A thoughtfully conceived, thoroughly researched history that posits pagan origins for the rituals of Christian worship. Lang (Religion/Univ. of Paderborn, Germany) may be building a reputation for tackling enormous subjects—he co-authored Heaven: A History in 1988. Here, he economically uses a mere 450 pages to describe Christianity's six ``sacred games,'' or elements of worship: praise, prayer, sermons, sacrifices, sacraments, and spiritual ecstasy. Each section of the book offers a useful summary of the game in question, a feature made necessary by the almost encyclopedic detail of Lang's research. He begins not with the Bible but with ancient Greek texts, arguing especially for a cross- fertilization of ideas between Christian and neo-Platonic thinkers in late antiquity (the third century a.d.). For instance, the neo- Platonist practice of a ritual magic that Lang calls ``theurgy'' provided the foundation for Christian theology's doctrine of Christ's ``real presence'' in the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist. Lang is interested not only in theology, but in praxis; he strives to see his six ``sacred games'' alive in Christian ritual today, which makes for some provocative connections to our world. For example, in considering spiritual ecstasy, Lang includes the ``rebirth'' of Pentecostal worship at the turn of the 20th century. He claims that Pentecostalism should be understood as an ancient, ecstatic impulse. (This is, in fact, how Pentecostals themselves view their history, although they mark their origins with the New Testament ``gifts of the spirit,'' and not the pagan rituals Lang describes.) Lang chooses some beautiful art to accompany his text and doesn't shy away from including illuminative kitsch among the highbrow works. One wishes, however, that he'd included some Eastern Orthodox icons and that he'd paid more attention generally to the Orthodox tradition. An extraordinary resource for scholars, and a lasting contribution to the fields of Christian history and ritual studies.
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-300-06932-4
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Yale Univ.
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1997
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
