General Practice Books

I cannot think of a book by Jim Forest that I did not enjoy, leran from and then recommend to others, even making gifts of several of them to freinds and family. I think here, to name just a few of his wonderful biography of Thomas Merton, Living with Wisdom, his books on praying with icons and on the Beatitudes, his book on confession and his new one Silent as a Stone, on St. Mother Maria Skobtsova's resuce of children during the roundup and imprisoning of French Jews during the Occupation in 1942. In many ways, The Road to Emmaus: pilgrimage as a way of life, brings together holy women and men Jim Forest has revered, learned from and written about. But in this lovely and lucid text, he also brings some of the most important of his subjects such as prayer, liturgy, sacred images, holy places. He assembles all these in the framework of that venerable project of seeting out and making the pilgrimage journey. This could be an excellent book to take along on a retreat, to use for spiritual reading during a season such as Advent or Lent, to gather a study group. The images within support Jim Forest's always accessible prose. He has also included his own pilgrimage through sickness towards healing. You will be in for adventure in reading this, just as much as any of Chaucer's pilgrims on the road to canterbury, or for that matter, thousands of others journeying to Compostella, Rome, Jerusalem or other holy places.

This book is one that I plan to add to the short list that I read regularly. I have been looking for material that will help break up the hard soil of my heart so that I can hear the unexpected messages God has for me on the road of life. I mean, whether one is an intentional pilgrim, a traveler, one who makes his or her rounds, or even a person limited by illness, Jim Forest addresses you with stories, words of Saints, and sage advice. He's been these all these persons, and he illustrates how God is there in these situations, speaking. If you're longing for those ears to hear the saving messages you fear you're missing, this book will help.

Jim Forest's latest book is a guide and companion for all of us, stripping away the cynicsm that modern readers may feel when asked to consider their lives as journeys.

The book deals with the physical act of pilgimage, with places of pilgrimage and with pilgrimage as a metaphor for life, but ultimately all forms of pilgrimage are resolved in the unexpected encounter between the downcast disciples and the Risen Christ on the Road to Emmaus. It is this journey that Forest challenges us to use as the pattern of our lives.

Whilst the approach is explicitly Christian and more particularly Orthodox Christian, it is always informed and enriched by Forest's encounters with representatives of other traditions and philosophies, and of course his friendships with Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton and Thich Nhat Hanh. Indeed, it is this warmth and openness to others that makes the book so attractive: whether we agree with one another or not, we all live together. And how many books encompass Tolkien and Dostoevsky, Chartres and the Anne Frank House, the Desert Fathers and the pilgrimage of illness?

A humane, wise book for a fearful time

Jim Forest's book: "The Road to Emmaus" presents a highly readable, lively account of this one, somewhat curious, aspect of spiritual living. In the book, the theme of pilgrimage is highlighted against a number of the places that the author has visited, together with those whom he has met along the way. Jim's characteristic ability to see the `eternal' present in situations which most would discard as simply ephemeral, gives the book a challenging, yet attractive, quality. The author takes us to `thin' places, where the presence of God is almost tangible, but also to `dark' places, where the presence of God seems to be wholly absent. I was particularly interested in the idea, throughout the book, that it is the journey, rather than the destination, which constitutes the pilgrimage itself, making pilgrimage an aspect of living in the moment, rather than (as is more normal) an idea of projecting ourselves into some future achievement. The book is freely laced with Jim's own attractive anecdotal style, and provides a fascinating personal insight into our journey towards the Kingdom of God.

I've been reading Jim Forest's books for years, and although I've never had the pleasure of actually meeting him, I think of him as a valued and much loved teacher. His latest book, this one on pilgrimage, is a beautiful reflection on what it means to be a homo viator, a pilgrim, a traveler on the way to God.

We typically think of pilgrimage as actual physical movement toward a holy place, and this is perfectly legitimate. But Forest reminds us that pilgrimage is fundamentally an alert attentiveness to God: a quiet listening, a prayerful waiting, a contemplative centering, a grateful bowing. Too much attention on physical holy places can distract us from the spiritual essence of pilgrimage. It risks turning would-be pilgrims into tourists. If God is a circle whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere, then we are always at the Holy Place we seek. The trick is realizing it.

In discussing pilgrimage, Forest's reflections on "thin places," where the presence of God seems especially palpable, and "dark places," where the absence of God feels so devastating that they can inspire a trek along the dark path of unknowing and unnaming. I was especially moved by his chapter on "The Pilgrimage of Illness." In it, Forest reveals that he's suffering from kidney failure which requires regular dialysis. But in the midst of his illness, he's also discovered a whole new opportunity for traveling to God.

A wonderful book worth reading slowly and meditatively. Thanks, Jim!

Having been an acitvist in the 60's and 70's and then settling into the coma of "it's time for the next generation", I found Romero's Legacy inspirational. This book has renewed my commitment to work for social justice. Thank you.

When the biblical prophets decried unfaithfulness among the people of Yahweh, they usually cited two indicators: engaging with other gods, and failure to engage with the poor, orphans, widows and the oppressed.

In the late 1970's Archbishop Oscar Romero accepted his call to prophecy and began to complain bitterly about the oppression of the poor in El Salvador. In 1980 he was shot to death while leading a religious service.

His short life as a prophet and his death have inspired many who serve the poor, including many members of St. Joseph's Cathedral in Camden, New Jersey, home to some of the poorest people of the United States.

Among many other efforts to engage the poor, St. Joseph's began the Romero lectures in 2001, effectively reviving Romero's spirit with annual meditations on the complicated relationships of good, evil, fear, justice, compassion, revenge and the meaning of being Christian - all in relationship to the poor and oppressed.

These seven lectures, delivered yearly from 2001-2007 chronicle the oppression of the poor in today's dynamics: economic and social injustice, incarceration, (including the death penalty) racism and demonization of immigrants; and offer a religious and theological response to engaging the poor: a preference for the poor (liberation theology) and a reminder for those who would be Christian that their faith makes the poor a part of their family. As John Hogan notes, "in the New (Eucharistic) Covenant), we become blood relatives...of one another." (p. 27)

These edifying lectures can inspire the private reader, but their thrust is clearly towards our responsibility as a people to turn our collective, our structural hearts towards the poor. With Romero's spirit, the prophets of Camden are showing us the way.

Romero's Legacy is short, clear, and challenging. It forced me to rethink some big issues: war, race, urban poverty, capital punishment, and immigration. Gutierrez, Prejean, and Groody are spellbinding. A great resource for high school, college, and adult ed classes.

Romero's Legacy is an indispensable introduction to the topic of social justice and the Christian call to follow Christ's example for the sake of the poor and disenfranchised. Through the lens of seven different writers, each committed to living faith through work on behalf of those who the secular world values least, the book makes a convincing case that faith, without works, is dead. Concise and accessible, Romero's Legacy is lends itself easily to structured study. The text is appropriate not only for high school or college curricula, but also as a learning tool for small-group study.

"The Living Legacy of Oscar Romero," is an excellent book, which includes many thought-provoking and insightful articles from the past 7 Romero Center Annual Lectures. Each article discusses issues related to peace and justice... I highly recommend this book to professors, teachers, and scholars. This is a great book to incorporate into your curriculum with high school and college students. This is a 'must read.'

Sometimes when we grow up praying the Rosary, we lose the reverence we should have for it. With this book, the author has shed new light on how I see this prayer and the Mother of God. Instead of praying to her, we're asking her to sit down with us as we get to know her son better through her eyes.

I would also recommend this book to any protestants who would like to understand the Catholic view point on Mary and the Rosary in a non-threatening way.

The book itself is beautiful as well; Jansen has chosen exquisite artwork that serves as a photo album of Jesus' life for the reader to meditate on.

I just received this book from a friend, and can't think of a more thoughtful gift. It's beautiful to look at, easy to read, and unlike most sources on the rosary, does an excellant job of explaining why and how meditative prayer can be powerful in our lives. Instead of just telling you how to pray the rosary it actually made me look forward to doing so. I loved that his approach was for all Christians - not just Catholics, who want to deepen their relationship with Christ. I've gone through a number of books and pamphlets, looking for something useful for folks not raised to the practice of the rosary (or those who do so mechanically, with no effect), and this is by far the best I've come across.

Gary Jansen shows us the importance of slowing down and,using the repeating prayers of the rosary, inducing a meditative state. He argues that by repeating the rosary you force onself to slow down. He uses some personal anecdotes to illustrate this. This book is a unique perspective and belongs in ones personal library of anyone trying to find peace thru the power of prayer. I loved this book!

I bought a copy of The Rosary when it came up by chance as an "Amazon Recommendation" for me. I completely believe in fate and signs and thought this to be one. Although I have tried in the past, I wouldn't normally read a book about a prayer but this one is different. It is more than a book. It's a kind voice speaking to you, whispering in the background even while it's put away neatly on your bookshelf. It made me look at the Rosary in a completely different way than I did in all my years of Catholic school. I would recommend it not only for someone who is interested in prayer but also for those of you who have trouble with meditation. I have tried "walking down the path into the forest and closing the gate" and so on and so on as many meditation guides recommend but the nagging stress of my day to day life always distracts me back to the present. Here, Gary Jansen teaches a deeply meaningful type of meditation. I now keep The Rosary on a shelf above my bed and have reached for it during some hardships that have occurred in my life in the past months. It is truly an inspiration.

A very enlightening and deep book. You'll return to it again and again for inspiration and guidance.

Great introductory book on keeping the Sabbath. Just as in her book "Fasting," Lynne M. Baab mixes a lot of scripture with a lot of testimonies, leaving you yearning to try out the Sabbath for yourself.

This book challenged and inspired me all at the same. The author's candid thoughts regarding her own experience with the Sabbath helped me embrace the idea of starting this ritual on my own. It is a great book and worth reading!!

This book is an easy read, but packed full of practical wisdom about keeping the Sabbath. It helped me to see how the ancient tradition of Sabbath-keeping can benefit us in the fast-paced world we live in today. Lynne recognizes the vast differences in each of our lives, and has ideas and suggestions that we can each apply in the way that works for us. If you want an easy way to understand how observing the Sabbath can bring joy to your life, just set aside a morning to do nothing but sit on the couch with this book and a cup of coffee or tea. You'll be changed after the experience!

This is a terrific book. I especially liked Lynne's example of how she tries to fast from "words" as part of her Sabbath-keeping, since much of her work entails reading/writing/speaking words. I've taken that to heart, and am experimenting with ways to implement it more fully in my Sabbaths.

We as Americans have gotten so far away from even the thought of taking an entire day to rest, regroup, and be refreshed. It seems to be beyond our imagination that taking such a day could actually make the rest of our week go even better and that we will be not only more productive, but happier and peaceful. I am so grateful to Lynne Baab for writing this book because it helped confirm that having a day of rest is really imperative for our spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being. Since I started my Sabbath days I can truly notice a difference in
every one of those areas of my life. And I love how Lynne is not legalistic about how we should conduct ourselves on our personal Sabbath day---that everyone has different needs and styles. Also that our Sabbath practices will change over the years as our circumstances change. I intend on giving away copies of this book to all of my stressed friends who have been raised in this culture to think that if we aren't frantically running around PRODUCING and multi-tasking then we aren't doing anything of worth. We need to stop, take a deep breath, and enjoy a weekly Sabbath where we will find treasures and joys we never knew we could be experiencing!
See Isaiah 58:13-14 for a great scripture concerning the Sabbath.

I love this book, which explores the weekly parsha. Most weeks are only a few pages long but are packed with a lot of mystical and talmudic insight. This is one of my favorite compendiums to the Torah.

The most amazing, heartfelt response to the question of Why EVIL exists. This book will change your life. It is stunning, selfless, and TRUE. This is a dialogue with the ETERNAL Himself.

Rabbi Worch's translation of the difficult, poetic Hebrew of the Rebbe of the Warsaw Ghetto captures the power and essence of the original text. For people who have been yearning to read the teachings of the Piacezna Rebbe, Kolonymous Kalman Shapira, this book is worth the wait.

The writings of the holy Rebbe of Piazeczna (as presented by R. Worch) are both profound and poignant, but also inspirational, even to those who have not studied the original text.

These writings were written by the Piacezna Rebbe during the time when the Jews of Warsaw were living out the horrible suffering of their destruction by the Nazis. They are written with a passion and religious depth, a clinging to G-d and a spirit of prayer which move so so deeply. They are written by a Jew under the most supreme trials of suffering who deepens in faith in the suffering. They are the writings of a great holy Jewish religious teacher who gives us in these words and by his life - example the story of a true Tsaddik, a holy , holy, holy man.
G-d blesses and uplifts the soul of anyone who is capable of sharing in the reading this holy man's presence.

Patricia Monaghan, probably my favorite Goddess-spirituality author ever, does it again with _Seasons of the Witch_. ... Monaghan's emotional and moving poetry is wonderful. You can just read it for enjoyment, or use it in ritual. It includes "general" poems about witchcraft, a lot of Greek- and Celtic- inspired material, a few poems dealing with other myths, and a dash of fairy-tale material. All of it is very good. (One thing that makes Monaghan stand out in her field, by the way, is her refusal to bash males. Other goddess authors ignore or demean men, but many of Monaghan's poems celebrate love for men in a sensual and lyrical way.)

There is also a gorgeous accompanying CD, featuring several performers who have set selected poems to music. You'll want to hang on to this, too, either just to listen to for pleasure, or to play during ritual.

I would talk more specifically about the poems, but I can't do them justice in prose. I wish Amazon had a "see inside" feature on this book, so you could browse the first few poems and see if you like Monaghan's style.

I also must commend cover artist Gavin Duffy. For a moment, I thought Monaghan had switched publishers! Note to Llewellyn: More covers like this, please! In fact, more books like these--both in appearance and in content. This is a rare gem.

When we raise our voices to praise the Goddess, we find our voice sometimes in poetry, or sometimes in prose and most often in song.

This book is a collection of some of Patricia Monaghan's work. The book is divided into seasons, and each season is created in our minds in beautiful poetry and visualized prose. We are lead around the seasons, shown the associations of the elements, the Wheel of Life, and the different forms of the Goddess.

Ms. Monaghan is a talented and very well known poet. Her works have appeared in many magazines.

This book also contains a CD which has placed 25 of her poems into song. The poetry becomes devotional songs, and we find ourselves delicately woven into the visualizations by the enchanting voices of Peggy Monaghan, Sally Coombs, Susan La Croiz, Claudia Blythe, Kirsten Baird Gustafson and Lili McGovern. James Robbins also appears on one of the tracks.

As you read, and listen, you are drawn in by the delicate imagery Ms. Monaghan uses. Ever present is her love for the Goddess, her understanding of the elements and we feel her love and warmth in each piece.

This is a nice break from the handbooks and instructional manuals that dominate the market. Personal expression rather than personal opinion is always a nice change. The CD is professionally produced, the book is nicely bound, and the quality of the material makes this an outstanding package and a nice presentation.

This is a book that can be appreciated by anyone with a soul for poetry or devotional prose. It would make a wonderful gift and a lovely addition to your library.

Sometimes we need to step back from the "how to" books and remember "why".

This is an absolute treasure of a book. The title is a little misleading though. This book is not just for witches but for goddess loving folk everywhere. It's poetry, not an instructional manual for witchcraft or even "how to find the goddess." Although it's not a manual, it certainly helps the reader to connect with the goddess on an emotional, instinctual level. Almost every poem pulls me right at my very core. I feel a deep inner understanding of what the author is saying, and through her written experience of the goddess, I touch Her too. Wonderful, transcendent poetry.

The CD is very good too. It's well-produced, and the music meshes well with the poems. I haven't done so yet, but I think it would be excellent music to use in ritual.

This isn't the dry, highbrow stuff forced down your throat in high school. This is juicy, magical, alive and exciting. There is romance, myth, anger, fear and wonder.

I've performed these poems to great effect, and had many people ask where they could get the book. I've heard it's coming back in print and that's tremendously exciting.

Patricia Monaghan has written numerous books on Goddesses and myth, including the brilliant "O, Mother Sun," and has another poetry collection, "Winterburning."

I bought this book/CD two months ago, and I still haven't tired of listening to the CD and reading the poetry on a regular basis. Monaghan is a very talented poet; She conveys images and emotions so well through her words! It's really wonderful... some of the best poetry I've ever read. The songs on the CD are also beautiful. They are Patricia's poems set to music that was written and performed by each artist, so the instrumental and vocal styles are often quite varied (in a good way). One of the vocalists is Patricia's sister, Peggy Monaghan, and some of the others include Lili McGovern, Claudia Blythe, Sally Coombs, and Kirsten Baird Gustafson. All of these singers and musicians are very talented, but I am lukewarm on a couple of the songs because I personally don't like the singer's vocal style and she sounds a tad flat to my ears throughout the song. Despite that, the CD is currently one of my favorites to listen to on a regular basis. Just a few of my personal favorite songs/poems include Peggy's version of "Maenad in Spring," and "Maeve Prepares for Beltane," "The Maenad Remembers Dionysus," and "Procedure for Reclaiming the Self," but all of the poems and songs are really special. I highly recommend this book/CD set to anyone who enjoys Goddess-based poetry and music.

Reviewed by Karrie Grobben for RebeccasReads (6/08)


From its opening quote: "They tried to kill us, we won, let's eat," to its description of a Passover spent with Marlon Brando, Seder Stories by Nancy Rips is a remarkable, joyful, funny and sometimes poignant celebration of the Festival of Freedom. Passover is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the Jews' freedom from slavery in Egypt but the spirit of the holiday encompasses so much more. It gives thanks for the presence of family and friends. It celebrates the individual's right to freedom from persecution. Most of all, it is a way for the painful yet triumphant history of a people to be passed on to future generations so that it will never be forgotten. Though presented as a collection of short stories, author Rips actually offers us over one hundred memories of Passover from the perspectives of Jews from every walk of life.

The stories in the book vary widely in length (some encompassing a mere few lines, others the length of a traditional short story) and theme (some focus on family dynamics and others on the holiday's historical significance) but they all have an impact on the reader. One woman comments that she never found alcohol to be any kind of temptation as a teenager, having grown up celebrating Passover. Another describes a playfully-themed chocolate Passover, in which all the traditional foods were replaced with different kinds of chocolate. Though there were a few heartbreaking stories, what struck me the most about this collection was its very lack of gloominess.

Because, in essence, what Seder Stories shows, overall, is how Jews all over the world remain connected, despite differences in age and situation, through a holiday that, above all other holidays, really does symbolize to Jews what it means to be Jewish.

I recommend this book for all readers, either to learn about this holiday or to celebrate it.

Reviewed by Norma Freimark for Reader Views (5/08)

"Seder Stories" by Nancy Rips is a square-shaped book. It is a great book to read and it also makes a great Passover hostess gift if you are going to a Seder. It is filled with 101 wonderful delightful short stories about Passover, preparing for Passover, and Passover Seders on 187 pages from actors, actresses, comedians, Rabbi's, famous Jewish people and everyday people that celebrate Passover in a variety of ways.

The stories in "Seder Stories" represent a lot of different cultures and Passover Seders celebrated around the world. These stories were written by young, middle-aged and senior citizens. The stories include memoirs of how people celebrated Passover stories, who they celebrated Passover with, the history of the Jewish people, and a few suggestions on how to celebrate for a Passover Seder. Some of the stories are funny, while there are stories that are very thoughtful and touching. There are stories from Seders in the army, Seders in jail, Seders on cruises, and Seders in homes.

The famous quote "They tried to kill us. We won. Let's eat." - Anonymous, begins the book and sets the mood of the fantastic short Passover stories. The last three pages of the book include a glossary of the Jewish terms that someone not familiar with Jewish vocabulary will find very helpful. The glossary defines common Jewish words such as bubbe: Grandmother, afikomen: hidden piece of matzah, and matzah balls: balls made out matzah meal and eggs and served in chicken soup to words that might be unfamiliar words such as mazon: charity to help people who are hungry, Pirkeh Avot: collection of Rabbinical sayings and proverbs, tovu vavohu: disorder, chaos. The stories ranged from being, funny, touching, and sincere.

"Seder Stories" is written for adults of all ages and interests. As someone who has celebrated Passover for many years, I thought this book was easy to read and very enjoyable. I could relate with many of the stories, even if they were written from someone in a difficult country or culture. The stories represented that Passover, although celebrated around the world and is celebrated by different cultures and levels of observant Jewish people, is actually all celebrated the same--teaching the Passover story, sharing the table with Jewish people and non-Jewish people and that most people have a relative that they think special about during Passover. Of course, everyone has a special Passover story that they would like to share and reading the stories from "Seder Stories" truly represents that. Future publications could include asking readers from this story to send in their Passover stories. As a reader, of "Seder Stories" I would send in my story and definitely purchase the second book. Thank you Nancy Rips for collecting all these Passover stories.

Passover is the annual celebration to celebrate Jewish Freedom, and by far one of the most important days on the Jewish calendar. "Seder Stories: Passover Thoughts on Food, Family, & Freedom" is filled with 101 'memories' in the form of stories, anecdotes, blurbs, and more, broken into four segments representing a broad theme related to the Jewish celebration of freedom for each. Focusing on every part of the celebration, "Seder Stories: Passover Thoughts on Food, Family, & Freedom" is highly recommended for community library Judaic studies collections and for any non-specialist general reader who would want a greater understanding of the celebration.

I love this book!! What makes it special is the variety of memories shared by a variety of people from all walks of Judaism, and folks of all ages, which makes this a book that has something for all ages.

Love the size of the book, and its layout, and for someone who is a bibliophile I loved the font (print) used which makes the book easy to read.

Am so happy to have the book in my home library.

Not being Jewish, I was unaware of most of the tradition associated with the rite of Passover. I certainly knew it to be the celebration of the migration of the Jewish tribes out of the slavery of Egypt to the land now known almost universally as the Holy Land. However, the symbolic reaffirmation of tradition and Jewish roots so inherent in the holiday was not part of my knowledge.
Reading this book certainly changed that and it also refreshed by belief in the universality of humans and their customs. So many of the actions described by these people when they engaged in their Seder celebrations could be slightly altered and they would describe Christians or even atheists celebrating the holiday of Christmas. Yet, deep within the ceremony there is a long history of tradition, the food that is consumed, the reading of the stories and the reminders that the history of the Jews is a long one. A deep, tragic and convoluted history that must be passed from one generation to the next so that all future generations will know what it means to be a Jew.
It is most unlikely that I will ever be personally involved in a Seder, but now I can appreciate the ceremony, what it means and how it reaffirms that there are similar differences between the Jews and every other ethnic and religious group.

I once heard that faith was believing in the Invisible or even sometimes even the impossible. Through the journey of Professor Kim, one will truly see that faith in God truly enables and empowers one to change the world through Christ. This is a truly wonderful book that will truly inspire you to walk closer in Christ in all aspects of your life: personal and professional.

How is it possible to see the invisible and change the world? It is impossible through human's eyes and ability, but with God's help and guidance it is very possible. Dr. Kim is a living evidence of how God has enabled him to see the invisible.
Everyday is a living testimony of how God has been changing the world.

As a Christian, we experience his power, providence and plan everyday. This is the story of Dr. Young Gil Kim, former NASA scientist/former Professor at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), and current President of Handong Global University (HGU). This book not only inspires the reader by giving a in-depth view of his personal journey, but through the sufferings and redemption he has faced through his Christian walk; being labeled as a "fake scientist" by colleagues (however God rewarding him with the Korean Scientist of the Year award and many technological achievements manifested in patents and papers) ,from being imprisoned in jail on charges of fund misappropriation (only to be exonerated later!") Furthermore, this book also gives a view on HGU's founding philosophy which has profoundly influenced Korean and world wide education: The Merging of Christian beliefs to Professional competence in Technology. Even though HGU is only less than 10 years old, its graduates are members of leading corporations such as IBM, Samsung, LG, and also went on to top graduate schools such as Harvard and others. If you are praying and preparing yourself in doing God's work, this is a must read! Not only will be challenged, but most importantly that you will have comforted that indeed God is indeed deeply involved in every affair in our life.

I once heard that faith was believing in the Invisible or even sometimes even the impossible. Through the journey of Professor Kim, one will truly see that faith in God truly enables and empowers one to change the world through Christ. This is a truly wonderful book that will truly inspire you to walk closer in Christ in all aspects of your life: personal and professional.

As a Christian, we experience his power, providence and plan everyday. This is the story of Dr. Young Gil Kim, former NASA scientist/former Professor at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), and current President of Handong Global University (HGU). This book not only inspires the reader by giving a in-depth view of his personal journey, but through the sufferings and redemption he has faced through his Christian walk; being labeled as a "fake scientist" by colleagues (however God rewarding him with the Korean Scientist of the Year award and many technological achievements manifested in patents and papers) ,from being imprisoned in jail on charges of fund misappropriation (only to be exonerated later!") Furthermore, this book also gives a view on HGU's founding philosophy which has profoundly influenced Korean and world wide education: The Merging of Christian beliefs to Professional competence in Technology. Even though HGU is only less than 10 years old, its graduates are members of leading corporations such as IBM, Samsung, LG, and also went on to top graduate schools such as Harvard and others. If you are praying and preparing yourself in doing God's work, this is a must read! Not only will be challenged, but most importantly that you will have comforted that indeed God is indeed deeply involved in every affair in our life.

Let's face it -- folks are having sex, but we rarely talk about it in the church. If we really want to help people, we need to start to talk about what is ailing us. This book is a great tool to open people's minds to what is really going on and how people are really living. I highly suggest it to anyone involved in young adult ministry.

Kelly Brown Douglas has opend a work that will be reqired reading in most schools of divinity. The conroling thesis of her work is the establishment of a sexual Discourse of Resistance as a counterforce to white racist culture that has exploited and damaged African American sexuality.Douglas contends that the damage is so deep that blacks have a difficulty speaking openly regarding issues of sexuality. She has masterfully made the interconnections between sexuality, racism, sexism and homophoia. She challenges the black church to employ her sexual discourse of resistance but does not clearly explain what contstitutes the black church. What about Black Catholics, Black Episcopalions, et.al. Her work underscores the sadness that some theologians (namely, Black Roman Catholics) could never author such a text because much of Douglas's volume counterveins Roman Catholic dogmatic formulations and a Catholic theologian would have to answer to Rome for such a work. Thank God for African American Episcopalions like Douglas.

I think I've recommended this great work to everyone I know.

This book should be a must read for all African American church members. It is challenging, provocative, and engaging. A work like this is the only way to begin the dialogue necessary to resurrect the dying Black Church.

Douglas tells the truth about American history when she reveals how black people were mistreated during slavery. This book shows that sexuality was used to oppress black people, the white culture exists only as the non-white culture is oppressed, day to day social struggles are a microcosm of the macrocosm (for example, "gangsta" rap is a response/result of dehumanizing social influences such as institutions and systems). But the book gets off track when Douglas condones homosexuality and mixes principles of Christianity with principles of secular humanism.

Kelly Brown Douglass has written an excellent first chapter for her book Sexuality and th Black Church. What she has done here is to explain the relevance of using Michel Foucault as a tool to look at the history of black sexuality in the United States. Her basic argument is that black sexuality as we know it today is a fiction, a number of fictions (made of up numerous stereotypes), more or less derived, from what she calls White Culture. That Black sexuality has been a means to discipline and control black bodies. This book is commendable in that it dares to use Foucault and that it touches upon the personal in such aa way as to make all a bit uneasy --- black, white, male, female, heterosexual and homosexual. We all have a lot to learn from her analysis.

An excellent overview of the liturgical development of the early church. I would recommend this book to all people like myself that are non-liturgical. Dix brings out that the general outline of the service of the Eucharist "is everywhere most remarkably the same after 300 years of independent existance in the widely scattered church" in the Mediterranean region. If the non-liturical fundamentalist arguement that pagan intrusion was the origin of the Eucharist service were true, we would expect to see widely divergent local customs surrounding the eucharist service. The only explanation to explain the remarkable similarity is a common origin that must date to the very beginning of the Christian movement, before its missionary expansion. This would mean that the original design of the Eucharist liturgical service was done with Apostolic oversight.
This is blockbuster news to a non-liturgical cleric like myself. After reading this book, I now have more of a respect for the desire of my liturgic brother to keep the shape of the liturgy as it has been handed down to him or her. And I now will be more open to incorporating parts of the liturgy into our non-liturgical service. This is a must read for those that are contemplating throwing out the customs and practices of the liturgical service as being boring and repetitious. Instead the ministry of the liturgical church needs to teach what Dom Gregory Dix writes to the laity of the church, so they understand the various parts of the service, what they mean and their Apostolic origins. If someone had done that for me when I was an adolescent growing up in a liturgical church, I might have stayed in the church, instead of moving on to be a pastor in a non-liturgical denomination.

This is the end all for the liturgy. Detailed to a fault and well written. Dix did christianity a favor by producing this work for the people.

"Everything old is new again" seems to have impacted the Christian Church in the 21st Century. With the "rediscovery" of the richness and depth of the ancient forms of worship, the reprint of this classic on liturgy is very welcomed.

Dom Gregory Dix, an Anglican scholar, began a short presentation of the shape of liturgy that by his own admission became an expansive examination of how the Church has worshipped over the centuries. The research is outstanding and the general usefulness of the book is amazing considering the length to which the author has gone to verify his conclusions.

This outstanding work is a key for those theologians, pastors and priests seriously interested in the worship of the church through the ages. A serious layman can obtain much from the book as well.

Dom Gregory Dix's "The Shape of the Liturgy," originally published in 1945, is a classic work that anyone who appreciates the importance and beauty of liturgical planning and development should own. This work represents one of the first serious attempts to influence liturgical reform in the Church of England toward pre-Nicene forms, and Dix's overarching structure of "take,bless, break, and give" still serves us well today. This book is written in a very accessible way, and it provides the background for understanding the theology behind many of the post-Vatican II reforms. I highly recommend it.

Most Liturgical scholars own a copy of Dix's `Shape of the Liturgy.' The reason is that Dix is perhaps the most thorough and erudite liturgical scholar of the 20th century. `Shape' is a classic that has fundamentally shaped most Protestant and Catholic denominations. To the person not familiar with `liturgy,' it means `work of the people,' and is the way in which Christians have traditionally worshipped. It is a common worship, in which the worship of various separate churches is similar, but varies by time of year, and with the local culture.

Dix starts with an introduction to the Liturgy; then he moves on to the performance of the Liturgy. Then he begins his historical quest, in which he attempts to find the roots of the liturgy in the Biblical documents, moving into the pre-Nicene time period. It was in the very early pre-Nicene times that the Eucharist came to consist of a four-action shape: offering, thanksgiving, fraction, and communion. He discusses the Eucharistic prayer, the local traditions, the meaning and theology of the Eucharist, consecration theology, sanctification of time, and the ceremonial. He then discusses the completion of the shape, and the use of variable prayers. Then he covers the medieval liturgy, the Reformation liturgies (with particular attention to Anglican issues), and a call for renewal.

Overall, Dix's work is monumental. Sometimes, it is a bit too monumental. The work is 764 pages long. Much of what he says could be condensed into probably 200 pages effectively. However, his attention to detail is marvelous: he has read every Church father writing 2-3 times! Dix is partly responsible for the rediscovery of Liturgy in most mainline Churches, from the Evangelical Lutheran Church to the United Methodist Church. His research into early liturgies has demonstrated the Jewish nature of many Christian liturgies. I highly recommend this book. However, a little patience is needed to get through the entire book.