A well-written, intriguing account of the centuries that set the stage for modern Judaism, the Christianity taught by Paul,...
An exploration of an underrated era and its effect on religious history.
“The two or three centuries before Jesus’s time witnessed an extraordinary cultural and religious revolution,” writes Jenkins (History/Institute for Studies of Religion, Baylor Univ.; The Many Faces of Christ: The Thousand-Year Story of the Survival and Influence of the Lost Gospels, 2015, etc.), “but that transformation is still barely acknowledged in historical writing, still less in popular perceptions.” The author dubs this time period the “Crucible era” and valiantly attempts to undo that lack of academic and popular acknowledgement. Without this important era in Jewish and Hellenic history, argues Jenkins, the Abrahamic religions as we know them today would not exist, and all of history for the past two millennia would have been vastly different. The two to three centuries before the birth of Jesus were drastically violent and unsettled for the people of Palestine and nearby areas, as Greek influences overwhelmed the region, meeting with local resistance and, eventually, subsiding due to Roman expansion. However, historical writings about this era have either been relegated to the Apocrypha or were in many cases lost for centuries, making for scant awareness of this era’s importance. Jenkins provides necessary historical context before examining both the political/military and the literary/scriptural legacies of the times. He recounts the power of the Greek Empire over the Jewish people and the subsequent rise in resentment at corrupt puppet leaders such as Jason, high priest from 175 to 172 B.C.E., who rose to power through pure corruption. Alongside histories of the crucible era’s politics, Jenkins discusses the literary monuments they spawned. Chief among these were 1 Enoch, a fascinating work, which, Jenkins suggests, invented the concept of a burning hell as we know it; and the better known book of Daniel, the archetype of apocalyptic literature.
A well-written, intriguing account of the centuries that set the stage for modern Judaism, the Christianity taught by Paul, and, eventually, Islam as an heir to both.Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-465-09640-4
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Basic Books
Review Posted Online: July 11, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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
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