A meticulous and wide-ranging exploration of a key biblical event.
An analysis focuses on the Last Supper and the sacrament of Holy Communion.
While it’s generally accepted that receiving Communion is a practice central to Christian life, it’s just as widely misunderstood, argues Desir. The author examines the symbolic link between Communion and the Last Supper that inspired it. According to Desir, Communion is “our personal Calvary,” a concrete means by which every individual can not only understand, but also personally participate in the magnificence of Jesus’ “total sacrifice.” Communion then is much more than a ceremonial gesture—it is a way of dwelling “in Jesus,” growing closer to one’s Savior, and remembering an act of forgiveness that serves as a model for his disciples’ emulation. In addition, Communion furnishes a link between the Old Testament and the New Testament since the Passover bread anticipates Jesus’ offering of his body in the same symbolic form. Besides being a “spiritual food,” the reception of which is the necessary condition of salvation, Communion is a gateway to a more moral life: “Jesus is promising us that, as we cultivate our connection with Him through Communion, we will also grow in releasing control of our daily lives to Him. The ultimate we can strive for is to be fully in tune with Jesus’s will, as Jesus is with the Father’s will.” Desir offers an unfailingly clear and scrupulously careful exposition of the Bible as well as an impressively comprehensive account of the Last Supper and its theological implications. But not every reader will be open to the unconventional suggestions that Communion can be used to cure serious illnesses or cancel curses and “demonic covenants.” In addition, despite its exegetical rigor, this book is still closer to a sermon than a scholarly work. Paragraphs routinely end with exclamations: “Glory to God!”
A meticulous and wide-ranging exploration of a key biblical event.Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-66-421871-0
Page Count: 138
Publisher: Westbow Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2021
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
A virtuoso performance and an ode to an undervalued medium created by two talented artists.
The veteran actor, comedian, and banjo player teams up with the acclaimed illustrator to create a unique book of cartoons that communicates their personalities.
Martin, also a prolific author, has always been intrigued by the cartoons strewn throughout the pages of the New Yorker. So when he was presented with the opportunity to work with Bliss, who has been a staff cartoonist at the magazine since 1997, he seized the moment. “The idea of a one-panel image with or without a caption mystified me,” he writes. “I felt like, yeah, sometimes I’m funny, but there are these other weird freaks who are actually funny.” Once the duo agreed to work together, they established their creative process, which consisted of working forward and backward: “Forwards was me conceiving of several cartoon images and captions, and Harry would select his favorites; backwards was Harry sending me sketched or fully drawn cartoons for dialogue or banners.” Sometimes, he writes, “the perfect joke occurs two seconds before deadline.” There are several cartoons depicting this method, including a humorous multipanel piece highlighting their first meeting called “They Meet,” in which Martin thinks to himself, “He’ll never be able to translate my delicate and finely honed droll notions.” In the next panel, Bliss thinks, “I’m sure he won’t understand that the comic art form is way more subtle than his blunt-force humor.” The team collaborated for a year and created 150 cartoons featuring an array of topics, “from dogs and cats to outer space and art museums.” A witty creation of a bovine family sitting down to a gourmet meal and one of Dumbo getting his comeuppance highlight the duo’s comedic talent. What also makes this project successful is the team’s keen understanding of human behavior as viewed through their unconventional comedic minds.
A virtuoso performance and an ode to an undervalued medium created by two talented artists.Pub Date: Nov. 17, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-26289-9
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Celadon Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020
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