Contemplative biblical tales with rough-hewn drawings for readers young and old.
An updated, fully illustrated guide to biblical parables that distills a wide range of perplexing morals.
Schenck (Priests and Warriors, 2013, etc.) translated parables from Koine Greek for the first edition of this book in 1990 and he’s enhanced these biblical stories with full-color illustrations for this 25th anniversary edition. Each story, often only a page or two long, offers a succinct parable with a spiritual lesson. Many supply straightforward advice that may be interpreted in religious and secular ways; for example, the parable of the 10 virgins in the Book of Matthew teaches that one should always be prepared because one knows “neither the day—nor the hour” that things may happen, including passage into heaven. An appendix provides a glossary of terms from the original Greek, such as “korkous” (a unit of measure) and “talent” (a type of coin). The final section offers an overview of Schenck’s previous works, including his in-depth analysis of the Gnostic Gospels. God, as depicted in these biblical parables, oscillates between anger and reassurance, smiting or soothing his people as they attempt to live according to his ways. A few recognizable parables give well-known stories new emotional depth, such as the tale of the prodigal son that ends with a bold confrontation between a father and his elder child who stayed at home. Other parables address topics fit for ethical debate, such as the implications of equally forgiving debtors who owe vastly different amounts. Although each story ends with a moral, their ambiguity leaves much room for philosophizing. At one point, for example, God casts out a useless slave for lacking faith that God will help him make money. The unclear resolution (“for everyone who has, more will be given...he who does not have, even that which he does have, will also be taken from him”) may cause readers to wonder about the cause of God’s anger. The enlarged text also features hand-drawn illustrations that call to mind coloring book depictions. Overall, these fablelike stories may serve as an introduction for young readers to biblical lessons or as an aid to spiritual rumination for older ones.
Contemplative biblical tales with rough-hewn drawings for readers young and old.Pub Date: April 2, 2015
ISBN: 978-1511564632
Page Count: 260
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
A remarkably thorough and thoughtful case for the reconciliation between science and faith.
A duo of French mathematicians makes the scientific case for God in this nonfiction book.
Since its 2021 French-language publication in Paris, this work by Bolloré and Bonnassies has sold more than 400,000 copies. Now translated into English for the first time by West and Jones, the book offers a new introduction featuring endorsements from a range of scientists and religious leaders, including Nobel Prize-winning astronomers and Roman Catholic cardinals. This appeal to authority, both religious and scientific, distinguishes this volume from a genre of Christian apologetics that tends to reject, rather than embrace, scientific consensus. Central to the book’s argument is that contemporary scientific advancements have undone past emphases on materialist interpretations of the universe (and their parallel doubts of spirituality). According to the authors’ reasoned arguments, what now forms people’s present understanding of the universe—including quantum mechanics, relativity, and the Big Bang—puts “the question of the existence of a creator God back on the table,” given the underlying implications. Einstein’s theory of relativity, for instance, presupposes that if a cause exists behind the origin of the universe, then it must be atemporal, non-spatial, and immaterial. While the book’s contentions related to Christianity specifically, such as its belief in the “indisputable truths contained in the Bible,” may not be as convincing as its broader argument on how the idea of a creator God fits into contemporary scientific understanding, the volume nevertheless offers a refreshingly nuanced approach to the topic. From the work’s outset, the authors (academically trained in math and engineering) reject fundamentalist interpretations of creationism (such as claims that Earth is only 6,000 years old) as “fanciful beliefs” while challenging the philosophical underpinnings of a purely materialist understanding of the universe that may not fit into recent scientific paradigm shifts. Featuring over 500 pages and more than 600 research notes, this book strikes a balance between its academic foundations and an accessible writing style, complemented by dozens of photographs from various sources, diagrams, and charts.
A remarkably thorough and thoughtful case for the reconciliation between science and faith.Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9789998782402
Page Count: 562
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Oct. 7, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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