A well-researched biblical exegesis that should equally interest the novice and the expert.
A scholarly study of Judeo-Christian heritage examines the roots of anti-Jewish sentiment.
Debut author Gutbrod writes that he was raised by Catholic parents in a household dominated by a virulently anti-Semitic worldview. He says that he drank deeply from this poisoned well until he started to seriously study the Bible and the historical context that informed its development. In this book, he contends that Judaism evolved under the rule of the Roman Empire but that Romans chafed at Jews’ embrace of their own nationalistic identity. Partly as a result of the harsh response of Roman leaders, a pummeled Judaism splintered into distinct sects—a fracturing that birthed Christianity. But although the early Christians still identified as Jews, they progressively established their own theological identity and their own authoritative Scriptures. According to the author, the schism between Judaism and Christianity widened when Christians curried favor with Rome by defaming the Jewish people as a seditious threat. It was not Jews, Gutbrod says, but Romans who truly executed Jesus, even if Roman prefect Pontius Pilate tried to make it seem as if the matter was decided by Jews alone. The legacy of anti-Semitism only intensified, he says, when the Gospels were written about 40 years later and the acrimony between Jews and Christians was at a fever pitch. Overall, Gutbrod’s scholarship is incandescently sharp and judicious, and he pieces together a biblical hermeneutic that meticulously considers not only the human imprint on the text, but also its historical and revelatory character: “What I have attempted to relate in this book is how human nature can twist and manipulate sacred literature in order to justify present concerns or needs.” As a result, he provides a clinic in exegetical temperance, slowly considering all the possible interpretations of the text and letting the evidence point to the most plausible conclusions.
A well-researched biblical exegesis that should equally interest the novice and the expert.Pub Date: Jan. 4, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5320-0354-7
Page Count: 332
Publisher: iUniverse
Review Posted Online: April 21, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.
Greed, depravity, and serial murder in 1920s Oklahoma.
During that time, enrolled members of the Osage Indian nation were among the wealthiest people per capita in the world. The rich oil fields beneath their reservation brought millions of dollars into the tribe annually, distributed to tribal members holding "headrights" that could not be bought or sold but only inherited. This vast wealth attracted the attention of unscrupulous whites who found ways to divert it to themselves by marrying Osage women or by having Osage declared legally incompetent so the whites could fleece them through the administration of their estates. For some, however, these deceptive tactics were not enough, and a plague of violent death—by shooting, poison, orchestrated automobile accident, and bombing—began to decimate the Osage in what they came to call the "Reign of Terror." Corrupt and incompetent law enforcement and judicial systems ensured that the perpetrators were never found or punished until the young J. Edgar Hoover saw cracking these cases as a means of burnishing the reputation of the newly professionalized FBI. Bestselling New Yorkerstaff writer Grann (The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession, 2010, etc.) follows Special Agent Tom White and his assistants as they track the killers of one extended Osage family through a closed local culture of greed, bigotry, and lies in pursuit of protection for the survivors and justice for the dead. But he doesn't stop there; relying almost entirely on primary and unpublished sources, the author goes on to expose a web of conspiracy and corruption that extended far wider than even the FBI ever suspected. This page-turner surges forward with the pacing of a true-crime thriller, elevated by Grann's crisp and evocative prose and enhanced by dozens of period photographs.
Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.Pub Date: April 18, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-385-53424-6
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
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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