1 comments about The Story of Christian Spirituality: Two Thousand Years, from East to West.

1. The Story Of Christian Spirituality surveys two thousand years of the diverse Christian movement, with its evolving history and theology in terms of the spiritual heritage of the Christian faith, from East to West. The contributors present a full, fascinating, and informative portrait of humanity's desire for the dive across the centuries. The Story Of Christian Spirituality highlights the contributions of key individuals as they explored the ways in which Christians from earliest times to the present day sought to express and live out the deepest truths of their faith. A variety of traditions are showcased including the early church fathers, the Celts and Anglo-Saxons, the saints and mystics of the Medieval Wet, the Eastern traditions, the Russian contributions, the Protestant tradition in Europe, the Catholic saints and Reformers, the Anglicans, the Protestant tradition in America, and the 20th century international profusion of spiritualities arising from Christian traditions and innovations. Superbly and beautifully illustrated throughout, The Story Of Christian Spirituality is a remarkable and highly acclaimed addition to any personal, church, seminary, academic, or community library collection.

4 comments about The Beauty of Holiness and the Holiness of Beauty: Art, Sanctity, and the Truth of Catholicism.

1. I was recommended Saward's work as a preliminary text to introduce me to theological aesthetics before delving into the works of Hans Urs von Balthasar on beauty. It is a condensed development of a Theology of Art that is a testimony to the relationship between holiness and beauty. The theological is highly Thomistic and is constantly related to the beauty which is found in the Holy Ones of the Faith.
   
   Saward's main development throughout the text is how beauty is always a reflection of holiness, for holiness is, at its core, a full harmony with God, letting the Radiance of the inner life of the Trinity shine through the holy one. By means of a variety of reflections, Saward considers those Holy Ones who are transparent to the beauty of God and reflects primarily on the different aspects of these beauties, particularly as found in Christ, The Eucharist, the Saints, The Virgin Mary, and the Martyrs. He always orders the beauty of the Holy Ones, as well as all of Creation, to the Holy God of all creation.
   
   Saward's treatise serves as an important reminder to the power of Art insomuch as it works to the Glory of God, to the Glory of the Truth. Beauty is not removable from Truth and Goodness, but is an exposition of it, and a route thereto. By means of such Holiness, Art is lifted up to its summit and thus can purify an entire culture.



2. Every once in a while you read a book that inspires you from cover to cover. I couldn't put this book down because it was so well done and leads you on to reflect on the beauty of the Christian faith and it's practicality in the spiritual life. Mr.Saward has a good grasp on the connection between the beautiful and holy. I found it very readable and would recommend it to anyone who seeks to enrich their Christian faith.



3. This book is so rich, I felt spoiled to have read it. I boughtit because the reviews were so good, and I'm really glad I did. If youwonder what art has to do with spirituality, this book will carefully reveal it to you. It provides a wealth of information - each premise is carefully documented and supported. It ties together the experience and profundity of art (in worship, in creating art, etc.) with holiness. It was written from a Catholic perspective, but the rich traditions and thought underlying the message are for all Christians. What joyful reading... END



4. This is a beautiful exposition of the harmony between holiness and beauty. John Saward, a friend of mine, is a reflection of this great work. Read it.

4 comments about The Cross: Selected Writings & Images.

1. This is a beautiful account of the most precious gift we have ever received. If your heart is no longer broken, or never has been, by the gift of Jesus, this book is for you. My heart was pierced by the crusifiction all over again and I wept for the greatness of Jesus' gift to me. I would recommend this book to everyone... christian or not. It will make you see things in a whole new light.



2. Max Lucado presents a lovely gift-sized book of The Cross. The book is filled with inspiring and beautifully photographed crosses that grace the pages. my favorite is the two branches naturally conjuctioned by nature in the form of the Cross. It reminds me that in God's wonderful creation tells us-He gave His Son, Jesus' Life for us. It's echoes everlasting in all living things. It celebrates the ancient sign of salvation and hope. Each picture is supported with an inspirational thought that comes from Lucado's books realting to Jesus' crucifixion, including 'And the Angels Were Silent,' 'God Came Near,' 'Six Hours on Friday,' and 'No Wonder They Call Him the Savior.' This would make a beautiful Easter (Resurrection Day) gift for anyone who has a love for crosses or wanting inspiring words to comfort the soul and a remembrance of Jesus' Love gift for us.



3. The greatest lesson I learned from this book is that God did not hestitate when Adam and Eve sinned, he was rushing to save us just as a Father would dive into a lake to save a drowning child. The Cross was not the mark of a failed Christ, rather the symbol of freedom for all that choose to follow him.



4. Mr Lucado writings and the illustrations bring into view the extravagant price that Jesus paid for my sins. Mr Lucado's writings ,as usual,are able to draw you into the circumstances he is describing as though you had colored photographs expressing emotionals and thought provoking scenarios. . Never before have I been given this sharp and clear view of the cross that our Lord and Savior willing died upon. The pictures, illustrations and paintings are not just window dressing - they literally engage you.

   This is an object that will, as Mr Lucado wrote, "bring you face to feet" with the One who proclaimed to be able to save us from our sins.

1 comments about Coming Home!: Self-Taught Artists, the Bible, and the American South.

1. The only thing better than reading the essays and seeing the full-color plates was to have been to the exhibit in person. The art is fascinating. The exploration of these artist's intentions and influences is inspiring. This is a first-rate publication that accompanied a first-rate exhibition.

1 comments about Extraordinary Gathering of Angels.

1. Slightly wider than a standard paperback, this hardback book is like a mini-coffee table art book. It contains over 170 color illustrations, including a wide range of "paintings, frescoes, stained glass windows, icons, and sculpture." The book is structured into 13 chapters, each with an introductory essay by Margaret Barker, notes and comments on the paintings, quotes from significant thinkers and scriptures on topic, and interviews with theologians writers from various religious traditions (including Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and LDS). Those familiar with Barker's other works will recognize her distinctive approach emerging in her introductory essays and selection of quotations. Barker has authored 10 significant books of Biblical scholarship, and served a term as the president elect of the Society for Old Testament Study. She is also a Methodist preacher, and writes from a perspective of one involved and committed. Her writing is always vivid, insightful, and relevant. Those interested in angels for themselves, or as a gift book, will find here a delightful treasure of art and insight. Those interested in to Barker's approaches at an introductory level for general readers, either for themselves, or for others, should be well served here. Those familiar with her scholarship will be pleased that one of the art works depicted is the orthodox icon of Wisdom, which she discusses in several essays in The Great High Priest. Highly recommended, as are all her books.

2 comments about Buddhist Art: An Illustrated Introduction.

1. Incomparable! With his first book, Charles Chicarelli introduces the life story and teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha as depicted in paintings, sculptures and other works of art found in a dozen Asian countries. Lavishly illustrated with more than 175 exquisite color photographs from temples, museums, historical sites and private collections, this invaluable book ranks first in terms of illustrated guides to Buddhist Art. Extensively researched over more than thirty years while the author resided in Asia, it is well suited everyone: college students, armchair travelers backpackers and academics. Not a coffee table book, it fits perfectly into a backpack. It contains an extensive Glossary, Bibliography, Notes, Index and two Appendices plus a fine map of Buddhist Sites in Asia. Read this book and see for yourself. You won't be sorry.



2. I purchased this book as a gift to a Buddhist friend. When it arrived, I glanced through it and found myself surprisingly intrigued. The artwork is beautiful and captivating. Then I actually read it and had to buy him another new copy so I could keep mine. This is a beautiful, well-written book that takes you on a journey with Sakyamuni Buddha, founder of Buddhism, without sounding like a text book. It opened a door for a peek at a religion with many schools of thought of which I was totally ignorant. I highly recommend it.

2 comments about Sacred Images of Tibet 2008 Calendar.

1. I was pleasantly surprised when I received this calendar in the post, and found that it exceeded my expectations. The images are just beautiful, and the brief commentary on each is done well. The added bonus is that it is on really good quality paper which doesn't seem likely to droop and sag over the coming twelve months, like so many wall calendars do. To read that some of the proceeds from the sale go to some worthy causes in India made me feel even better about my purchase(how much in reality, we will never know, but we must assume that it is all true - otherwise, very bad karma for the printers!). The only thing wrong from my perspective here in Melbourne, is that the important dates and holidays are not relevant for us Aussies. Other than that, I love it.



2. This was not the calendar I expected. Product description asserted that it was published by Snow Lion - NOT TRUE. I subsequently ordered the desired calendar directly from Snow Lion.

5 comments about Reading Buddhist Art.

1. Imagine yourself in an Asian museum, or some Asian art shop, on whose wall hangs a scroll that depicted some sort of a Buddhist figure. Assuming that you're someone who is interested in art, wouldn't it only be natural that you turn curious in the identity of the figure? This book, in my view contrary to the negative reviews, does a great job in meeting such need.
   
   The main part of book assumes a very convenient two-page format. The left hand side page consists entirely of photographs and illustrations. This side serves as the index -- as described above, you are to scan through these pictures to find which figure (Shakyamuni, Vairochana, Maitreya, etc), posture (standing Buddha, sitting Buddha, etc), artifact, mudra (hand gesture that is believed in the Vajrayana sect to facilitate reaching enlightenment faster) you seek to identify. To the right are explanations of related symbolism, function, different representations, convenient cross references, and even transliterations of the name of the identity in question into various languages (mostly Sanskrit, Chinese, Japanese; less Korean, Vietnamese, Mongolian).
   
   The book evidently isn't meant to be exhaustive. As repeatedly said, I think it is to serve as an introduction to the field. Criticizing the book for being short is equivalent to saying that no introductory book deserves to be written. No doubt there could be more detailed and thoroughly researched references in the field. Yet for beginners like myself brevity has its own merits (though in the long run I might have to purchase one of those more detailed references).
   
   Having said this much, some mundane criticism of my own: 1) all photos are in black and white, and a bit too small to allow for appreciation of the details -- imagine a colorful mandala (a geometric diagram that depicts the Buddhist universe) enclosed in a 4x4 inch black-and-white box. 2) In many cases the explanation on the right hand side page does not match the gesture in the accompanying illustrations.



2. With its excellent organization, concise explanations in clear language, and straightforward iconographic drawings, my entry level students found Reading Buddhist Art a welcome clarifying light upon a subject that is often impenetrably intricate and arcane. They were enthusiastic about this book. McArthur's achievement is first her neutrality; she does not emphasize one branch of Buddhism over another but rather by revealing the uniting threads in a religion that expresses itself in wide variation among disparate cultures and eras, she offers an overview that allows students to attain a secure foundation of concepts as revealed through art. Second is her exceptionally well designed, easy to follow, structured organization, in which the important particulars of Buddhism are revealed according to this cosmic yet also international and historical scope, and the intricacies of symbolism are shown to have a logic that unites iconography from seeming details to major architectural forms. Short, well-written opening essays focused on history and fundamental concepts precede a pictorial survey of the essential pantheon, presented individually in hierarchical order according to the original Indian name. Each deity is accompanied by a subordinate list of major variant names as they appear in different countries, and a brief yet thorough introductory description supported by comparative iconographic illustrations. This is followed by explanations of minor symbolism, major architectural monuments, a glossary of important terms, and other essential information. The beauty of this text is that it encourages students to learn actively, from what they can see, rather than bog themselves down in abstract descriptions of doctrine. It can stand alone as a beginner's guide in at a museum or temple site, and also function as a superb supporting reference in a general introductory class. McArthur has given any interested entry-level person the means to create a solid foundation on which more specialized advanced studies can be securely built.



3. I don't like to write reviews for books that are not good but I feel that people should think twice before spending their money on this one.
   Imagine a book called 'Dictionary of European Words.' It would contain some German verbs, some French nouns, some Italian adjectives, etc. How useful is it going to be?
   This book would be a cousin to such an imaginary but nontheless absurd book.

   My main gripe is that, as someone already pointed out, it is badly organized. It is nearly useless as a reference book. The faults are too many to mention, so I shall not, except for just one example: all the pictures are B&W, and not even numbered, so that one has to sort through just to figure out which description applies to which one of the many illustration found on the same page.

   The real source of the problem with this book is that it tries to cover way too many cultures -- from Thailand to Korea to Japan to Bhutan -- and it tries this in a mere 216 pages (!), including the frontispiece, blanks, and index: as if a Guide to Buddhist Art could be done like a store catalogue. Just the symbolism of the mudras alone would easily take 200 pages, I should think.

   Every Buddhist culture has its own peculiar relationship and input to Buddhism. Although there are large areas of doctrinal overlap that all Buddhist cultures have in common, each culture still has its own line-up and order in the pantheon of deities, rituals, implements and practices. This book blithely glosses right over them -- like Doria looking for Nemo in the deep blue sea.

   On that note, it bears mentioning that the author has a MA in Asian Art from London University's School of Oriental and African Studies, with a major in Japanese Art. My feeling is that the author herself has but a superficial familiarity with the topic at hand.
   The author was either brave, reckless, or ignorant to attempt so much with so little. This is unfortunately more of a scansion than a reading, properly speaking.
   (Compare Robert Beer's Encyclopaedia for a guide done right.)

   But to be fair, it might be somewhat helpful to those just beginning their studies and are grabbing at straws.




4. Despite nice illustrations and photos, this work suffers most from poor organization. Instead of going through each of the building blocks f Himalayan statuary and iconography, then putting them together (i.e., mudras, vehicles, hand objects, etc.), it is organized (not right word) in a peculiar fashion that resists its use as a reference book. Often it goes into great detail about trivial things, then omits more important things. For example, it clutters the landscape with discussions about different sects - this is really premature. If you read German, my recommendation is buying Wolfgang Schumann's masterful "Buddhistische Bilderwelt" [The world of Buddhist Iconography], which you can probably buy from www.amazon.de.



5. Buddhism is cool. All around us we see Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Tibetan prayer flags, and people standing at bus stops with their hands in mudras. Buddhism has been cool for a long time and throughout Asia smart people and devoted people have spent a long time delving into the elaborate stories about enlightened ones, buddhas of the past and future, celestial deities. Some have morphed from men to women. Some can save your soul, heal you, make you happy when you're sad. Meher McArthur's book can help you find your way through the bewhildering maze of Buddhist imagery and iconography. Laid out in a intuitive style and clearly explained, this guide is especially useful to students trying to get a grip on why that statue has eleven heads and eight arms. Highly recommended.

5 comments about Every Day Light : Daily Inspirations.

1. This devotional takes relatively little time to read each day, yet gives you plenty of food for thought. I especially appreciated staying with one topic day after day for a period of time, with slight reviews or other connective pieces.



2. I am 105% pleased with the service. The book arrived in excellent condition and within a very short period of time.
   Thanks a million



3. Mr. Hughes' book is a big help to get closer to God. It allowed me to taylor the daily readings to my needs. It challenged me and helped me to find peace in my life. It gave me a greater understanding of God's word. I can not wait to find more of Mr. Hughes' books.



4. An excellent devotional with scriptural support that makes one think. Much deeper than the average meditation guide. Index of themes is also most helpful. Highly recommend to those in pursuit of a closer walk with God. (Each devotional takes around 15 minutes.)



5. Every Day Light is inspiring and it gives the reader a opportunity to study the Bible. This devotional not only gives commentary but challenges the reader to give their input about the overall theme.

   The beautides study was most helpful. Mr. Hughes presented provoking thoughts on this topic.

   I will be looking forward to the next edition.

2 comments about Leonardo's Incessant Last Supper.

1. Leo Steinberg wrote a very intellectual, rigorous book about Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper. I liked the way it gave so many fresh perspectives on how to analyze and interpret the painting. The genius of the book is that is amalgamates an enormous amount of information about the Last Supper...and somehow leaves you feeling that only part of the information has been uncovered. It's a feeling of ambiguity; so much has been learned, but we have so much more to discover. Just like da Vinci would have wanted! Steinberg is a great author for this subject.
   
   I will leave most of the surprises and delights of the book for you to discover, but consider: Steinberg writes about connections between pairs of apostles in the painting (threes are not only significant, and in fact are probably less significant); he shows how Leonardo possessed an advanced understanding of perspective and created an impossible location; and the book contains an overview of (da Vinci) Last Supper copies throughout history.
   
   I do not recall Steinberg discussing John the Baptist as actually being a woman or more speculative aspects of the Last Supper such as secret society messages. Leonardo's Incessant Last Supper attempts to give an analysis of the painting that unearths why and how Leonardo da Vinci painted it, and in my view Steinberg comes closer than anyone I have read. econ



2. You have seen the image hundreds of times. It has been copied and parodied relentlessly for over five hundred years. It shows Jesus at the center of a dining table, flanked by six disciples on either side. Everyone knows _The Last Supper_, but few know as much about it as Leo Steinberg, who has looked and written and thought about it for thirty years. The result of these decades of concentration are poured out in _Leonardo's Incessant Last Supper_ (Zone Books), as close an examination of a painting as you will ever find. The book is not about the painting's history, its decay, or its restoration; it is, in astonishing detail, about the looks of the picture itself and a demonstration of how it continues to be an "incessant" font of thought and speculation as to its meaning. Steinberg's big book is wonderfully well illustrated, with details from the original, a generous gatefold to show it in its current restored state, pictures of how it looks within the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie, how Rubens, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, and a host of others copied the painting (and how they left out significant parts, and what the omissions mean), and plenty of diagrams to show such things as the lines of perspective and the effects of matrices and diagonals on Leonardo's meticulously planned original.

   Steinberg has chapters on the disciples, on feet and hands, on the disciples, and more. The main figure, that of Jesus, bears, of course, the closest examination, and Steinberg details the history of thought about it, with writers weighing in on the meaning of the pose and the timing within the Gospel story of the scene depicted. Over and over, Steinberg shows that to seek a meaning and a timing is in vain. Leonardo has deliberately engineered his work so that any explanation involving a single meaning will be an oversimplification. Jesus's right hand is downturned in a gesture of apprehension. It is close to a mirror image of the left hand of Judas as they reach simultaneously towards the dish by which Jesus will designate his betrayer. It is also gesturing towards the wine, so that it marks the institution of the Eucharist; after reading Steinberg's work, the idea that Leonardo drew these two separate parts of the story together and told them as one is only one of the multiple meanings that seem natural on further reflection. Jesus's left hand is upturned, gesturing toward the bread. It also underlies the portentous hand of Thomas, hovering directly above it. Thomas's hand has an index finger pointing up, continuing the upturn theme of Jesus's left, and indicating, of course, higher things. It is Thomas's index finger that would soon be feeling around for confirmation of Jesus's wounds.

   To read this book is to appreciate a hundred telling details in the painting which one did not notice before, and consequently to admire Leonardo's genius anew. It is also to admire the fruition of the decades of Steinberg's close study. His readers may feel a sense of humility that there was so much to see that had previously escaped them, but his witty, sure, and genial expertise will welcome them into seeing _The Last Supper_ with new vision.