PRINCIPLES OF BELIEF AND PRACTICES OF FAITH

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PRINCIPLES OF BELIEF AND PRACTICES OF FAITH

Name: PRINCIPLES OF BELIEF AND PRACTICES OF FAITH
Author: Beresford Adams
ISBN: 978-1439221518

: A GUIDE TO SUCCESSFUL LIVING, VOL. 1

by Beresford Adams ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 30, 2009

A penetrating and pragmatic interpretation of scripture.

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An illuminating guide for Christian living based on a compelling reading of the Bible, Principles starts slowly but ends well.

In his intricate book, Adams tries to answer a basic but compelling question for Christians: How can Christians act on their faith? Or, put another way: What must Christians do? The author’s thesis–that intangible biblical notions like belief and trust can and should be translated into actionable practices–is a simple but valuable message for the religious. However, the author sometimes loses the raw power of that message by getting tripped up in his jargon: â€œSince faith is accepted essentially as independent of our intellect and reasoning, if we could positively define faith, it would hardly be faith.” In doggedly cycling through these and other abstractions, including hope, trust, belief, intellect, reason and principle, in his introduction, Adams risks losing his audience. But it would be a painful loss, because what follows is quite good. After such a hermetic opening, the author launches into a carefully structured, 12-chapter close reading of Hebrews 11 that makes his case. At the core of his argument is a practical expansion of typology, a biblical-critical theory that exploits similarities between similar moments in the Bible, the classic example being the close resemblance between Isaac, nearly sacrificed by his father Abraham, and Jesus, actually sacrificed by his divine Father. Adams implies that by carrying out â€œpractices of faith” Christians can become â€œtypes” of the biblical heroes mentioned in Hebrews. The author, educated at Princeton, has a knack for clearly explaining difficult theological principles, and though his prose demands careful attention, such attention delivers real insight. Further, his reading of the Bible–though traditional–is both sensitive and comprehensive. For Adams, Christian scripture is a unified story, and he handles the text like a veteran exegete.

A penetrating and pragmatic interpretation of scripture.

Pub Date: Jan. 30, 2009

ISBN: 978-1439221518

Page Count: -

Publisher: N/A

Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

PHILOSOPHY & RELIGION

ROSE BOOK OF BIBLE CHARTS, MAPS AND TIME LINES

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ROSE BOOK OF BIBLE CHARTS, MAPS AND TIME LINES

by Timothy Paul Jones ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2005

Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.

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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 â€œHow 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

Categories:

PHILOSOPHY & RELIGION

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THE MYTH OF SISYPHUS

AND OTHER ESSAYS

by Albert Camus ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 26, 1955

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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.