An often inviting and zestful inquiry into some key Christian texts.
A brief explication of themes running through the biblical story of Genesis.
Nase’s slim nonfiction debut has an initially confusing title (which seems like three titles in one), but it quickly settles in to a steady, passionate, and scripturally literate exploration of key biblical tales and themes, beginning with the story of Adam and Chavah (the Hebrew name for Eve). The author is fascinated by the implications of Chavah’s creation—her fashioning from the body of Adam—and how it parallels certain things that Nase has come to believe about all humans: that “all people from every country, creed, color, religion, and nationality were beautifully and wonderfully made by our heavenly father.” This fascination leads the author down interpretative paths that will be familiar to readers of traditional Christian theology, as when she notes that Adam was given dominion over Chavah and cites the conservative Christian parallel: “Husbands are to love their wives, as Yeshua (Jesus) loved the church (people of all kinds, we are the congregation) and gave himself up for her.” Nase’s various speculations that contrast the flaws of Adam and the redeeming qualities of Jesus are often intriguing. However, sometimes they can get forbiddingly arcane: “Who is Adam? He is flesh! Man 6 who is equal to 666 has allowed the serpent to show his seed within him. Those three 6s are the me = 6 myself = 6 and I = 6.” The helpfulness of such latter passages is sure to vary wildly from one reader to the next. That said, the author’s interpretations of the stories of Rachael, Tamar, Leah, and other biblical figures are energetic and compelling enough to compensate for the occasional obscure reading.
An often inviting and zestful inquiry into some key Christian texts.Pub Date: Jan. 23, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-72834-367-9
Page Count: 108
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
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