see his evangelical teachings such as justification by faith but also his Arminian teachings as well against the Calvinist of his day. Wesley's arguments can still be used today against Calvinism.
My only reason for not giving this a five star rating was that a short work such as this can-not cover John Wesley or his teachings. While this work tries to do so, it simply is not a full view of what Arminians, Wesleyans, or John Wesley himself truly believe. However, this is still a must read for every serious theological student.
Excellent Source book on John Wesley.......2006-02-20
This book is very readable and provides great insight into the life and thought of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley. The editor does an excellent job with introductions and footnotes. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Immpeccable scholarly material.......2000-04-04
Outler has a thorough knowledge of Wesley's life, teachings, and impact. He does more than present a summary of that, but he gives insight as well. One of the greatest is of Wesley's grasp of both Protestant and Catholic theologies, that creates something new (or old, i.e. in the 'primitive' church).
Book Description
The master key to life--a universal guide to all that matters in making life more satisfying.
Customer Reviews:
Fox's Masterpiece.......2006-11-04
This book is the most direct and clear window into the type of Christian Ideology that crosses all boarders. Historically, it describes excactly who Moses was, the education of the elite Egyptians and who the Wandering Jews were and what they knew and didn't know. How these cultures merged thru Moses and begot the 10 commandments becomes clear, both historically and spiritually. I think any spiritual seeker, or student of Mid Eastern Studies should educate themselves with this book. It gave me a new perspective on the Bible itself.
Another Trojan Horse.......2006-04-14
Christians beware! This book hides dangerous cultic teachings behind the so called spiritual insights from the Ten Commandments. This book gives a cultic (even satanic) twist to the Decalogue (ie. evil can masquerade as an angel of light). It is indeed a deceptive Trojan horse filled with "Christian Science" heresies.
According to Mary Baker Eddy, founder of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, universally known as Christian Science, Jesus could not die for Man's sins, because Mankind never sinned; Christ did not really die on the cross therefore He resurrected from non-death. Christian Science also declares that the Scriptures cannot properly be interpreted in a literal way, and thus, the truth of scripture must be spiritually discerned before its message can be applied to our lives.
Therefore, this book is hiding harmful non-Christian (new thought / new age style) metaphysics and psychic interpretations behind the precepts of the Ten Commandments. Moreover, Fox here promotes a salvation by works and positive thinking that is foreign to the Bible.
For those who wrote positive reviews of this book I want to say that Christianity is not about spirits seeking and deep trances, but it is all about the finding of the only Spirit of God, deep thankfulness in sincere meditation on the Gospel of the Cross, and above all, a relationship with God through His resurrected Son, Jesus Christ who died for our sins, so that we can be saved by the grace of God through faith alone.
Emmet Fox's books can indeed change your life but in a wrong direction. The teachings and interpretations of the Christian Science are not at all Christian and are also foreign to Judaism. This cult resembles more eastern mysticism rather than Judeo-Christian doctrines. Also this is not at all science.
I am amazed by how its people perceive the teachings of Christian science as being enlightened and how they see themselves as being thinkers. This is complete ignorance. These people do not even know how to think, much less how to think critically. They are ignorant about the doctrines of the Bible, ignorant of theological, cultural exegesis, ignorant of historical / textual criticism, and ignorant about real, genuine science.
The religion of (non)Christian (non)science is theologically, philosophically, Biblically and scientifically false; its roads end in eternal damnation.
The ten commandments metaphysical distinguishing character.......2005-10-30
"The ten commandments at their face value are true and valid, but that is only the beginning. If people are going to get anywhere, if they are going to escape from the continuous strife and struggle of life, they must have something more."
Emmet Fox
Versions of the Decalogue:
The many different versions of the Ten Commandments, we first encounter in Exodus 20, this is probably the most recited form in Judaism. The Monotheistic God of Moses, in the first two of his commandments given in Chapter 20 of the Book of Exodus: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above,..." Abbreviated narratives can be looked up in Exodus 34, while a partial version is found in Leviticus 19. The Deutronomical set of commandments is not only complete but exhorts Love of the Lord and your neighbor.
Revelation & Decalogue:
Forward to his marvelous book, "The Dawn of Conscience," J. H. Breasted wrote, "Where did I myself get the moral yardstick which I discovered this shortcoming in the Decalogue? When that experience began, it was a dark day for my inherited respect for the theological dogma of 'revelation.' I had more disquieting experience before me, when as a young Orientalist, I found that the Egyptians had possessed a standard of morals far superior to that of the Decalogue over a thousand years before the Decalogue was written"
OT Ethics Codes:
W. Janzen, in his paradigmatic approach of Old Testament Ethics, reports on the 'sampling nature of Old Testament Law codes', that; "The laws of the Old Testament are extant in collection that astonish the modern reader by their apparent incompleteness and haphazardness. They vary considerably in extent and coverage, none of them apparently intending to regulate fully any larger area of life, or life as a whole." To this Thomas Poundstone writes, in the Encyclopedia of Catholicism, "The most distinguishing character of the Ten commandments is their consistent use of apodictic form: they are brief, unconditional imperatives, usually prohibitions, complete in themselves without any explanation."
Fox's Mystical Decalogue:
Fox concealed the laws of inner psychology, within the ten commandments for those who were ready for them. From a spiritual perspective whatever we do unto others, we do unto ourselves. The commandments are in this way not intended to limit one's freedom and enjoyment of life, but to increase it through one's awareness of the universal principles, to refrain from hurting ourselves out of ignorance.
The commandments have their authority from the truth of the One Power, that this One Lord exerts as the Source of all our blessings directly from Him, without whom pain and suffering arise from disobeying this one fact.
Emmet Fox also explains Bible symbolism. "Getting out of Egypt" means getting out of sin and limitation, learning to contact the Infinite within Power and Wisdom, learning to express them in one's daily life.
Metaphysical Religion:
Emmet Fox brings out the deeper meanings in a mystical way, he has been a good student to the great allegorists of Alexandria, Philo and Oriogen, yet he applied an early psychological approach that was the same path of Freud before, and Assmann later on. Going beyond the obvious meaning of the ten commandments and bringing insight into different levels of meaning from physical to mystical, proclaiming that the commandments were intended by Mose, the learned Egyptian sage to bring to existence a mysical truth, for a deeper level of psychological inspiration: conscienceness.
Fox was just confident enough to express in a metaphoric way, that reveals the underlying meaning of the Exodus, naratives and terms. The marvelous account of Moses, given him the Ten Commandments written by the finger of God, was at the time, and still needed sought by those who concieve revelation in another way all together different from that of Fox and Breasted.
Emmet Fox:
Emmet Fox was born in Ireland but pursued his spiritual career in the USA. His father was a physician and member of Parliament, while Emmet graduated as electrical engineer. Discovering that he acquired healing gift, he studied New Thought. Soon, he went to the United States, and was selected to become the minister of NY's Church of the Healing Christ. Fox became widely popular, and was ordained in the Divine Science branch of New Thought. Emmet Fox lived to address some of the largest audiences ever gathered to hear his thoughts on the religious meaning of life. His books and pamphlets were estimated to have been read by many millions. The influence of Emmet Fox in the spread of New Thought ideas and emphases lies in his influence being read by ministers of all denominations.
Belated Review:
Emmet Fox represents his metaphysical insight of God and His presence, as a dynamic power which sets us free, heals us and redeem us to harmony. He thus reveals in this classic volume how an authentic understanding of ancient wisdom can guide us into fulfilling and peaceful lives. Fifty years later, his writings are still influential, yet this Amazon reviewer got it right, "Heavy into allegory and straight out of an Augustinian mindset, the reader will be presented with an alternate interpretation that is not quite as practical as the author believes it to be." A. J. Valasek
The Kingdom of God is right here this moment.......2005-09-25
I can't say enough for all of Emmet Fox's books. If you want to change your life for the good in one day, this is it. Read Sermon On The Mount too to turn your life upside down!
Awesome.......2005-07-24
I have learned so much with this author. I learned more about Why this prayer was written the way it was. I highly recommand his books to all ages. I have read them to my own children and have had open conversation. It amazes me to here the question's or what they have gotten out of it. I buy these books as gifts and have recieved good results from them.
I recommend this book for poeple who are struggling with there religion or who what to learn why The Ten Commandments were written.
I highly recommend The Sermon On The Mount by Emmet Fox!!
Enjoy!
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