Journals Books

I was shocked to hear he died fall 2002! We need more folks as steadfast and true to their beliefs! here's to a true patriot and a friend; god bless you and we hope you don't find heaven too boring.
back to the book review; if you are interested in the story of phillip berigan's life this book is a good place to start. it covers the early years of his political struggle. for many questioning authority in today's world; you are sure to find it truly inspirational. a fast read, but a deep one. you are also sure to want to re read it from time to time.

Philip Berrigan was a decorated WWII vet who became one of the most influential anti-war activists (most notoriously for burning draft records as part of the Catonsville Nine).

These early prison journals of Father Berrigan set out in detail his non-violent, christian revolutionary perspective on this country in the early 70's. He covers everything from the Vietnam War to the Civil Rights movement, to the hypocrasy of the Catholic Church, to the problems with our criminal justice system.

While now 30 years old, Father Berrigan's writings remain relevent today. His challenge to the Catholic Church is particularly apt, as the Church today is being shaken to its foundations by allegations of sexual abuse.

His challenge to the war mentality which rules so much of America's foreign policy rings true as applied to the current debate over invasion of Iraq.

While many disagreed with Father Berrigan, the world could surely use more principled voices, willing to dedicate their lives to asking the rest of us if we are not abandoning sanity in order to fulfill our visions of the "good life." His untimely death this Fall has deprived us all of a much needed voice urging peace.

"How can we serve both love and war? The fact is that we can't."

During an early US invasion and occupation of Spanish colonial and Mexican territories, Henry David Thoreau was thrown in jail for refusing to pay the war tax. A friend came and asked him what he was doing in there. He in turn asked what his friend was doing out there.

Father Phillip Berrigan here asks us the same. In this time of merciless and wasteful war, why do we not courageously, correctly serve the Prince of Peace as we proposed in our Baptism? Can we really serve two masters and not get noticed?

The other five star reviews here adequately cover the territory and I can only add my voice to theirs, hopefully without redundancy.

Forbidden access to a typewriter in prison, and allowed to write to only a select short list of relatives, including his brother the Reverend Father Daniel Berrigan SJ, because he had dared submit for publication a few articles early in his imprisonment, while then later out on bail and appeal he taped interviews regarding his experiences in the US system of injustice. Vincent McGee here edits those tapes and articles into a spiritual unity for our lectio divina.

Father Phillip Berrigan, who went on to spend much of the rest of his life in prison as well for his Plowshares Actions beating nuclear warheads with hammers, fills us with strength and solace as we realize the need now to act as courageously, as evangelically, for peace and justice, as Jesus driving the money changers from the Temple, although it led to His own arrest and execution by the Empire and other powers.

Read this book and read it once more. Walk with Father Phillip Berrigan through this passion for the living Christ, Prince of Peace, and see how we must also now take up our Cross and walk the hard narrow path to Peace.

Please see as well the Reverend Father John Dear's own Peace Behind Bars: A Peacemaking Priest's Journey from Jail and the further works from the brave Brother Berrigan, including To Dwell in Peace: An Autobiography.

I picked up "The Reading Woman" in a museum gift shop and have loved owning it. I use it as a journal of the books I've read in the past and what I'm currently reading. It's amazing how quickly you forget a books you've read, so I enjoy writing my thoughts right after I finish one. The illustrations are lovely, some of them paintings from other centuries. Women have made time for reading FOREVER. Now that I've filled this journal completely, does anyone know of a similar one I can start?

This is a beautiful journal for women who love books and reading. This lovely volume is organized for the books you've read, books you want to read, books you've loaned out, and more. What sets this jewel apart from other book journals are the lovely prints of paintings depicting women in various situations, simply enjoying reading. No cooking, caring for children, cleaning, teaching, nursing, etc. Just reading for pleasure. The journal also includes wonderful quotes about reading and books. Beautifully done.

"This exquisite volume, illustrated with beautiful full-color reproductions of paintings of women reading, provides compelling inspiration for recording one's private thoughts. Works by Mary Cassatt, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edouard Manet, Edward Hopper, James McNeill Whistler, and Winslow Homer, as well as contemporary selections, are included. Quotes from well-known female writers on the subjects of literature and reading appear throughout.

"Pomegranate's illustrated journals lend inspiration to thinkers, observers, and diarists. Hardcover, with a contrasting ribbon marker, each journal features 26 full-color illustrations and a wealth of insightful quotes. At only $17.95 it will appeal to the writer in everyone. 120 lined pages. ISBN: 0-87654-816-8; size: 5 1/2 x 8 1/2"."--© Pomegranate

"I just finished your book and felt your passion blazing through. My review of your book is glowing and positive, because I am in sync with your thoughts and your motivation, your ideas and that force that made you put them into writing. And photography. And art. I have zero criticism, only compliments."
- Jay Conrad Levinson
Author of "Guerrilla Marketing" and
President of Guerrilla Marketing Int'l

"Your poetry is astoundingly beautiful."
- Laurie Beth Jones
Author of "Jesus CEO" and "The Path"

"Starting each chapter with a short story followed by motivational and comprehensible poetry is unique. I thought the series of questions at the end of each chapter a great way to help the readers come to terms with how the theme of the chapter relates in their own life."
- Dr. Craig Barnes, Pastor
The National Presbyterian Church

"You have a clear understanding of the issues addressed by many of us in the high tech industry and your book can help us all ground ourselves with the appropriate perspective."
- Gregory L. Merrill
President & CEO, HT Medical Systems, Inc.

"I just wanted to let you know that your book has been a very positive force. It's funny how divine time works when we allow the natural things in life to take charge."
- Sonia Myles

"His poetry and questions are soul-searching to this "modern" age."
- R. Merwin Holman
Former Vice President, Kroger Foods

"I am very impressed, especially your poems! I have never really read poetry, but I found yours to be intriguing and enjoyable."
- Tracy Spitler
Executive Administrator, Silicon Graphics

"I thoroughly enjoyed your book ... Your poems were wonderful, inspiring ... I cannot say enough good about them."
- Susan Leva, MSW
Counselor

Mark's book prompted me to begin writing and keeping a journal. The combination of short stories, poetry and questions is very creative and made this book a delight to read. I enjoyed and related to his short stories at the beginning of each chapter. They provided a great foundation for the inspirational poetry that follows. His thought provoking questions at the end of each chapter allowed me to stop and reflect on those things in life we so often do without thinking or knowing the purpose of those actions. The challenging questions motivated me to find my creativity and get what I want out of life, and for that I am so thankful!

Do you feel like you are drowning in a sea of paperwork? Would you rather be on a cruise, hiking or perhaps even skiing in Colorado? Has your life become all work, no play and you feel bored, uninspired and basically burnt out?

Mark Sincevich encourages you see that your life can be more balanced. He feels his calling is to help others learn to express their thoughts sentence by sentence until they have developed a passion for writing. He encourages you to explore your mind, your environment and your dreams. What are your goals?

Most writers already love to write. Perhaps you haven't discovered that you are a writer or are not sure what you should be writing about. You don't have to be a writer to start a journal. Starting a Journal might make you want to be a writer.

Perhaps you feel you are in the middle of the ocean of your thoughts and feel that your life is swirling in a whirlpool of conflicted emotions, time constraints and desires. Where do you begin?

"The more you write, the more focused you'll become, because you'll ascertain your feelings and desires." -Mark Sincevich

Your journey becomes possible through the author's experiences (short stories), his motivational poetry and "project oriented" creative questions/encouragement. As you discover where the author has been, you discover where you are heading.

This book did not take me too long to read. You might want to read a chapter a day or read the entire book in one sitting, as I felt compelled to do. I wanted to get the entire picture, focus on the main points and enjoy a mini reading vacation.

Portions of the book I loved:

Excerpt from a Story:

"As I began to write, an interesting thing happened. The more I wrote in my journal, the more I realized that it is a place to get focused and a place to sharpen my plans and goals."

Portion of a Poem:

"Unafraid of society's pressure,
forcing me
to conform

I'll focus on what's inspired, regardless of
the norm." pg. 81

Question and Encouragement:

"What three things will you do to change/improve your life within the next month? Take action on it."

The Contents Include:

One: Yes, I Really Hate My Job!
Two: Having Trouble Concentrating? It Must be Friday
Three: Start to Learn for Yourself
Four: Challenging the System
Five: Feeling Frazzled
Six: You Mean I'm an Individual?
Seven: Anxious About the Boss
Eight: Learning to Fail
Nine: Begin to Take Control
Ten: Something New with Passion
Eleven: Break Out
Twelve: Creativity, Anytime!
Thirteen: Using Your Journal as a Guide for Your Future

Mark has written his thoughts in some intriguing places. Imagine brainstorming, writing poetry or collecting your thoughts in the middle of the sky on a flight from here to there on a vacation between jobs. What about writing a poem while analyzing art in a museum?

Much of Mark's writing seems to happen in coffee shops or when he is on vacation or in a moment of repose. He seems to love writing anywhere he can. He is more likely to take a "mental health day" than a "sick day."

He sees beauty in opportunity, brainstorming as a way to release his inner desires, action plans as his ticket to being in control of his destination.

This is not a book about how you should work harder to get where you want to be.
It is about enjoying where you are at, moving in a positive direction
and taking time for "me."

It is about rebelling a little
Just enough to let yourself have fun.
It is about making sure
that you are somewhere up near number one

Because if you are not happy
soon you will see

Life and work looks far from seductive
And you've become less than productive.

See, I'm already inspired. Now, where is my journal?

I look forward to reading his second book, "How to Laugh Through the Workday" which is scheduled for release in Autumn 2003.

Dive into your life and feel the momentum in the ocean of your thoughts take you where you want to be.

A Unique, Positive and Inspirational Reading Journey.

~The Rebecca Review
Author of Seasoned with Love: A collection of
best-loved recipes inspired by over 40 cultures

This is a superb book for anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer, and for their loved ones. It helps to put things in perspective, and to revive hope for those with the most troubling diagnoses. I would fully recommend it as a must read. It is a very real kind of book, no sweeping grandiose promises for automatic healing, just well researched encouraging statistics, and wise advise on getting things in order and making the most of life, regardless of the eventual outcome.

As of today August 10 I am an 88 day cancer survivor. This book is a tremendous comfort and great book for both cancer victims and caregivers. Please read it.

Charlie

"I may have cancer, but cancer does NOT have me."

Being a caregiver to a loved one with cancer this book provided both of us validation of what we were thinking and feeling. Addressed the spiritual challenges any disease creates and offered guidance to stay the course in the fight for your life.

I read this book 10 months after experiencing a miscarriage. What an amazing book. It is definitely moving and will help women to know they are not alone. The book is filled with tons of references for support groups, online support, local and national foundations, and lots of information on what you can do personally to heal from the loss of a baby. There is a GREAT section to be used by doctors or for women to know how to interact with your doctor during or after a loss. Every story is as unique as one's pregancy. I have since given this book as a gift. My only complaint is that the book was not carefully edited for spelling, grammar, or how it all fit on the page. For me it was hard to get past that. But it did not change the context, helpfullness, or sincereity of the book. Whether you read this book immediately following the loss of your angel or years after a loss you will no doubt find healing & strength.

Remembering Our Angels: Personal Stories Of Healing From A Pregnancy Loss is a perfect title for Hannah Stone's book. Each child that was lost in this book was a little
Angel, it just was not their time to take their place on this world just yet, for whatever reason it may be.

The first few chapters were very informative, while the last chapters were tear jerkers. Some entries were written by doctors that have experienced child loss on a personal basis or have had patients that have suffered through the loss of a child. Other entries were written by mother's or fathers that have also experienced child loss. I found a lot of information there that I had no idea even existed.

I did not know that there was a thing called a perinatal grieving kit. It includes sometimes a plaster mold for the parents to have a little hand or footprint, a container for a lock of hair, and a couple other little things to help remember the child instead of trying to forget what happened. The day a parent looses a child is forever scared on their hearts, and nothing will ever make that day disappear.

In Remembering Our Angels, it tells of ways parents grieved in their own ways. Most have found Internet support groups, talked with other parents that have had a loss, and have even found what works for them in order to help the grieving process. One thing that touched me was a balloon release ceremony. It in a way is like sending a gift up to your child in my opinion.

Having had a miscarriage of my own, this book brings to light a few things I've never thought of before. It is a great help to any who have lost a child no matter the age even if it was only a couple of weeks along or at the end of the nine month gestation period. If you or someone you know is hurting pick up a copy of Remembering Our Angels as well as Hannah Stone's other book Forever Our Angels, it has a lot of information between the pages for helping to heal the heart. 5 Hearts

Both [of Hannah Stone's] books were beautifully written and I felt that Hannah Stone had progressed after "Forever our Angels," to finding a much better way of writing about each stage of pregnancy loss; grief and the healing process with her second book "Remembering our Angels." Both books are honest and simply written and will have a big impact upon the reader from whatever walk of life.

"Forever our Angels" gives the reader a chance to read of others' experience of pregnancy loss, showing just how common it is and letting us know we are not alone. It is well written and easy to take your time over. "Remembering our Angels" is written in much more depth and I think that this would be much more useful for healing and managing grief. I would recommend this book of the two purely because it covers so much unspoken ground for every aspect of pregnancy loss.

Both books are very touching and the way they are set out makes them very easy to read and understand. Both have introductions from medical staff - one doctor in "Forever our Angels" to many more in "Remembering our Angels." I enjoyed reading the views of the professionals in the first chapter and felt comforted that it is now realised that validating the loss of all babies at whatever stage in pregnancy they are lost, is so important in the healing process.

"Remembering our Angels" felt like more of a journey for me; going through each stage of pregnancy loss and reading of how others coped with the experience and the grief. I felt that the point of this book is that they are still having to cope often without adequate support which is needed so much after losing a baby in pregnancy.

There are many good ideas of how to cope after pregnancy loss and many have had very positive experiences from being part of a group or organisation, both personally and in helping others. Both books give the message that this should not be a silent grief. As a volunteer for The Miscarriage Association, I found both extremely useful. They motivated me to appreciate that support for men, women and families experiencing this hidden grief was paramount, helping me to help them.

I feel that the author was very brave to touch on a subject so hidden and ignored in so many ways and I do think that many others will gain strength by reading the stories of loss and survival. It is important to understand that pregnancy loss is a part of our lives and to grow from it.

Lisa Taylor-Dowle
The Miscarriage Association
July 07

The problem with much apologetics, both for and against Christianity, is that it breeds false confidence. Very often such books are selective in their presentation of the facts and question-begging as to the premises of their argument. Nowhere is this more apparent than in debates over whether Jesus rose from the dead, as Christians claim, based as they are on the rather sparse historical record of the New Testament, placed in its appropriate context by social-scientific and historical study. There is no end to books and articles being written defending one side or the other. Given that both sides seem to have able and intelligent proponents, what are we to make of this huge mass of literature, going back to the 2nd Century A.D.? Does the overall balance of argument tip toward traditional Christian belief, or is the skeptical explanation in terms of delusion and wishful thinking more plausible?

Amid such controversy and confusion Dale Allison's "Resurrecting Jesus" is a breath of fresh air (NB: I am only reviewing pp.198-352, which deal with the question of the resurrection), a massive, erudite and responsible assessment of the various explanations put forward over the centuries for the remarkable emergence of Christian belief in Jesus' resurrection by God in the early 1st Century. It is quite remarkable, as Allison argues, however, that despite the great volume of literature devoted to the subject, there are only a few basic types of explanation: 1) Orthodox belief, 2) Misinterpretation, 3) Hallucinations, 4) Deliberate deception, 5) Genuine visions, 6) Belief in God's vindication and 7) Rapid disintegration of the body plus visions (pp.201-213). This is followed by a remarkably candid, passionate yet measured exposition of Allison's own reasons for wanting to believe in a literal resurrection (pp.213-219) as well as reasons for doubting the cogency and coherence of such a belief, due to the difficulties and even absurdities which can arise when even trying to think clearly about what such an event might involve (pp.219-228).

The rest of the long chapter consists of an analysis of the primary literature of the New Testament on the Resurrection accounts and the confessions of faith which either predated them or they gave rise to, followed by a lengthy consideration of the most popular skeptical debunking explanations and assessment of the arguments for and against the empty tomb. All of this makes for dizzying reading, with footnotes that often take up most of any given page. We are treated to exhaustive, meticulous exegesis of every single word, every historical clue which can be gleaned from the New Testament. Allison ultimately concludes that we can be fairly sure that several people did ostensibly see Jesus after his death (p.269), and that (even though he concedes that it is a very tentative judgement) Jesus tomb was probably found empty (p. 332).

As Allison demonstrates, however, in what is surely a tour de force of analytic scholarship, it is harder than most apologists would admit to dismiss skeptical explanations in terms of hallucinations and/or wishful thinking. His own exhaustive overview of the relevant literature on paranormal claims, apparitions, hallucinations due to bereavement, etc. shows that "the truth of the matter, welcome or not, is that the literature on visions of the dead is full of parallels to the stories we find in the Gospels" (p.270; cf pp.269-299). But this does not mean that skeptics have victory handed to them on a silver platter. For all the parallels there are also important differences. As Allison rightly observes, "Typical encounters with the recently deceased do not issue in claims about an empty tomb, nor do they lead to the founding of a new religion" (p.283, but see p.284 for a caution against trying to make too much of these facts). Furthermore, even parallels with other 'visions' should not be taken to imply that we should dismiss all such experiences as non-veridical. Complex epistemological questions arise when trying to distinguish between an experience of something 'real' and something that is merely a construct thrown up by the brain (see, for example, Andrew Newberg, "Why We Believe What We Believe").

After this whirlwind tour of assertions and counter-assertions Allison attempts a general survey and assessment. His balanced conclusion is that "for better or for worse, history does not give some of us what we want or think we need" (p.337) and that "It is our worldview that interprets the textual data, not the textual data that determines our worldview. One who disbelieves in all so-called miracles can, with good conscience, remain disbelieving in the literal resurrection of Jesus after an examination of the evidence, just as a traditional Christian can, without intellectual guilt, retain belief after surveying the relevant particulars" (p.342). This is not, as Chris Halquist claims, an argument from ignorance, that 'since skeptics cannot decisively disprove the resurrection, that we are justified in believing it'. Allison's position is more sublte and in fact more supportive of Christian faith than an initial reading might suggest. He advocates, as I think is right, other ways to know that Jesus was resurrected, in terms of the "spiritual senses" and discernment. Skeptics will reject such a move, but it must be based upon their own faith position, not arguments which show that such discernment is imposssible.

When all the dust has settled, Allison's chapter (which could easily be a book by itself) is probably the best and most comprehensive assessment of arguments for and against the Resurrection that currently exists. No prominent (or even less prominent) defender or detractor of the foundational event of Christianity escapes Allison's critical eye. He engages with N.T. Wright and William Lane Craig as well as Richard Carrier and Jeffrey Lowder, as well as most of the scholars in between. However, it should not be forgotten that, as Allison would be the first to admit, he is only human and these pages, immense critical care and self-honesty notwithstanding, represent the fallible judgment and opinion of one particular person. Skeptics might argue that his reasons for tipping the balance to one side rather than the other stems from his own personal desire to believe in the Resurrection, against the hopelessness of the alternative. Believers might argue that he gives more credence to skeptical arguments than is warranted by the evidence. Whatever the case, whether one agrees with Allison's ultimate assessment or not, "Resurrecting Jesus" is a model of careful scholarship, humility and open-mindedness, a clarion-call for scholars on both sides to avoid facile academic victories and commit to the pursuit of truth, however uncomfortable it may be, which is something which both believers and skeptics should have in common.

Resurrecting Jesus, by Dale Allison, could almost be viewed as two books: one on miscellaneous issues in New Testament scholarship, and another on the resurrection of Jesus. Each is roughly 200 pages long. I checked out the book for the second one, but the first provides some good reading material as well.

Allison's previous books include Jesus of Nazareth: Millenarian Prophet and The Apocalyptic Jesus: A Debate, with Marcus Borg, John Dominic Crossan, and Stephen Patterson. As one might guess from the titles of these books, Allison is the proponent of the view that Jesus believed the world would end within his lifetime or within the lifetime of his followers (he's the only proponent of this view in the debate book, making the thing sound somewhat lopsided). However, he still identifies as a Christian, and says he finds the idea that God vindicated Jesus by raising him from the dead attractive, since Jesus' message was one of vindication, and a death without vindication would have "invalidated his eschatological optimism" (p.214).

Chapter one provides a good (though not introductory) survey of New Testament scholarship, while chapter two looks at the issue of Jesus saying different things to different people. Allison's status as a good scholar who isn't always comfortable with the results of his research comes across most clearly in chapters three and four, "The Problem of Gehenna" and "Apocalyptic, Polemic, and Apologetics." The first argues that Jesus likely held a view of Hell that Allison does not share, though it does soften the blow a little by showing how Jesus's view of Hell was given to him by his culture, contrary to what Dan Barker has said (that Jesus introduced nothing new "except hell"). The following chapter provides more on his struggles: "a Jesus without eschatological error would certainly make my life easier. I might, for instance, be able to tell some of my relatives, without them shuddering aghast, what I really do for a living." He also quotes Crossan's response to his position on the resurrection: "Having said that Jesus and all other millenarian prophets were wrong (so far), you could hardly claim that God raised Jesus from the dead to prove he alone was transcendentally wrong." Chapter five argues Jesus had a mixed approach to Jewish law, sometimes conservative, sometimes liberal. Allison gives this a backdrop of Jewish interpretation of the time, though it may be more a matter of human nature: plenty of pastors today behave in a similar manner.

The first thing I noticed about chapter six--perhaps because I began reading with the index--was that Allison is perfectly happy to interact with the partisans on both sides: he refers to the work of both evangelical apologists such Gary Habermas and William Lane Craig and secular critics such as Richard Carrier and Jeffery Jay Lowder. His approach is to attempt to steer a middle course. The high point of the section, I think, was on the skeptical side: he brings together massive amounts of data on apparitions, hallucinations, and visions, arguing that the post-mortem appearances of Jesus are not terribly unique. He also analyzes seven pro and seven con arguments for the claim that Jesus' tomb really was found empty after his death. He concludes each side has two good arguments, but the pro arguments are somewhat stronger. I think he has perhaps misweighed the arguments, but his attempt to weigh them honestly is a refreshing contrast to William Lane Craig, who has never heard an argument for the empty tomb that he doesn't like.

Ultimately, he concludes on one hand that apologists are wrong to think the resurrection can be proven on evidence (from his lengthy discussion of hallucination and realization that there are other ways to get a body out of a tomb), but on the other hand that skeptics cannot disprove it. He toys with the idea that Jesus came back as a ghost or something like one, a perfectly logical move if one shares Allison's belief (which I do not) that the dead sometimes communicate with the living. I don't think this is quite what he was hoping for, though, when he spoke of God's vindication of Jesus. He had his mind set on a more orthodox miracle, on the idea that Jesus was different that all the other people who have been allegedly seen after there deaths. Though this book has won my respect for Allison, I will be blunt in assessing his argument that the orthodox view cannot be disproved. When he argues it, he is essentially saying, "It looks like a duck, it quacks like a duck, but because we have not captured and dissected it, we may believe by faith that it is not a duck."

In spite of this one flaw, Resurrecting Jesus is an excellent book. It is hardly an introductory text, but I would not hesitate to recommend it to someone familiar with the basics of New Testament scholarship.

Every so often comes a book that everyone needs to read, and this is one of them. Dale Allison's sequel to "Jesus of Nazareth: Millenarian Prophet" is as good its predecessor, and in some ways even better. It consists of six independent essays, each of which builds on and clarifies arguments made in the previous book.

The first essay, "Secularizing Jesus", argues that the "third quest" for the historical Jesus is a misnomer, owing to chronological snobbery and the fantasy that we are progressive. Allison scores valid points here: many of today's Jesus-questors are indeed repeating the past, whether for good or bad -- and some of them are secularizing Jesus worse than ever before. But there has been more progress in the field than Allison allows. We have a better understanding of ancient Judaism and Mediterranean culture, and have become increasingly diverse in our methodologies. It's a good essay but rather one-sided.

The other five essays, however, are completely excellent and can hardly be done justice in an amazon review. "The Problem of Audience" argues what may seem to be an obvious point, but one which has been given insufficient heed: that Jesus said different things to different people, and didn't expect the same thing from everyone. (In an interesting anecdote from the preface, Allison says he wrote this particular essay because he had nothing better to do, during two long train rides.)

The third essay, "The Problem of Gehenna", shows that Jesus more than likely believed in hell and judgment, however unattractive that is. We moderns may see little prospect in reconciling a God of compassion with the same deity who throws people into an apocalyptic incinerator, but that's no way to guide our interpretation of Jesus: "All of us are bundles of seeming contradictions," writes Allison, "from which generalization I see no reason to exempt Jesus. It would be unimaginative and foolhardy to subdue him with the straightjacket of consistency." Consigning people to hell was standard fare in Jesus' world, and he shows every sign of having done this, especially to his opponents.

Speaking of what's unattractive provides a segue into the quasi-confessional fourth essay, "Apocalyptic, Polemic, Apologetics", which addresses what people like and dislike about an apocalyptic Jesus who was wrong about the end. It ends by being surprisingly stronger for its own excursions into theology, and is my favorite after the sixth.

The fifth essay, "Torah, Urzeit, Endzeit", tackles the controversial question of Jesus and the law. Allison realizes that however we sift the gospel testimony, it's hard to avoid a Jesus who both observed/intensified the law, while in other cases relaxing it. When doing the latter, Allison believes it was often in the interest of competing moral imperatives. For instance, in sabbath controversies Jesus appealed to the hunger of David and his men, or the value of human need, arguing that one imperative can trump another. The commandment was overridden but remained intact. Today we call this choosing the lesser of two evils. Other Torah-controversies owed to Jesus' eschatology -- "the end in light of the beginning" -- insofar as the law contained concessions to the fall and thus required repair. Thus, in cases like divorce and swearing, Jesus replaced Mosaic imperatives with Edenic ones, Moses not being strict enough in view of the apocalypse.

The last essay, for which the monograph is named, takes up half the book, is satisfying as it is long, and the best treatment of the resurrection to date. Allison steers between the dogmatic poles of Tom Wright and Gerd Ludemann, using the best from both worlds, but with a caution and humility lacking in these treatments. Weighing arguments for the empty tomb as legend and history, Allison comes down on the side of history: Jesus' tomb was found empty, and because of this we today have the doctrine of the resurrection. He also discusses the apparitions of Jesus in terms of grief-induced visions, concluding that in some ways the early church was the reception history of what the disciples' bereavement wrought.

One of his arguments for the empty tomb deserves close attention, since at first blush it resembles that of Tom Wright though is actually worlds apart. Wright has claimed that only the empty tomb could have caused the disciples to make the radical claim Jesus was raised from the dead, for there was no Judaic precedent for the resurrection of an individual (messiah or otherwise) before the apocalypse. This is emphatically not Allison's argument. Allison recognizes that lack of precedent is no obstacle to invention and creativity. The disciples could easily have invented an empty tomb/resurrection legend. Religious people make wild claims all the time; apocalyptic movements find creative ways of coping with dashed hopes in order to survive; rude reality reinterprets expectations. Jesus' original prediction about the destruction of the temple was spiritualized in the gospel of John (Jn 2) for precisely these reasons -- in order to cope with failed hopes and broken dreams.

But here's the problem, says Allison, and why Wright is onto something despite all this: the disciples' dreams hadn't been broken. In their minds, Jesus' death wasn't a mark of failure. The crucifixion would have demoralized them but ultimately been taken as part of the apocalyptic drama. Jesus had braced them for such tragedy: they were living in the end times, on the brink of the tribulation, and suffering/death had to precede the apocalypse. The shame and scandal of the crucifixion would have put them, as Allison says, "emotionally down but not theologically out". They would have gone on hoping for the imminent apocalypse and the resurrection of the dead, at which point they would have been vindicated and resurrected with their savior. Jesus' martyrdom does *not* constitute a failed expectation, and *that* is why Wright, despite himself, is right. It's not that revisionism is itself unlikely (for indeed it is); it's that there was no need for revisionism in this case. As far as the disciples were concerned, things were still going "as expected".

The upshot is that both Allison and Wright think it took the empty tomb (in conjunction with visions) to cause the disciples to conclude that Jesus was resurrected prematurely. But they arrive at this conclusion very differently -- Allison correctly. Allison also happens to be more humble about what we can say actually happened to Jesus' body: any number of things. It may have been raised. It may have been moved or stolen. Whatever happened, the tomb was empty when found, and because of this, we today have Christianity.

Don't wait to buy this book, but be sure to get the paperback edition. The hardcover goes for an extortionate $100.00 and has no cover art to boot. "Resurrecting Jesus" belongs on the shelf of any and all who are interested in the study of the historical Jesus, and the relationship between that study and modern needs.

"Lew," as he was known to me, Sgt Leptien, did an outstanding job puting this book together. Everything that was wrote was real, and accually gave me a few 'flashbacks' to somethings I once forgot. My family appriciates the book very much, since it was the best way for them to know what we did. Good Job Lew! Road Hunter 16

I thought this was a great book. It did a good job of making the experience real to the reader. You get a real sense of how things are over there for the soldiers and what they are going through.

Being in Iraq with James and being a part of one of the Roadhunter Teams, James does a very good job of telling how life in Iraq was for us. This book gives a first hand view of the good we encountered and the "pain in the butt" moments. It also shares the moments when we all wish we could be home with our loved ones.

AThis is a fabulous book, of special interest to women and sensitive thinkers of all cultures. Padma Hejmadi writes with a clarity and compactness unrivaled in today's literature. She explores the world from her special vantage point, bringing it alive with her gift of visual as well as written language. The scenes imprint themselves on one's memory forever. The gift of this courageous woman is not to be ignored. Read and enjoy!

This is a soaring, remarkable exploration of human consciousness, seen through the filters of time, place, and language. Hejmadi captures the intricacies of human awareness with precision, clarity, wit, and grace. Whether the setting is East or West, Delhi or Taos, Hejmadi's truths about love, life, work & family are reverberant and universal. She has the gift of making you walk her extraordinary path along with her. A wonderful gift for any booklover in your life.

this small book contains a huge amount of living, thinking and writing. Please read it and buy it. Your view of the world will expand and your faith in humanity andthe ablilty to think will be greatly enlarged.

It's a very good calendar helps you to organize and plan your year very smoothly, and gives a space for your mind to relax and clears your soul.
i LOVED it

For Christmas I got this Journal, the year was 2004. This Journal made quiet a journey from the States to Costa Rica and then back to the Caribbean. The Journal has enough space to write down your thoughts, your emotions, fears and hapinessess.
I highly recommend this Journal for everyone willing to put down his/hers thoughts and feelings.

I have used this journal since it was first released in 2001 through Pomegranate. If you are too busy to do extensive journaling but still want to jot a few thoughts each day on a consistant basis, this is the BEST. It also keeps you on course in several ways by asking you to set goals, record a focus and a memory jogging symbol each month. The pages are of heavy stock and the cover keeps it all together neatly - no dog-eared pages or cover falling off. I've pasted birthday cards received and concert programs attended within it's pages; I've drawn and doodled and written my deepest thoughts and insignificant ramblings. What else can I say - it's just a high quality, artistic, wonderful companion to my days, making the journey truly sacred. If you love journaling and don't think you have the time - this is the one to get!!

What a neat book and kit to use with your daughter! One thing the description doesn't say very well is the kit includes a mom guide, a secret keeper girl diary and cd and stickers. When you select it above it also suggests you should buy the diary. (I ended up with an extra diary to return...bummer)

Cool book. - The cd is a neat addition to the date night.

My daughter (10) and I invited three of her friends and their moms to join us as we journey through this book and its companion, Secret Keeper: The Delicate Power of Modesty. As a small group, we are having so much fun and learning so much about each other. We meet one week and discuss the concepts from the books and plan our date and then we have our date on another night. We are planning this as a year-long journey, so there is no rush.

If you are interested in using this in a small group environment, I would recommend limiting the numbers to 3 or 4 additional girls and their respective moms. Our girls all know each other, but coincidentally they do not attend the same school, church or social events. Therefore, they have expressed how "safe" they feel sharing their feelings and concerns and knowing that it's not going to get spread around. The moms have to feel safe too, as you never know what your daughter might share out of the blue. The more you can work together with the other mothers, the better the conversation can flow. Keep asking questions and truly listen. In a safe, honest environment, you'll be amazed what you will learn and how open your daughters are to the message of modesty and learning who they really are - not who the world says they ought to be. Enjoy the journey with your daughter.

Dannah Gresh has created a set of books that are completed with a CD by Rebecca St. James. This is a book set for 8-12 year old girls who are interested in inner and outer beauty. There are eight fun ideas for things like tea, parties, facials and shopping trips. The Diary has lined pages and "devotional-style" paragraphs for contemplation.

The Secret Keeper Girl book seems to be a "planning book" for moms and also includes information on fashion, like information on false advertising and the example of Kate Winslet's picture on GQ.

I remember my mother sending me to a class that talked about the subjects in this book, but I can tell you, this book is way more fun! You give your daughter the Diary book and she can listen to the CD.

Also included:

Recipes for facials
Affirmations of Beauty
Fashion Tips

~The Rebecca Review