A highly readable, if not always convincing, defense of monotheism.
A layman examines monotheist religions and the morals they endorse.
In the introduction to this extensive work, Shay (Getting Our Groove Back, 2006) posits some age-old considerations about God. Is God a fictional figure? Is the Bible a complete fabrication and, even if it is not, does it have any relevance to readers’ modern lives? The author also establishes himself as a believer. He may be a layman in the Jewish faith but he has had the opportunity to study the Torah very closely and, for the sake of this book, he has spoken with prominent members of other religions as well as his own. The result is a volume that covers a range of material that includes archaeological evidence both for and against certain biblical tales and a summation of Hebrew Scriptures in 900 words. But at the center of the work is an attack on idolatry. Shay argues that the God of the Old Testament represents a fundamental shift in thinking that took humanity from venerating false idols to accepting the more sensible idea of monotheism. The author contends that whether it is the worshipping of Baal or the deifying of a dictator, idolatry represents more than just an existential threat. As Shay asserts, by not creating idols “we have the best chance of going on the just path.” While a nearly infinite number of books could be written on the controversies of religion, this one strikes a unique path. The author utilizes a friendly, comical tone, as when, for instance, he imagines Joseph posting images of his coat of many colors on Instagram. The work also neatly intertwines disparate sources that range from the philosopher David Hume to the Babylonian Talmud. But certain defenses of the Bible are not persuasive. The story of Noah is treated as though “God decreed a reboot” for humanity. Yet other aspects of Noah’s trials that harden the hearts of the skeptical (for example, the curse of Ham) are not as thoroughly dissected. Nevertheless, the author’s heartfelt stance makes the book approachable. Regardless of readers’ prior knowledge and beliefs, they are likely to come away with new ideas to contemplate.
A highly readable, if not always convincing, defense of monotheism.Pub Date: Sept. 4, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68261-792-2
Page Count: 640
Publisher: Post Hill Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
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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