Middle East Books

In the introduction, the author talks about the closer relationship developing between Jews and true Christians and the rise of Messianic Judaism. The two stated aims of this book are (a) examining the intersection of Biblical promise and timing in our day (b) providing answers about Israel and the Jewish people to Christians and Jews.

Part One: The Time Has Come, deals with the 1948 rebirth of the nation of Israel, the 1967 restoration of Jerusalem to Israel, the growth of the Messianic Jewish movement and the revival among the nations.

The first chapter discusses biblical examples of God's intervention when His promise and timing intersected in the past, provides evidence of His faithfulness and points to the ways in which promise and timing are coming together in our time. Chapter Two shows how the rebirth of the nation of Israel is the most spectacular fulfillment of prophecy in the last two thousand years.

In the next chapter, Finto talks about Israel's reclamation of her ancient capital in 1967, nineteen years after the rebirth of the nation, according to the promise, while chapter four explores the fast growing Messianic Jewish movement both in Israel and throughout the world, which is another fulfillment of ancient prophecy. Chapter 5 provides evidence of the astonishing growth of Christianity in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The final chapter of part one shows how the church of the early 21st century is awakening to the Jewish roots of her faith.

Part Two: Questions People Ask About Israel and the Middle East, attempts to answer the plethora of questions by Jewish and Christian people raised by the developments described in the first section of the book.

Chapter Seven: What About The Arabs? explores the hidden brotherhood between Arabs and Jews as descendents of Abraham, the reasons for the current antagonism and the ultimate good news for the Arab nations. The next chapter addresses the question: Does the land still belong to Israel?, demonstrating that this is indeed the case.

In chapter nine, Finto looks at the question of the millennial reign of King Yeshua and the fullness of God's restoration of mankind and nature. Then he addresses the question of what Messianic Jews believe. The members of the early Church did not call themselves Christians; they were Jewish followers of Yeshua and they used the term The Way and were called Netzorim (Nazarites). It was only at the infamous Council of Nicea when the Gentile Church formally separated from the Jewish root.

The reasons why the Church should embrace her Jewish roots are the subject of chapter eleven. As Israel's younger brother, the Church is coming into an awareness of her Jewish heritage. The final chapter looks at the question of how Christians should respond. Finto calls Christians to unconditional love for all Jewish people and to support the state of Israel and those in the Diaspora. Guidelines are provided for believers to make a difference at this crucial time in world history.

Appendix A is a suggested Bible Reading Plan and Appendix B provides quotations from past generations of the saints on Israel and the Jewish people, including quotes from the marginal notes in the Geneva Bible of 1560, William Perkins (1579), Elnathan Parr in The Plain Exposition (1620), John Owens speaking before the House of Commons in 1649, John Brown in Exposition of Romans (1666), Robert Leighton in a sermon in 1642, Samuel Rutherford in a letter of 1633, Increase Mather in his book The Mystery Of Israel's Salvation Explained And Applied (1669), James Durham (1680), John Albert Bengel, Thomas Boston from a 1716 sermon, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Simeon and Charles Spurgeon (1855).

Appendix C provides contact information for various ministries like Beit Asaph, Beit Immanuel, El-Roii, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, Kehilat HaCarmel, Maoz, Revive Israel, Tents Of Mercy and Tikkun. Websites and the names of contact persons are supplied.

Appendix D is a bibliography of recommended reading, including books by James W Goll, Keith Intrater, Dan Juster and David H Stern. To these, I would like to add the following works which I have found to be valuable and inspiring:

In Defense of Israel by John Hagee
Our Father Abraham by Marvin R Wilson
Ruth & Esther by Frank Morgan
Standing With Israel by David Brog
Why Care about Israel? by Sandra Teplinsky

In matters of the heart, timing is crucial. In the fulfillment of Bible Prophesy, God's timing rules. Prayer is extended daily for God's will-- in His timing. But what is God's timing and how does one know? Don Finto has presented a compelling case for the Bible to be the core element in understanding modern times in God's Promise and the Future of Israel. Using Bible Prophesy as the wall map upon which present day history is pinned, Finto observes the unfolding of Israel's history as a pivot point upon which God's promises in scripture are coming to fruition. Five significant scenarios which have been taking place in this generation clearly align with God's promises for His Chosen People and with the period in history prophesied as "the last days." He likes to refer to these as intersections of God's promises with God's timing:

* The reestablishment of the State of Israel in 1948,
* The retaking of Jerusalem in the Six-Day War of June 1967,
* The opening of Jewish eyes to the message of Jesus,
* The revivals around the world, and
* The increasing awareness within the Church of the Jewish roots for the Christian faith.

Don Finto prefaces two purposes for the book: "to look at the intersection of promise and timing in our day, and to provide answers to questions about Israel and the Jewish people." His heart is clearly filled with love for God and His Chosen, and he is quick to inform the reader that the book is not just about Israel and the present days. "It is about a God who loves and comes to free us to be who we were created to be. It is about a forever-loving, covenant-keeping God." Israel is a clear reminder that God has not forgotten His People. In the same manner He has not forsaken the Gentiles who are essentially adopted into the family and are integral parts of His plan. To that extent the book is also about the reader. God calls each person to His purpose, and neither man nor woman can escape His call. "That God-shaped vacuum within you will know peace only as you rest in Him and He in you."

The second half of the book is dedicated to clarifying contemporary questions regarding Israel, their Arab brothers, their Christian brothers and how Christians should be responding to the challenges of this invigorating time. His perceptions and recommendations are profound, and his timing couldn't be better.

Block has come out with his second edition of _Gods of the Nations_ in which he proposes that peoples in the Ancient Near East saw themsleves as members of a national state. Members of a national state were ones who saw themselves as related not just as members of a certain territory but related by other factors as well. Foremost among these latter was kin relationship.

Block proposes that there was a relationship between the deities of the ANE, the land, and the people which was similar to a feudal system. The land was given to or reserved by the deity who gave it to the people. Each member of this triad had responsibilities which Block investigates. Thus the conduct of the people was subject to the accounting of the deity.

Too bad this book is so short. Block spends too little time addressing the fact that political realities in the ANE shaped theological documents. For example on page 118, Block notes the titular deity of Ur is forced out because Ur has been destroyed.
Block could use these political realities to explain the religious syncretism of ancient Israel as known from the archaeological record. Rather than do that, Block concentrates upon biblical texts to explain the rights and demands of the deity upon the people, and then he uses extra-biblical texts to explain the end of the deity-people relationship.

A fascinating thesis worthy of a second edition. I will refer to this book often during future reading.

Dr. Block takes us on a tour of the Ancient Near East, comparing Israel and Yahweh to the neighboring gods and religions.

Using this book, one will be able to gain a working familiarity with some of the more common religious thought forms of the Bronze and Iron ages. A major conclusion of his work is that Yahweh is distinct from all the other gods in that he cares for a people while all the other gods care only for their lands. Yahweh is the electing God of love and mercy.

For gaining a better understanding of the Old Testament world, books such as this are indispensable. Block is a master teacher who knows how to systematically present ancient texts and beliefs. In the end he arrives at a profound restatement of Yahweh and His relation to Israel, resulting in a summary exposition of Ezekiel 8-11. In that text we discover how the Glory of Yahweh leaves the temple and heads east to leave Jerusalem and depart from Israel. This movement is explained in the Babylonian context where gods often leave temples when they are dragged away by captors. Yahweh, however, is unique in that his departure is voluntary and under his own power, for he is doing with the other gods can not and do not do. My summary can not do justice, you really need to get the book and read all the details for yourself.

The book is divided into five basic chapters that can each be read in one sitting. As a result, I found myself reading this book in less than a week -- and with little effort, which is good for me being that I am slowest of all readers. That is, I did not find myself spending all my free time reading, but the pages evaporated into the past as quickly as they appeared: the reading was over before I realized what hit me.

I have spent a good amount of time reading Ancient Near Eastern material, and I feel like this treaties has been the most pleasant and enjoyable. One critique I would give, which is really a wish and not a critique, is that it would be nice if there were a chapter on the New Testament. I would like to see Block develop his theme in relation to Jesus, who is the Lord of the New Exodus. Jesus is the "Yahweh-Saves" Man, and it would be wonderful to see how Block would incorporate this into his overall scheme (in my mind, the idea is perfectly complimentary to Blockýs present thesis, and Iýd like to read the good professorýs take on the matter). Where Block does not develop the theme, I recommend reading "God Crucified" by Richard Bauckham (available on Amazon), or "The Challenge of Jesus" by N.T. Wright, esp. chapter 5, also available on Amazon.

My first David Chacko book. Gripping and superbly written. If you like Michael Connelly's books, as do I, you will love Graveyard Eyes.

Reviewed by Lynn O'Connell for Reader Views (7/06)

A beautiful and successful young Turkish female entrepreneur, Ayla Acheson, is found murdered in her country house outside of Istanbul. Was she killed for money? Because of her feminist beliefs? Or, by a scorned lover? The Turkish police, led by Inspector Levent, are quickly on the scene in this high-profile case. As Levent tries to make sense of the victim's bedroom and study, the killer makes contact with the Inspector on Ayla's computer. Levent determines that the killer, who identifies himself as Karanlik (Turkish for `a man from the darkness') is "a murderer without conscience who thinks he is justified in everything he does." And, Levent is bent on getting this madman. From Ayla's tourism business to a nightclub and an art gallery, Levent leads us on a tour through the diverse neighborhoods of Istanbul.

This is author David Chacko's twelfth novel and the first, I hope, of many in the "Inspector Levent" series. In the character of Levent, the reader meets a skilled and well-connected detective. In fact, at times, Levent wishes he were not so well-connected since his wife's cousin is the Chief of Police - and this means he gets some difficult and politically sensitive cases to handle. Chacko occasionally opens a window to Levent's personal life, mentioning his wife and his love of good food. There are also numerous references to Levent's battles with Istanbul traffic. These very short interludes away from the focus on the gory murder are nice touches to the book, adding a little humor and lightness. And, for those of us who have read either "The Peacock Angel" or "Less than a Shadow," the brief mention of American agent Jason Ender is a pleasant surprise. Hopefully, in the next book, we'll get to know Levent better as well as his able detective, Erol Akbay, and the Chief of Police.

Chacko has a wonderful ability to bring the streets and modern-day culture of Istanbul to life. For instance, his references to various Turkish superstitious beliefs as well as his descriptions of the feminist and gay communities within the current Moslem environment are very realistic. Even the book's cover is an added bonus - one of Chacko's photos of tombstones in a Turkish cemetery. Chacko also creates detailed descriptions of the numerous characters involved in this mystery - beyond the in-depth descriptions he provides of both Levent and Akbay.

I read the book in one weekend, as it held my interest while I tried to figure out who committed the murder. I think any reader who likes murder mysteries or fast-paced international intrigue will read the book with the same interest that I had. Then, probably join me in waiting for the next thriller in the Levent series....

Written by Russian Orthodox priest Andrew Louth, Greek East and Latin West: The Church AD 681-1071 is the third volume of "The Church in History" series and continues the scholarly accounting, from the end of the Sixth Ecumenical Synod in 681 to the Battle of Manzikert in 1071. Examining the "Greek East" and "Latin West" branches of the church in parallel, and noticing developments destined to eventually foster a schism between Eastern and Western Christianity, Greek East and Latin West discusses iconoclasm, monastic developments, spiritual and intellectual life in Byzantium, and much more. An inset selection of black-and-white photographic plates round out this informed and informative analysis of a pivotal phase in Christian history.

In the series "The Church in History," St. Vladimir's Seminary Press has now added a volume that starts with the Sixth Ecumenical Synod and ends with the Battle of Manzikert in 1071. This is the tragic period in which what had once been only a language border, no more than a thin line in the sand, steadily grew into a wall of division, until finally Christians East and West were no longer in communion with each other.

At the same time it was also a period of Byzantine growth, with Byzantium once again the most powerful Christian empire, if not the empire it had been in Justinian's day.

Andrew Louth, Orthodox priest and professor of Patristic and Byzantine Studies at Durham University, carefully follows many of the crucial events of this four-century period, including the two periods of iconoclasm in the East, the rise of the Carolingians in the West, the monastic reforms that reshaped Christian life and civilization in both East and West, the mission activities that brought Christianity to the north and east of Europe, and the crisis in relations between Rome and Constantinople that culminated in the break of communion between the two patriarchates.

Yet, as Louth points out, the break was far from complete in 1054:

"To contemporaries of the event, and for many years after, it did not seem that anything had changed in 1054. Tensions between East and West were long-standing, and they occasionally flared up, but for the most part Christians of East and West acted as it they belonged to a common cumene. This was particularly true ... among the monks..."

One of the chief issues of division in the early eleventh century was the question of whether the eucharistic bread should be leavened or unleavened. Other points of dispute included the celibacy that had been imposed on priests in the West, and the West's introduction of the Filioque into the Creed.

Might patient dialogue have restored unity? No doubt. But it has yet to happen. In both East and West today, there are many who would rather die than see the Great Schism ended.

For any reader who wishes to better understand the divisions we still live with, but also the possibility of finding common ground that might at last restore our shattered unity, this is an essential book.

Fr. Louth's book does a great service to the whole Church - both East and West. It carefully and fairly explains the events that led up to the "Great Schism" of 1054 (which, as Louth explains, was but one minor event in the estrangement between East and West).

The main benefit of this book, in my mind, is how he carefully interweaves the history of the Church in both the East and the West during this period. Although it was a time of growing division that eventually led to schism, Fr. Louth demonstrates how many similar currents flowed in both East and West during this time, such as monastic reform.

Finally, for those of us in the West, he also introduces us to characters that most are unfamiliar with: St. Theodore of Stoudios, Patriarch Photios, St. Symeon the New Theologian and other lights of the East. Knowing these men sheds light on Christian Tradition in new and important ways.

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Oasis City of Saudi Arabi

I highly recommend this book. It is always difficult doing business in strange countries and purchasing property must rank as one of the most difficult and demanding transactions to undertake. It is also necessary to get it right the first time as it can be very expensive to rectify a mistake.

This book is ideal as a primer on purchasing property in Turkey. It explains the whole process in great detail and includes a lot of other interesting information - such as the different regions and cities, getting around the country, finding a reputable agent and lawyer as well as dealing with food and customs. It is more than a list of facts and details and is a surprisingly good read as a memoir...

Really this book is ideal for travelers generally as well as being essential for prospective property owners in Turkey.

I was quite pleased with the information that was in Pat Yale's book. I moved to Turkey in 1990 and it would have been very helpful to have had it at that time. She covers all the bases. I highly recommend it to anyone considering living in Turkey. She had a very gentle way of stating the difficulties that lie in getting things done in Turkey that are very different from what we experience here in the US. I recommend it for those who know people living in Turkey. It will give you a very good picture of life there.

In the "good old days" before intifadas, etc. one could browse in English-language book shops on Saladin St. in Jerusalem (now called "East Jerusalem; back then it was one city)and come across amazing bargains. This is where I found "The Harvest of Hellenism", and I remember reading the first chapters in a coffee house in the Moslem Quarter of the Old City, drinking Turkish coffee and eating baklawa.
Alas, all that is in the past--as is Hellenism. Although, as Peters demonstrates with knowledge and humor, it was not the Greek culture of the Hellenes themselves, but the Hellenistic culture of their descendants, that changed the Middle East forever--and later, the Roman and Byzantine cultures too.
Immensely informative, never dull, often written with an eye for the absurd and humorous, the book describes both the history and the cultural phenomena from the death of Alexander the Great to Constantine. Chapters of history alternate with chapters on various philosophies. The rise of Christianity is delineated without bias--which I found very pleasant, as I am not a Christian enthusiast. The various conflicts of the early Christian sects are well-explained, as is the incredibly complicated politics of the entire region, and for the first time, I found Greek philosophical movements like the Epicurians and the Pythagoreans understandable. In the past quarter century, I must have reread the book half a dozen times.

This massive history serves as a superb general synopsis of the phenomenon of Hellenization. It is not only extremely interesting but also very readable. It covers all major historical events as well as major schools of thoughts and important personalities. In addition, special attention is given to how Hellenization affected people's everyday life and how the political systems functioned. If you know nothing of Hellinization, this is the place to start.

People have been drinking tea for hundreds of years. Sylvia Schneider not only provides numerous tea recipes from China, Japan, India, Tibet, Arabia, the Americas, and Europe, she also includes the history and traditions of tea, as well as tea recipes for a wide range of ailments.

The popularity of tea combined with the popularity of herbs as medicine makes this title not only an interesting and informative book, but a practical one as well. The reader will enjoy learning about the history of these teas and the ingredients from which they are made. Preparing and drinking these teas, which can improve health and well-being, will also be an enjoyable experience.

This book is a jewel. A good friend gave it to me as a "hope you feel better gift" the last time I was down with a bad cold. You don't have to be sick, however, to learn about the ancient history and healing power of teas and infusions.

Sylvia Schneider is a freelance writer and medical and scientific editor who works as a medical journalist. In this book she explores the history, traditions, ingredients and recipes for tea from China, Japan, India, Tibet, Latin America, Aboriginal America, and Europe. There is also information about the use of exotic herbs and spices.

This beautiful volume is illustrated with more than 50 color photographs and includes many recipes to improve the overall state of health and well-being. Makes an excellent gift. I know firsthand!
JANA

This is a gripping story of the brutal and evil occupation of Hebron by Jewish extremist settlers and the Israeli Army. I had the privilege of working with the Christian Peacemakers in Hebron for a few days in the summer of 2002, so I could relate to the picture of suffering and survival of the Palestinians. Arthur Gish is an optimist and a true Christian, but is equally at home with Jews, Muslims, and Christians of all denominations. In fact he seemed happiest when he could work together with Israeli Peace Activists in helping Palestinans in Hebron. Mr. Gish himself was raised on an Amish farm and is a firm pacifist and exponent of nonviolent opposition to evil. He was in Hebron five times, from 1995 to 2001, each time several weeks. I wish he would update his journal to reflect the horrible happenings there since the Sharon war. Nonetheless it is an inspiring chronicle of a man of faith and good works. I highly recommend it.

This is a gripping story of the brutal and evil occupation of Hebron by Jewish extremist settlers and the Israeli Army. I had the privilege of working with the Christian Peacemakers in Hebron for a few days in the summer of 2002, so I could relate to the picture of suffering and survival of the Palestinians. Arthur Gish is an optimist and a true Christian, but is equally at home with Jews, Muslims, and Christians of all denominations. In fact he seemed happiest when he could work together with Israeli Peace Activists in helping Palestinans in Hebron. Mr. Gish himself was raised on an Amish farm and is a firm pacifist and exponent of nonviolent opposition to evil. He was in Hebron five times, from 1995 to 2001, each time several weeks. I wish he would update his journal to reflect the horrible happenings there since the Sharon war. Nonetheless it is an inspiring chronicle of a man of faith and good works. I highly recommend it.

This book is written by Dr. FRYE who has travel to Iran Zamin on several occasions and he has first hands experince about Iran Zamin people.

This book caught my attention on PG 95 that Cyrus the Great name was half Persian and half Luri.

I first read the Persian translation of this book many years ago before reading this original English version recently. This is one of the best books available on the civilization of ancient Persia (Iran). Unfortunately, the quality of (offset) (re-)printing does not match the quality of its content. However, given that it costs the price of a modest dinner, it is worth the purchase. I found it quite informative -- even though it was first published a few decades ago. Truly an authoritative work and fun to read if you are interested in the history of civilization.