No comments about Epistola De Vita Et Passione Domini Nostri: Der Lateinische Text Mit Einleitung Und Kommentar Kritisch Herausgegeben (Kerkhistorische Bijdragen) (Kerkhistorische Bijdragen).

No comments about Early Christianity and Classical Culture: Comparative Studies in Honor of Abraham J. Malherbe (Supplements to Novum Testamentum).

1 comments about Life in the Pacific of the 1700s: The Cook/forster Collection of the Georg August University of Gottingen.

1. This is an Award Winning catalogue which shows the exhibits which were collected during Captain Cook's expeditions to the Pacific. They have been in storage for many years at the Georg August University of Gottingen and have now returned to storage for an indefinite period. It was a unique opportunity to view long unseen artifacts. Excellent.

No comments about Country Chic: A Fresh Look at Contemporary Country Decor.

No comments about 3D Studio Architectural Rendering.

1 comments about Guardians of the Gate: Angelic Vice Regency in Late Antiquity (Brill's Series in Jewish Studies).

1. I used this book for an independent study I did about year ago on Hekhalot and Merkavah mysticism. (A rough outline: Hekhalot and Merkavah mysticism is a religious movement that took place within the world of Rabbinic Judaism beginning somewhere in the 2nd or 3rd century. Its main focus is the ascent of a rabbi to the highest heaven so that he can worship God with the angels and perhaps even see God, which in some sources gives him a certain power to affect change here on earth.)

   This book focuses on the relationship between Judaism, Mandaeism, and Gnosticism as a way of painting a more detailed picture of Hekhalot and Merkavah mysticism. Deutsch uses a "comparative approach" to studying the texts produced by these different groups; the result is that Hekhalot and Merkavah mysticism looks quite syncretistic. Such an approach certainly gives insight, but it also causes a bit of confusion about the nature of Hekhalot and Merkavah mysticism.

   Firstly, the benefits of using such an approach is that it paints a picture with wide brush strokes: the reader is likely to get good idea of major religious trends within the world of antiquity. Deutsch has three appendices that deal with Islam, Christianity, and Hermeticism that further illustrate what seems to be a general religious idea - that there are mediators between God and humanity that are above man but nonetheless divine. (Anyone familiar with the Christological controversies in the early centuries of Christianity will find much here that parallels those debates.)

   These broad strokes also imply that there was a large amount of syncretism between different religious groups, with ideas from completely different religions permeating each other. Certainly, any historian of religion would agree that this is, indeed, the case: religions do influence each other. The question of "how much do religions influence each other?" is where much of the debate comes in.

   This, then, is the downside to Deutsch's approach. Although in the last chapter he surveys much of the prior research on Hekhalot and Merkavah mysticism and notes that the authors of its texts were quite familiar with Rabbinic law and lore, it still seems like Hekhalot and Merkavah mysticism were quite syncretistic. Some influence is certainly possible and even likely, but isn't it also possible - and perhaps far more plausible - that despite these influences, Hekhalot and Merkavah mysticism arose out of streams that were already developed within Judaism such as apocalypticism? Indeed it is, and although Deutsch mentions these, it still seems that in the Hekhalot and Merkavah mysticism owes less to its own religious heritage than it does to other dualistic religions.

   This book should be read with other works about Hekhalot and Merkavah mysticism in order for the reader to better understand Deutsch's contribution to the field. Think of this book as being like a chapter: it reads well when read with all the other chapters in a book. Otherwise, it is likely to make little sense.

3 comments about The Making of the New Testament Documents.

1. The book is based on several years of research; fresh and insightful. Dr. Ellis introduces the reader to the development of the New Testament Canon. He argues forcefully that, from the beginning, the early church accepted the books of the NT as Scriptures. The NT Documents were widely circulated in various Christian circles in the first century. For instance, Jesus' teachings were likely accepted at an earlier period. For, "They were of necessity used by his apostles in their 'kingdom of God' missions since it was his message and not their own that they preached" (34).
   
   Prof. Ellis insists that from the earliest time, apostolic traditions were orally communicated, written, and transmitted by the apostles themselves. Such elements contribute heavily to the formation of the New Testament Corpus; particularly the four Gospels. The authenticity and authority of such documents were no doubt accepted as the "Word of God" by the earliest Church. (1)" Both the Gospels and the New Testament letters are attributed to persons in the same or related apostolic circles. (2) Both are, in part, products of a corporate enterprise in which an apostolic figure as the leading contributor and overseer is aided by and uses traditions composed by others. (3) Both give indications that their traditions were composed by the same or related circles of highly gifted pneumatics, that is, apostles, prophets and teachers" (Ellis, 33).
   
   We can comfortably trust the New Testament and embrace it as the Word of God; not because scholars declare it to be so. God inspired fallible men to write "The Infallible Word." It has God for its origin and Author. The providence of God guided and preserved the entire process. That is, the formation, development, and transmission of the NT Documents.



2. E. Earle Ellis, in this comprehensive volume, sets forth criteria for finding "Pre-formed traditions" in the New Testament. This is merely the logical outworking of twentieth-century NT scholarship. He follows Jeremias, Brown and a host of others in identifying "hymns" and other pre-formed pieces in the NT, which as Ellis claims stems from four missions. This book is another in Ellis' small collection of essays/books which focus upon literary criticism. His views on Midrash have been rightfully dismissed by many scholars. There is very little new in this book (he even reprints a few older essays) but I suppose it is a good synthesis of conservative NT scholarship. It must be read critically.



3. Dr. Ellis, research professor of Theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, is outstanding in this volume. He has brought more credit back to American theologians. He is well respected in Europe (mostly Germany where he studied) as well he should be. This work is the total sum of important background as to the formation (author, date, recipients, and purpose) of ALL of the New Testament Books. A must for any pastor, preacher, teacher, or general student of the Bible. A word of warning, this is not for the casual reader of the Bible. Have a background in formal theological education (such as Greek, Hebrew, Theology, etc. . .) or have a very good ability to look up words in a dictionary. This book is nothing less than stupendous. If you care at all about academic study of the Word, this book is cheap! You must buy it. Sell any books you have to get it! Also, buy his book "Christ and the Future" it is less money, barely, but a good buy too!

3 comments about Curtains (Creative Textiles).

1. I took a beginners' sewing class that taught me the basics of sewing, and as my first solo project, I decided to make curtains for my living room and kitchen. I got practically every book that the library had on the topic of curtain-making, and I can tell you that this was the best one for an extreme novice.
   
   The authors make very few assumptions about the reader's sewing ability. They expect that you know how to operate a sewing machine, that you know what a seam is, and that's just about it. Everything else is explained in easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions. And, they cover a variety of different treatments, which is nice if you want to do something simple that doesn't just involve flat sheets of fabric hanging from your curtain rod.
   
   I decided finally to buy this one, because I wound up checking it out from the library so often. Definitely worthwhile for any beginner sewer who wants to make curtains.



2. Beginners should be VERY encouraged after purchasing this book. The directions are written in plain english and the photographs are terrific step-by-step guides. Every project was presented in an easy-to-learn fashion, and they tell you exactly what you'll learn and what you'll need. A must for anyone who wants to learn and is frustrated by the lack of true beginner sewing books.

   Enjoy.




3. This book was easy to follow, and the results look great....we saved hundreds by doing this ourselves.

No comments about Luisa Lambri.

No comments about An Historical Atlas of Central Asia (Handbook of Oriental Studies/Handbuch Der Orientalistik - Part 8: Uralic & Central Asian Studies, 9) (Handbook of Oriental Studies/Handbuch Der Orientalistik).