History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

The Lost Language of Symbolism: An Essential Guide for Recognizing and Interpreting Symbols of the Gospel

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Serious problems
Absolutely wonderful..............

The Lost Language of Symbolism: An Essential Guide for Recognizing and Interpreting Symbols of the Gospel
Alonzo L. Gaskill
Manufacturer: Deseret Book Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1570088918

Customer Reviews:

Serious problems.......2006-10-01

This book is intended for an L.D.S. (Mormon) audience and is organized as something of a dictionary of symbols (loosely defined to include the meaning of names) where readers can look up a symbol and see its meaning. The basic premise is that readers need to be able to understand what items in the Bible and Book of Mormon may have meant to the authors or those texts and to their period readers. Gaskill argues that modern readers do not appreciate the symbolism of these texts and therefore miss out on the deeper meaning of scriptural texts. This is a fine premise, as far as it goes, but Gaskill's book has some serious flaws, both in its concept and its implementation.

The first, and most irritating, flaw is that the book is largely NOT about the symbolism of the texts: instead it is about Gaskill's readings of the text inspired by symbolic meanings. As such, the book is full of countless extended sermonettes on modern doctrinal issues that make only tenuous reference to the symbols in question, such as a passage that addresses the symbolism of aprons but spins out into a diatribe against birth control, surely an issue not high on the list of topics thought about in anitquity). Whatever one may think about the theology espoused, such digressions are not about understanding the texts on their own terms, but rather about trying to score doctrinal points and make the texts "mean" things that in many cases are highly unlikely.

The second problem with the book is the underlying assumption that one can identify *the* meaning of symbols and say what they mean in a dictionary format. Most of the listings specify one meaning, treating symbols as essentially a kind of code to hide a single recoverable meaning from the text. I would argue, however, that this approach encourages a kind of covert literalism and absolutism in reading that does not do the texts justice since symbols provide an interpretive tool that allows them to be fundamentally polyvalent and resistent to superficial equivalences of any sort. By stating this, I am not arguing that one should *not* know about the meanings that Biblical authors may have intended, but rather that one needs to be open to the *range* of meaning available and to the inherently open nature of the texts. Symbols are used not to hide a single recoverable meaning, but instead to open the text up to generate meanings. (This stance, I should note, does run contrary to the essentially fundamentalist interpretive strategies employed by many L.D.S. readers, so many potential readers would disagree with me on this point.)

Next, the book is full of basic errors and speculative readings. As an example of the former, Gaskill states that the name Felix means "deceptive" or "deceitful." With a PhD in Biblical Studies, Gaskill should know better: certainly any first year Latin student would know that Felix simply means "happy" (whence English "felicitious" and "felicitations"). The speculative readings Gaskill employs are odder, for in some cases he simply asserts things that are simple unknowable (e.g., the name Sherem in the Book of Mormon means "pugnosed" and refers to the appearance of the individual in question - which raises the question of where Gaskill got his early Nephite dictionary), or that are based on rather dubious sources (e.g., his analysis of "weasel" as immoral people seems to be based on the Epistle of Barnabus, which specify that weasels are a symbol for women who engage in oral sex). There was scarcely a page I looked at that did not have something that was obviously an error or which stated a speculative conclusion as though it were fact.

In sum, the level of analysis in this book is such that it would get drummed out of an introductory religious studies course. I wonder what sort of review DB engaged in before deciding to publish the book since basic errors slipped through. I realize that this is no worse than some of the books put forth by Zondervan (which plays a role similar to that of DB, but for an evangelical audience), but the book is endorsed and produced in a way that makes it look like it is a popular scholarly account (including a glowing endorsement by J.F. McConkie). As such I think it is fundamentally misleading since the book does not meet even basic scholarly standards.

Absolutely wonderful.....................2004-05-18

After reading/studying this book you will understand the Bible more fully than before. Colors, numbers, names, events, etc. take on a meaning and understanding that highten, enlighten, and underscore the meaning and interpretation of the people, events, miracles, parables, metaphors, similies, and allegories contained in the Bible.

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)

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Check and see
Suprise! Suprise!
Prescient St Augustine?
Something of a disappointment
Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy..

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
Anatoly T Fomenko
Manufacturer: Delamere Resources LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621066

Product Description

`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.

Customer Reviews:

Check and see.......2007-06-21

I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.

Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22

Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.

Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05

We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:

a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;

b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;

c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.

Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:

It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.

- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.

- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.

Fomenko goes by the following axioms:

- Chronology is the basis of history;

- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;

- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;

- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;

- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;

- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.

Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?

The Russians:

Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.

The Westerners:

Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.

The Chinese:

Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.

The Arabs:

Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.

The Divinity:

Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.

According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.

St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."

Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09

After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.

However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:

- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.

I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.

The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.

It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?

Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.

Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).

Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy.........2005-07-30

If you agree with Fomenko that Roman chronology is basically the foundation of the entire edifice of global chronology; you would also certainly agree that despite its numerous gaps and inconsistencies, Roman history is the best-documented field of ancient history, and thus a reference scale. But how well is the actual date of the Eternal City's foundation known?

Firstly, Rome is supposed to have been founded by the Trojans who had to flee after the fall of Troy. Some claim Rome to have been founded by Aeneas and Ulysses shortly after Troy had fallen; others are of the opinion that there was an entire dynasty that ruled for 500 years between the fall of Troy and the foundation of Rome.

Well, that's just an innocent 500 years long misunderstanding compared with what heretic Fomenko says, asserts, proves in his second volume: Second Roman Empire, Third Roman Empire, Biblical Kingdom of Israel, Biblical Kingdom of Judah, Holy Roman Empire are stories about basically same events, written from different points of view at different times. The underlying events have actually taken place during xii-xv cy. These histories have been written and perfected by multitude of highly talented humanist and clerical writers of xiii-xvi cy disguised as "ancients" with glorious names like Homer, Pluto, Thucydides etc..Chronology 2.0 beta..

Historians are kindly invited to report the bugs.

African-American Holidays, Festivals And Celebrations: The History, Customs, and Symbols Associated With Both Traditional and Contemporary Religious and ... Events Observed by Americans of African Desc

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African-American Holidays, Festivals And Celebrations: The History, Customs, and Symbols Associated With Both Traditional and Contemporary Religious and ... Events Observed by Americans of African Desc
Kathlyn Gay
Manufacturer: Omnigraphics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0780807790

How to Read a Church: A Guide to Symbols and Images in Churches and Cathedrals

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Informed, well-written
Interpreting art and architecture
Terrific resource
a misnomer of a book
Point of Clarification

How to Read a Church: A Guide to Symbols and Images in Churches and Cathedrals
Richard Taylor
Manufacturer: HiddenSpring
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1587680300

Book Description

Churches and cathedrals were originally built to be read. They are alive with images and symbols--all of which are packed with meaning. But today few people, from regular visitors to tourists, truly understand the wealth of meaning in what they find there.

How to Read a Church is must reading for anybody who wants to know more about what they see in a church or cathedral. It explores the principal features of churches and what each represents. It also explains: " the significance of church layout " the importance of such details as the use of colors or letters " the identity and significance of people and scenes " the symbolism of animals, plants, colors, numbers, and letters " the meaning of it all

In addition to exploring these brick-and-mortar motifs, the author also reveals fascinating and unexpected details such as how to 'read' the priest and the congregation, and he shows the varied ways that church architecture and appointments reflect the Christian year. From major themes to small but vital details, How to Read a Church will serve as a fascinating guide to the history, meanings, and messages of these beautiful buildings and the treasures they contain.

Customer Reviews:

Informed, well-written.......2007-06-07

This is a well-written, religiously neutral excursion of the visual symbols and elements of the Christian church, more or less as it exists today and leaning somewhat to the Anglican church. It is not a history of Christian church architecture or symbols through the ages though the author seems to be fairly conversant with the relevant art history. It is no more or less than a brief description of what is behind what you'd see in an English church, with accounts of the lives of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Peter and all the rest, in case you know absolutely nothing.

The charming churches the author is most familiar with are relics, and efforts like this one that may in some way preserve them are good. They, the churches of the past, are as much like America's mega-churches as flowers are like asphalt. I don't know if they have mega-churches in Europe. I don't think so. They, the mega-churches, help us envision the utter banality of the age to come. And what a long way we have traveled since Chartres.

The author is studiously non-evangelistic, which is good, but one feels the absence of faith in or hope for anything beyond the obvious at all. It is really a rather light-hearted anatomy of Christian churches lacking souls. Without the inner aspiration to meaningfulness, without the generations of people who at least sometimes wished to live as Christ taught, it's all rather hollow.

Interpreting art and architecture.......2007-06-05

Ever wonder why some saints in paintings and sculpture have square haloes? Why columns have foliate capitals? And what are all those hand signals? Richard Taylor explains in How to Read a Church, written not as a scholastic thesis but as a general guide for lay persons. The basic layout of churches, the number and placement of stained glass windows, the grouping of figures and how to identify who's who - all of this can be helpful in figuring out what the builders and decorative artists were trying to convey to those viewing and appreciating the results of their labors. The book works as a resource, and does not have to be read from cover to cover. Individual chapters, such as that on styles of crosses, can be read separately and perused at leisure. Nice resource.

Terrific resource.......2007-03-07

Taylor's book is a terrific resource explaining a much misunderstood subject. Churches are indeed designed to be 'read'; to be, in the words of another reviewer, "a feast for the senses." Taylor explains that classical church architecture reflects the understanding that a church is a ship (the word 'nave,' referring to the interior of a church, is from the Latin 'navis' for ship) sailing the faithful to a New Jerusalem, led by their 'captain' priest. Rich eucharistic symbols like the pelican, a bird which feeds its young with its blood, are explained in detail. Were more people to absorb the lessons of this book, we perhaps would see an end to the artless, crude church designs that have dominated over the past 40 years.

a misnomer of a book.......2007-01-10

While the contents of the book are most interesting the author does not deal at any length with the specifics outlined in the title. The bulk of the text deals with in-depth explanations of various bible characters and stories. The couple of line drawings towards the end of the book show captions to explain various parts of the garmets illustrated but NOT all of them are explained and then other descriptive words are introduced which are not shown on the illustrations. I did read the entire book and it was rather a disappointment.

Point of Clarification.......2006-06-17

I've not yet finished the book, but early on Mr. Taylor mentions that the "Catholic Church 'banned' the Latin Mass in order to increase participation by the laity.

Whatever the high points of this book may be, the Church never "banned" the Latin Mass. In fact, the Second Vatican Council, which ALLOWED for some parts of the mass to be translated into the vernacular, also encouraged local parishes to catechize (educate) their members in the basic Latin prayers of the Mass so they could participate. It appears that it was easier to translate the mass into dozens of different languages than it was to get Catholics to learn a few phrases and prayers in Latin. At any rate, the Latin Mass is still celebrated with great enthusiasm and beauty in parishes all over the world (unfortunately some of them are schismatic, but many are in communion with Rome). As for the vernacular mass, "full and active participation" is a rarity in most parishes.

Pope Benedict has reiterated this call for Catholics to learn some of the basic prayers in Latin so that in this truly global society we may pray together with one voice.

Back to the book - Mr. Taylor's premise is dead on; Churches were meant to be read - to create a feast for the senses and create an atmosphere of awe and sanctity. i look forward to finishing the text, and perhaps using it as a textbook for a class.

Celestial Symbols: Symbolism in Doctrine, Religious Tradition and Temple Architecture

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Celestial Symbols: Symbolism in Doctrine, Religious Tradition and Temple Architecture
Allen H. Barber
Manufacturer: Horizon Publishers & Distributors
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0882903446

Book Description

The Lord's Plan of Salvation is deeply interwoven with symbolic representations. This is especially so with respect to Christ and His atonement, baptism, and the temple. In this book, Allen H. Barber lists over 300 symbols, explains their meanings and tells how the Lord uses them to teach His plan of salvation through the scriptures, the prophets, and in the temples.

Part One deals with the purpose and nature of symbols. It explains what a symbol is, relates ancient uses of symbols, and gives guidance for recognizing and understanding true symbols. It illustrates and describes the meanings associated with many geometric symbols such as crosses, circles, triangles, interlaced triangles, squares, and stars.

Part Two deals with symbols relating to the eternal nature of the universe and God's creations. It explains how things of an eternal nature on earth are symbolic of their counterparts in heaven.

Part Three deals with symbols that relate to man's lifespan on earth, the plan of salvation, and the priesthood on earth and in heaven. The symbolic counterparts of earthly and heavenly marriage relationships are explained.

Part Four deals with the House of The Lord. Symbols relating to the ceremonies and ordinances of the temple are explained, including the endowment and the manner in which it is used to teach the gospel. The symbols on the exterior walls of the Salt Lake temple are explained. They include the sun, moon, star stones, cornerstones, circles, squares, clasped hands, all-seeing eyes, curtains, clouds, spires, finials, scrolls, etc. The whole structure of the temple is designed to symbolize the great architectural work of God above.

Book Description

This is a splendid book, nourishing for Catholic and non-Catholics alike. It clearly shows our contemporary situation on a number of fronts, offering constructive directions for the future. Reformed Review

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Concise and Informative
Great Reference Book

A Handbook of Symbols in Christian Art
Gertrude Grace Sill
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0684826836

Book Description

Explore one of the richest and most rewarding aspects of Western art with this comprehensive easy-to-use, portable guide to Christian symbols.

Organized like a primer, with hundreds of entries in 50 categories -- from A for Angels to Z for Zodiac -- this handy pocket reference enables you to recognize at a glance the identity and meaning of all the elements in any Christian work of art. 162 paintings from every century illustrate the enduring themes of our biblical heritage.

A short introductory essay explains how to use the handbook and the functions of symbols in art. Cross-references, illustrations, a detailed index, and the pocket-book size make A Handbook of Symbols in Christian Art an invaluable work for museum-goers, students, travelers, art collectors, and general readers.

Customer Reviews:

Concise and Informative.......2000-08-31

As stated, this is a handbook, therefore the format is easy to read and gives you the basic information. If something then strikes your fancy you can then do further research based upon this excellent starting reference point. If you have very little religious background this will help you understand Christianity in Art. Even Christians will find the book informative and full of things that they did not know. For example, did you know that the number 1000 represents eternity? The handbook is layed out alphabetically, beginning with angels and ending with zodiac, all for your convenience. My only complaint is that the art depicted is small, in black and white and therefore does not show the details of the pieces of art. A good book for anyone interested in art, specifically Christian Art. The explanations of the symbolism is very good, it tells you just enough.

Great Reference Book.......2000-05-04

This book is very informative and interesting. It is laid out in an easy to read way and is a great reference book for anyone who loves art. I would definitely suggest this book to anyone who has ever looked at Christian art and wondered what exactly does it mean.

African Religions: Symbol, Ritual, and Community

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Review of Benjamin Ray's African Religions

African Religions: Symbol, Ritual, and Community
Benjamin C. Ray
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall College Div
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0130186228

Book Description

This book presents a portrait of African religious history framed in the religious themes common to the rest of the world. It looks at the traditional religions that provided the philosophical, religious, and ethical basis of African culture. Focusing primarily on traditional African religions and their related myths, rituals, authorities , ethics , and artwork, the book also includes substantial treatment on nationalism, African Islam and Christianity. For anyone who wants to gain an understanding of the relationship between African religion and culture.

Customer Reviews:

Review of Benjamin Ray's African Religions.......2001-02-27

In this text Ray discusses the myths and ritual beliefs behind various native African religions. He does so respectfully and in enough depth to explain and provide background for those who are uneducated in this particular area. If you are looking for a great reference for papers or a religion class, this is it.

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Symbols of the Christian Faith
a good start

Symbols of the Christian Faith
Alva William Steffler
Manufacturer: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0802846769

Book Description

Symbols of the Christian Faith is an illustrated guide to the major visual symbols used by the Christian church throughout history. These stylized illustrations, designed by artist Alva William Steffler, are intended to provide usable, up-to-date resources for contemporary church worship and Christian education.

Throughout church history symbols have been used to aid worship and to communicate difficult spiritual ideas. Steffler here collects these symbols, from early Christian catacomb art to the present, offering fresh graphic interpretations of old visual forms. The accompanying text notes the biblical sources for the various symbols and traces their use in church tradition and their links to Greco-Roman culture.

Broadly inclusive and sensitive to the perspectives of every church tradition, this volume will be an invaluable resource for churches using Christian art as well as for general readers curious about the meaning of common Christian symbols.

Customer Reviews:

Symbols of the Christian Faith.......2007-03-10

This book is excellent in explaining Christian Symbols and provides Scripture support for the information. It has very good, crisp, detailed drawings of each symbol.

a good start.......2007-02-25

This book covers many of the major Christian symbols and has a short discription of each one that is typically concise and sometimes only a few sentences long. The pictures of each symbol are all black and white but usually pretty large with only one example of each. I think this book is worth it for the number of symbols it covers. It also has decent references if you are interested in more information.

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