A definitive one volume study
351793
I read about this book in a "Five Best books about..." list in the Wall Street Journal and got it (second hand) off Amazon less than a month ago. It is an outstanding one volume work on the Confederate ill-fated "invasion" of Pennsylvania, culminating in the decisive Battle at Gettysburg, on July 1-3, 1863.

Once I started it, I found it hard to put down, but it's not for a person with a casual interest in the Battle of Gettysburg - the text is 514 pages long.

At times the text is a breezy read, as Sears has fascinating human interest stories, or discusses the various generals. At other times it is excruciating - almost painful to read the battle scenes. On some of the scenes I'd have to take a break after half a page. "War is Hell" as Sears let's you know in no uncertain terms. The courage exhibited by both sides is astonishing, the casualty levels horrendous (almost one-third of Lee's army was killed, wounded, or taken prisoner - or "missing."), some of the generals are brilliant and inspiring. Others - you kind of wished their own troops had shot them.

How did Lee, the great general of the Civil War, lose this battle so decisively? He was overconfident, he didn't communicate well with his generals at Gettysburg, and he persisted in attacking the Union army when they were dug in on the high ground. The famous Picket's Charge on the third day, had no realistic chance of success.

Meanwhile, the Union general, George Meade, who'd only been the commander for three days when the battle began, handled his units quite skillfully. In this battle, he out-generalled Robert E. Lee.

The only quibble I had with the book, is that it could have had more maps. There were 19, but a few more would have been useful.

So if you've more than a casual interest in the Battle of Gettysburg, this book is for you. Halfway through, it had piqued my interest enough to plan the quick family vacation to Pennsylvania, and a trip to Gettysburg.
1308680
D.A. Carson and Douglas Moo join together to write this introductory text to the New Testament. The authors take a book-by-book approach to breaking down the New Testament. Each chapter is a stand-alone study of a book or books of the Bible.

Every chapter examines a particular book based on content, author, audience, date written, reason for the book, adoption into canon, recent studies, contribution and more. The authors make an in-depth examination of each book. They investigate and analyze each letter methodically. Carson and Moo do a balanced job and include the major dissenting opinions and the views of detractors.

While the bulk of the book is theological in nature it includes scrutiny from historical, sociological, linguistic, and anthropological perspectives. The authors are brilliant at contextualizing the writers, recipients and settings for the original letters. There is a detailed picture painted explaining why each letter was written.

Carson and Moo address historical and modern controversies within each letter. Liberal, conservative and outlandish viewpoints are represented. The authors critique the major positions and offer solid scrutiny to benefit the reader.

This book is written at an academic level, but it is certainly practical for casual readers. The high level analysis within this book lends itself nicely to both individual reading and group studies. The novice theologian and the scholar will find this as beneficial read. Without a doubt, this is a superb introductory overview of the books of the New Testament.
1015458
The in-depth and extensive research understaken for this study speaks for itself. It is really necessary to read this book (or any book) before evaluating its merit. This one is scholarly, but very well-written; it is well worth the effort, as it points with overwhelming evidence to the concerted and aggressive ethnocentric/racial force behind the scenes, but more and more to the fore, that is shaping the current policies of the West -- to its detriment. The ethnocentric/racial purpose, expressed over and over through time, is to dominate or destroy what is not itself, in the name of survival. The neocons are currently right on target, too, pitting the West against Islam, using government, the media, financial and educational systems, etc. to further their agenda. As has been pointed out elsewhere, Israel is the one country that has benefitted from the Iraq war. Anyone who cares about the survival of the West should read this book. The Culture of Critique is a scholarly study, and does not offer remedies or advocate action. But a reader might expect, by becoming aware of the facts (as opposed to media propaganda), to become more aware of what and who he/she is is voting for, and why. We would have candidates who looked out for OUR interests, if we demanded them, instead of going along with the now status-quo.
4243842
The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church is without question a de-facto standard text for study in medieval history, church history, or any of the myriad of related topics which fall along such themes. A massive, comprehensive volume that has been put through three major revision editions over some 50 years, the book represents a modern day "summa" that more than admirably fulfills its purpose as a research and reference text. Entries in the dictionary are comprehensive to the point that one wonders why the word "dictionary" rather than "encyclopedia" was chosen for its title, but that oddity is of little concern to us. Looking up a term in the text is just the start of an exploration of the rich and detailed information that the volume contains.

For example, let's say we wish to study scholasticism. In looking up the term, we don't just find a definition of the term as we might expect with a typical dictionary, but we instead find a detailed, expansive description that presents the historical context of scholasticism, its use in the medieval university, the pivotal roles of Abelard and Anselm in scholasticism's development, its connection with the medieval investigation of the notion of "universals," and even its roots in the writings of Porphyry's discussions of "genus" and "species" in the 3rd century AD. For each of the key terms that arise in the "scholasticism" entry, we are pointed also to each of their own specific entries within the dictionary so that we can further explore the topic to any desired level. In the specific case of scholasticism here, we end up with a comprehensive introduction of the term, learn its meaning and history, explore its implications for education, and even its philosophical underpinnings (including objections), and more. We are also given a listing of additional key references should we wish to pursue our studies in additional publications.

The best way for you to see the level of detail that these entries provide is to use the "look inside this book" link (under the listing, above) and read through a few sample entries. I have little doubt you'll be as impressed as I.

The text does not limit itself to conceptual entries. There is wide coverage of personages, philosophical positions, historical items, theological issues, church history, church liturgy, and more. The current incarnation of the text has resulted in an extended collaboration of hundreds of scholars, teachers, historians, and researchers to expand the coverage far beyond its original 1957 incarnation. The most surprising thing about the text is that it doesn't cost three times what it does. How to improve it? Well, the only thing I can come up with is that it would certainly be nice to have the book also released in electronic format, so that we can search by term, print selected entries, or copy selected references together for future study. Nevertheless, the book as it stands today easily takes its place among the premier reference works of the domain. Highly recommended.
3921305
An excellent and definitive work. A brilliantly simple summary of the principles of self treatment. In fact, Joel insights into spiritual healing is astonishingly true and this volume is a major contribution to the  spiritual lieterature of the world.
4057628
Essential research  presented in a clear, understandable style
738178
In this volume, and its companion, Wilson's English language translation of Schneemelcher's magnum opus, is presented in a most scholarly, critical edition.  This book is a must, not only for the serious student of sub-New  Testament literature, but also for pastors who wish to be informed as to  the highest scholarship in this field.
This volume, dealing with the  apocryphal Gospel material, shows clearly Early Church thinking and beliefs  concerning the life and ministry of Christ, as well as the views of certain  heretical sects.  It also provides an insight into early "popular  piety" which has played such an important role in the development of  the Christian Church.
3027195
There is a reason this book keeps being reprinted:  It is very important.  Graves's seminal work has been widely assailed over the past century, yet it holds enough germane information concerning the world that is remains a classic, despite its perceived and real flaws.

I view "The World's 16 Crucified Saviors" to be so salient that I wrote the foreword to this edition, defending it against unwarranted criticism, of which there has been much, and much of which, it is shown, has been illusionary.  The criticism Graves does warrant is that he failed to cite his sources often and carefully enough.  Despite the fact that Graves was not a meticulous record-keeper, or, at least, what we have of his is hasty in its citation, we nevertheless possess significant, worldwide religious correspondences that go well beyond this one tome.

In spite of this difficulty, it turns out that many of the claims made popular by this clearly classic work are accurate to varying degrees, thus absolving Graves from the untoward characterization of his labor.  The book is not fallacious--perhaps overly ambitious in its declarations, although it is not hard to get caught up in the moment when one discovers the real significance of comparative mythology.  In that regard, this one small freethought book, written by an ex-minister, may have done more than practically any other in the past century to explore the odd correspondences among the world's religions and religious figures.  These correspondences reveal a unity of thought that is extremely important today.

Acharya S, author of "The Christ Conspiracy:  The Greatest Story Ever Sold" and "Suns of God:  Krishna, Buddha and Unveiled"
1749925
This (c) 2000 edited volume is appropriately subtitled "THE MID UPPER PALAEOLITHIC OF EURASIA 30,000-20,000 BP" and represents the single best collection of well done and readable (even to the avid amateur, like myself) papers by leaders in the field (many, literally:)) currently available in print, even though 14 years since publication.  The "Creative Explosion", popularized by John Pfeiffer, occurred during this period of human evolution and in the geographical area focused on by  the authors of these papers.  If you are a serious student of the Prehistory of Humanity, you will want to study the material presented so well in this mandatory read.  However, I collect the material presented herein and have been denied any response to the many emails I have sent to all of the editors.  Thus, do not consider this volume as a possible gateway to any wider study of the subject.  The editors will ignore you.  No wonder the Internet has out competed the print media in this subject area, and most others!  Knowledge acquisition and development requires a dialog, as Hegel clearly described over 100 years ago.  Print paper is largely passe', however, I still recommend perusing this volume.
4240943
Francis Turretin's Institutes of Elenctic Theology

This large 3 volume work is a gold mine of precise and careful thought.  Turretin has been the object of odium in some (even Reformed) theological circles, but the one who takes time to read Turretin will find such sentiment to be unwarranted.  Turretin was not a rationalist, merely rational.  He was a seventeenth century Reformed pastor and theologian who clearly articulated Reformed doctrine in the midst of those who were opposing such doctrine.  I have found Turretin to be biblical in his doctrine, delicate and precise in his thought, clear in his articulation, and powerful in his argumentation.

Turretin organized his Institutes into 20 topics (loci) that range from "Prolegomena" (that is, very necessary introductory considerations) to "The Last Things."  Each topic (locus) is organized by specific questions.  For example, locus 20 is divided into 13 questions.  Question 2 reads, "Are the same bodies numerically which have died to be raised again?  We affirm against the Socinians."  Turretin raised this particual question because he wanted to defend the biblical doctrine of the bodily resurrection from an error that was being taught in his day.  Turretin's theology is indeed elenctic (that is, polemic or argumentitive), for a great portion of his Institutes is written against the Roman Catholics, Arminians, Socinians, Anabaptists, and others.  Turretin's Institutes is not merely a negative work (exposing the errors of unbiblical doctrine), but is positive.  He builds up and defends biblical doctrine in every locus.

As for the edition, Dr. Dennison has blessed us all in editing and indexing the whole work.  He has also provided a 19 page biography of Turretin, the message given at Turretin's funeral, and a short biography of George Giger (the translator).  These volumes are sturdy and will last for decades.

As for the translation, this edition is a publication of George M. Giger's translation of the Institutes.  Giger died in 1865 having produced this translation at the behest of Charles Hodge.  The translation strikes me as unduly bulky and difficult at times, yet clear and quite understandable at others.  There are other translations of particular loci, but one cannot find the entire work in English except in this translation.
4027804
This is the first volume in Frederick Copleston's classic nine volume A History of Philosophy. Like all the volumes in this series, it is an exhaustive study of the period covered and presents the development of the philosophical thought of the period as an interrelated whole where trends ebb and flow as ideas are introduced and synthesized within the systems of the great thinkers of the time.

All of this is done within a framework where Copleston, as a professor in a Catholic seminary, is mindful of pointing out the elements that would become adopted within the framework of Christian philosophy and theology. Even though Copleston has a seminary audience in mind, he does not attempt to "Christianize" those who were not Christian nor launch polemical attacks against those ideas at odds with the Christian faith. He presents the philosophical ideas thoroughly and fairly and gives both the supporting evidence cited by supporters and the critiques by opponents. Also pointed out in detail is how each philosopher's work influenced contemporaries and later thought with, of course, special consideration of the influence for good or bad on Christianity.

In this volume, the subject is the philosophy of Greece and Rome. Copleston divides the book into five parts covering pre-Socratic philosophy, the Socratic period, Plato, Aristotle, and post-Aristoelian philosophy. A strength of his treatment is that the figures of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle no longer seem isolated giants but are shown to arise from the action and reaction in a whole line of Greek thinkers of which they are the most illustrious examples. And though they are deservedly given the greatest emphaisis, the work of other Greek philosophers are also given extensive coverage that is rarely found elsewhere.

When dealing with the three giants, Copleston thoroughly covers how each in succession influeced the other and how each in turn fleshed out ideas in their teacher and took them in a direction that would not have found favor with their mentor. The development of Socrates' questioning to Plato's ethereal world of forms to Aristotle's reaction in a more observationally based direction demonstrates the volatile mix of ideas as various thinkers fleshed out their theories in an intellectually stimulating environment.

There are also fascinating items in the lesser known philosophers of the period. Since Socrates did not author any works himself, his philosophy has primarily been communicated to us by his student Plato. It is interesting to note other students of his also wrote of his philosophy and much of the details present a somewhat different figure from that given in the Platonic corpus. Also of interest is the work in the post-Aristotelian philosophy where a mix of Neo-Platonism, Aristotelianism, and the philosophy of Hellenized Jews formed a basis for the exposition of the Christian faith in the precise technical language that would come to be used in the Ecumenical Councils.

For a thorough investigation of the history of Western philosophical thought and a wrestling with the great thinkers of the Western philosophical tradition, there is no better choice that Copleston's A History of Philosophy. For the Christian, in particular, who wishes to understand the interaction of philsophy and Christian theology, this work is unparalleled.
187241
An excellent one volume set of the 2 volume work by E. Wallis Budge.  Excellent scholarship concerning Egyptian religion of Osiris, the god of the resurrection.
2538666
This book -- indeed, all of the volumes in this series -- provides a thoughtful, thorough understanding of each text assigned for the week and looks at the texts in relation to each other where that is appropriate. As the first attempt to bring an academic eye to the semi-continuous readings in the season after Pentecost, it is not only of liturgical interest, but of historic interest. It is also a pleasure to see that the psalm (or the canticle which is used in place of the psalm during some weeks) is treated as it is intended by the designers of the RCL: as a response to the first lesson.
NOTE, however, that this was written for the Common Lectionary prior to its revision. Some texts were changed in the revision process. So, while much of it remains useful and current, there will be weeks that no longer correspond to the assigned lessons.
Lessons are set in their liturgical season with precision and care.
My one concern is that some of the exegesis feels dated and "standard" in the most predictable way. There are challenging points, but as we get further from the publication date, the material is less cutting-edge than safe. Having said that, there are still plenty of congregations who would find the material here to be startlingly fresh. And "fresh" is not everything. Sometimes steady careful scholarship can open a passage far more fully than the freshest or most provocative pronouncement.
805041
A very good overview of Rastafarianism

Leonard E. Barrett, Sr., is graduate professor of religion at Temple University and the current printing of "The Rastafarians" is the twentieth anniversary edition of an important study of the society, culture, religion, history, ideology, and influence of the Rastafarians of Jamaica.

Professor Barrett has written a most comprehensive study of the Rastafarians, one perhaps deserving to be called a definitive study, spanning as it does the several decades of the movement's history. Professor Barrett is not a Rastaman, but is sympathetic to the movement and broadly if critically supportive of its aims.

I purchased this book for an introduction to to Rastafarianism, having been only very superficially acquainted with it.  This is an ideal work for a reader to whom Rastafarianism is new as it provides a detailed yet brief history of Jamaica and the institution of slavery, the social cleavages that arose out of slavery, the lasting effects of colonialism and racial discrimination, and the history, doctrine, polity and ritual of the several Rastafarian groupings.

The book covers all the major doctrines of the religion, a history of it important personages, its social and political aims and contributions, and the various denominations within the tradition that have developed over the decades. I especially enjoyed the author's providing of some personal accounts of his interactions with Rastafarians in Jamaica.

Professor Barrett has made the Rastafarian religion and culture an object of fascination for me, and a subject of which I want to learn a great deal more.

I highly recommend this book.
1300252
Dr. Mote's monograph outlines the foundations of Chinese thought from Confucius (551-479 BC) through the bureaucratic innovations of the first dynasty (the Ch'in, 221-206 BC).  The book covers early Chinese cosmology, Confucianism and its derivative schools, Taoism, Mohism, and the pragmatic successes of history's first totalitarian government -- the Ch'in State. It does not attempt to cover later influences such as Buddhism.
The actual text is short (114 pages) so Dr. Mote must use a concise (and occasionally dense) style to cover all this ground.  When the reader finishes this book he is rewarded with an introductory understanding of each of these philosophies, how they developed, and how they influenced each other.  An excellent jumping-off point for further studies.  (Uses Wade-Giles and earlier romanizations).
979274
To the uninitiated, a review of William Patrick Patterson's book on G.I. Gurdjieff may seem a place to discuss the voluminous historical narrative, the exhaustive research as evidenced by seemingly endless notes/references/addenda, or even to give an interpretation of the author's unwavering insistence on Gurdjieff as not only the chief expositor of The Fourth Way, but even as the living embodiment of the teaching for our time.

These, of course, are all to the good, and on a purely ordinary level they represent a reasonable response to Patterson's tome: the text is in fact a biography of the first order...One cannot read it without registering the degree to which Patterson renders Gurdjieff in all his misunderstood enigmatic glory without apology or feeling the need to embellish or omit anything whatsoever. The book also makes a compelling case for the religious and unequivocally Christian nature of the teaching. In fact, there are so many new ideas and revelations pertaining to the commonly accepted canon of Fourth Way "truth" present in the text (both from citations of Gurdjieff's pupils and from his own lived experience of nearly a half century of study) that Patterson's book is bound to stir a lively discussion of ideas on many levels...but...

To respond thusly would indicate a superficial reading of what in fact is material of a much profounder depth. Not unlike the writings of Gurdjieff himself, Patterson's rendering presents a narrative which simultaneously reveals certain ideas while serving to conceal other subtler ideas apparent only to a keener, more perspicacious reading. Equally similar to the writings of his book's subject, this latest volume of Patterson's is informative on one level but pedagogical on another. What some will take as (and respond to) as chronological biography and discussion of an esoteric teaching will be revealed to others as a dissemination of the same esoteric teaching. For the layman, Patterson's book may therefore appear merely definitive; to the initiated, it is in fact seminal.
1019983
Best-known for its universality within Christendom, yet memorized by few modern Christians, the Nicene Creed is an essential outline and summary of fundamental biblical truth. In the "Faith of our Fathers," L. Charles Jackson delivers an outstanding study of this essential creed in a brief and very legible volume.

The author presents:
- A clear explanation of each doctrine within the creed
- An exposition regarding the importance of the word homoousios
- Historical sketch of the formulation of the Nicene creed and its biblical basis
- Noteworthy men involved in the writing of this essential profession of faith

Almost twenty modest chapters make for an outstanding resource for small group study and personal devotions. Powerful, significant, vital, crucial, and delightful.
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/God-Does-Exist-Defending-the-faith-using-presuppositional-apologetics-evidence-and-the-impossibility-of-the-contrary/dp/1420827626/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">God Does Exist!: Defending the faith using presuppositional apologetics, evidence, and the impossibility of the contrary</a><a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/One-Way-to-God-Christian-Philosophy-and-Presuppositional-Apologetics-Examine-World-Religions/dp/1432722956/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">One Way to God: Christian Philosophy and Presuppositional Apologetics Examine World Religions</a>