Although this Christian-themed guide lacks specific how tos, it may still inspire readers to pay closer attention to their...
A Bible teacher with a passion for studying dreams tells of his lifelong interest in what he believes are unique messages from God.
In this debut inspirational guide, Fernandez writes of how he thinks that God has used dreams to speak to believers from Old Testament times to the present. He recounts famous biblical dreamers, including Pharaoh from the Book of Genesis and Pontius Pilate’s wife. He notes that while dreams came to believers as well as nonbelievers in the Bible, only nonbelievers required interpreters to say what their dreams meant. “There is not one record of a man of God needing an interpretation,” he writes. He shares some of his own dreams and provides his own ideas about their meanings. For example, he once dreamed about a big rig on a snowy street and recalled imagery of snow being pushed up against parked cars: “The truck was the Devil, and the snow was the world, with its indulgences, sexual immoralities, and various things the world has to offer,” he writes. He believes that the snow in his dream also represented the temptations that leave people feeling trapped. Readers who view snow as a symbol of purity, however, may have difficulty associating it with indulgence and immorality. For beginners who want to study dreams, he believes it’s important to remember that “you will interpret your own dreams,” and he cautions against consulting psychics—or anyone asking for money—for help. Writing down dreams is critical in studying them, he says, and he suggests keeping a notepad, pencil, and even a tape recorder near one’s bedside. A couple of times, he even mentions having a dream that he was unable to interpret. Fernandez proves to be an amiable teacher in this book. Although he’s fascinated with dream interpretation, Fernandez makes it clear that he believes the study of dreams should never replace Christian disciplines such as Bible reading and prayer: “Dreaming is the dessert in my relationship with God,” he writes. However, his writing might have benefited from a stronger edit to catch typos, and the tone is a bit too casual, using terms such as “ya know,” “yeah,” and “folks.”
Although this Christian-themed guide lacks specific how tos, it may still inspire readers to pay closer attention to their dreams.Pub Date: May 7, 2014
ISBN: 978-1490830193
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Westbow Press
Review Posted Online: April 28, 2015
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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