3 comments about Intimacy with Christ.

1. Writing a review for a Madame Guyon book is a bit like submitting a critique of Shakespeare. Her writings are classic. Who hasn't read her? What can I add?
   
   Personally, my moments with Guyon are treasured and vital. Like an aspirin for pain, a dose of Jeanne Guyon brings relief to the hurried, exterior western mindset. Radical in her day, her thoughts continue to challenge the religious. Her mystic writings cut through the fog of our present culture. Her words often pierce by surprise. Her truths are exacting and accurate in this collection of letters. The focus is clear: turn from self to Christ; abandon yourself to God. Trust His love and grace for all spiritual progress.
   
   My only objection to this edition is its subtitle, "Sit at the feet of the greatest woman in church history." Although I might personally agree with that statement, if Madame Guyon isn't rolling over in her grave at that accolade, she has most certainly protested to her Beloved about it. Her key objective in this text, and in all her writings, is to lead others to sit at HIS feet. As she writes in chapter 30: "See God alone. Fix your eyes on Him and never put them on yourself." It is ironic that the publisher would so violate her vision in circulating her material. Having said that, I am grateful to the Seed Sowers for providing the text - and highly recommend it.



2. I liked this book so much, I bought several for members of my prayer group. We now have discussions on its contents. This is just what I have been looking for. After reading Jeanne Guyon first book on "Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ", I knew I had to read her other writings.



3. Madame Guyon used simple short words to speak out deep truth in different people's spiritual life. More than that, she gave appropriate medicine to the person in that situation. The book is awesome. Every piece of advice is precious pure gold. Thank God for this wonderful supply.

5 comments about The Pope's Daughter: The Extraordinary Life of Felice della Rovere.

1. 
   This is the second book I've read by this author. I hope Caroline Murphy keeps researching Renaissance women and writing books.
   
   In both this book and Murder of a Medici Princess the author assembles a lot of information and presents it in a way the lay reader can really enjoy. Chapters in both books are chronological which helps the lay reader understand the complexity of the historical setting. Some chapters describe the episodes of the subjects' lives, in others there are lifestyle descriptions. The famous persons of the time are covered as they relate to the principle, and not used as a crutch to fill in a story.
   
   While the books are chronological, my reading of them wasn't. Felice della Rovere is the grandmother to the spouse of Isabella de Medici, the subject of the newer book.
   
   Both books appear to be the only full length biographies that exist for these women, which, beyond rescuing these women from obscurity, makes this an achievement for the author. Both of Murphy's subjects were important women of their times. While they led lives that transcended contemporary gender roles, their stories, as presented by Murphy, help the modern reader to better understand the social structure of Renaissance Italy.
   
   If you, like me, know little about this period, the Murphy biographies give you the context to understand the times through the people. Being the only full bios on these women, there is also plenty for those who are more knowledgeable about this period.



2. An interesting book,detailing events in Rome c.1500. Easy to read and well told,I would recommend it if you like history.Is cheap for such a scolarly work. Not prejudiced and fairly told.No complaints except I got confused sometimes by "who"the person that was mentioned. That's my fault,maybe,but a caracter guide would have been welcome.I would like to read more of this type of history book,the period is so interesting. Padraic O Cinneide. Kildare,Ireland



3. Tightly written with loads of details that goes a long way in explaining how she developed and became successful. I now have a better understanding of the 'Medevial Rome" area that I visited.



4. For the reader familiar with early sixteenth-century Rome, Caroline Murphy's book is a carefully compiled compendium of images and priceless facts, albeit some treading on familiar ground, for example the horrific Sack of Rome or the sexual anarchy in the Vatican during the reign of the infamous Borgia pope. Yet, there is so much new material on a fascinating woman, that even general readers interested in history should be mesmerized by it. The lives of numerous old baronial families form a foundation for the story of the Della Rovere and Orsini clans, of the militant Pope Julius, Felice's father, and the lords of Bracciano, the stronghold of the Orsini's. Minute details of everyday life in Rome enclose the broader picture of a papal daughter who governed her family with a suprisingly strong hand, long after her papal father died. Images of lavish feasts, rebuilding of St. Peter's, and perpetual enminity between the ruling clans are just minute details of an elaborate and very enjoyable reading. Although a page-turner, be prepared to move slowly, because the thousands of facts will demand time to savor them! Definitely not a quick read for most. Highly recommended.



5. Caroline Murphy has sketched an extraordinary life. Felice della Rovere's worlds -- personal and political -- were complicated ones, and she seems to have been amazing in how she negotiated them. I say "seems" because it's very often difficult to tell whether the author is basing a statement on solid evidence or whether she is taking a leap -- about an action, about a motivation, about an emotion -- a sort of best guess based on the evidence. That's often frustrating and often downright irritating, but all in all it's worth it to see the shape, if not the real substance, of the life.

5 comments about In the Presence of My Enemies.

1. The moment I started reading this book I coudlnt let it go. An inspiration how God let bad things happen for a good reason.



2. This frank, honest account of the kidnapping of missionaries, Martin and Gracia Burnham and Martin's subsequent death, will break your heart and strengthen your faith. I greatly appreciate Gracia's willingness to admit her depression and doubt during their ordeal. Yet, through it all the hand of God was evident in their lives. She looks back today with understandable sadness, but without bitterness. To Gracia the Lord is still good although her life has been forever changed. Her example, and that of Martin's is encouragement to all.
   
   On the last day of Martin's life he turned to Gracia and said, "I really don't know why this has happened to us. I've been thinking a lot lately about Psalm 100 - what it says about serving the Lord with gladness. This may not seem much like serving the Lord, but that's what we're doing, you know? We may not leave this jungle alive, but we can leave this world serving the Lord `with gladness'; we can `come before His presence with singing' (Psalm 100:2)." What a remarkable testimony.



3. The author accurately recounts how one is treated during a kidnap by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist organization in the Philippines. The book definitely has a spiritual slant but it does provide an in depth understanding of how one's religion and spiritual beliefs are most often what enables one to survive a most tragic experience.



4. I love, love, love this book! What a powerful testimony of faith in God during a terrible situation. This book has been such an inspiration to me of what real trust in God looks like, even in the face of death.
   I would highly recommend this book!



5. It's hard to express how much I admire Martin and Gracia Burnham. It's been at least two years, I suppose, since I read this book but I still remember most every chapter. So, if it's a riveting on-the-edge-of-your-seat book you're looking for, here's a good one.
   
   However, if you're looking for God working incarnate, this may be where to start. God took two "ordinary" people and made something most extraordinary out of their tragedy. Two things I especially appreciate from the book are 1) Gracia's brutally honest, no-holds-barred look at herself during the ordeal and 2) Martin's "speaking" through the book though he didn't physically write a word.
   
   I would love to meet Gracia someday and would have loved to have met Martin. Read this book and you'll still somehow carry them both around with you.

5 comments about Muhammad.

1. This book was written much before 9/11. It is a great advantage as it is not tainted by a reinterpretation of what we know about the life and teaching of Prophet Muhammad in light of what 19 moslems did in 2001.
   The book provides a good background on the culture of Arabia at the time of Muhammad and why the teaching of the prophet became so attractive to his many followers. Rodinson write as a fair minded agnostic, and try to be as objective as possible when writing about religions. Rodinson shows also that Islam, like most religions, contain a lot of concepts and ideas, often contradictory. Evolving cultures reinterpret and selectively focus on some aspects of the original teaching to adapt to their surroundings.
   A good scholarly book, recommended to all who want to have a fair but not faith based view of the origin of Islam.



2. This is one of the two best books on Muhammad, the other one being Montgomery Watt's two-volume Muhammad in Mecca and Muhammad in Medina. The difference between Watt's and Rodinson's works is that while the first focuses on presenting a chronological history of the life of the prophet of Islam, the second offers a more detailed view of the character of Muhammad taking into account his psychological setting and putting the character into the context of its seventh century Arabian society. Rodinson's book was written after those of Watt and in some parts of his book, Rodinson offers critical discussion of what Watt had to say on the historicity of some aspects in the life of Muhammad.
   Rodinson skillfully uses all the methodology that scholarship has to offer as he critically constructs the story of the prophet of Islam and often draws history parallels for instance when he compares Muhammad's inspiration with medieval accounts of Christian ascetics.
   The book's two last chapters are its conclusion. In an objective manner, the French author frankly expresses his disbelief in the divinity of Muhammad saying that - unlike other Western scholars - he does not want to guise his opinion with vocal tricks so that to hide his true opinion or soften it.
   Rodinson died a few years ago and his absence has been a serious loss for this discipline in humanities studies. His book will certainly stand for a longtime as a reference work after his death. On a last note, it is seriously sad to see Westerners more at liberty when studying and writing on the history of Islam and Muhammad while Muslim scholars being repressed when doing a similar job for the fear of being declared anathema and probably risking their lives.



3. Hi. Can you give a reference that Muhammad did those things? Those allegations are pure propaganda. Without having read his life, and without knowing him, it is a crime to blame him for such things. So, if he were around, it wouldn't be him who would be in jail, but it would be you who would be put in jail, because of blaming him irresponsibly (unless he forgave you-and i believe he would, because he is the greatest man of all mankind). May God guide you to the right path. Peace.



4. I only give this book 2 stars because it does not give the true account of Mohommad's life. He had sex with children - that is a fact. Read the Hadith, it plainly states that mohammed had sex with girls at least 7-8 years old. If he were alive today he would be arrested and put in jail. I would then call mohammed a pedophile pervert.
   
   Why dont we hear the truth about islam and not this watered down version?



5. One problem that faces readers (and writers) of history are the cultural assumptions used in both comparing and explaining the events from the past. This book is a case in point. The writer is clearly a sound scholar on Islam and Muhammad. However, his French communist and atheist worldview permeate his discussions of the rise of Muhammad and Islam. It doesn't matter if the writer or reader is a Freudian, capitalist, communist, atheist, agnostic, or a true believer. Your way of viewing the world has to have an influence on how you tell your story, what metaphors and terms you use in your explanations, and much of what you consider normal and well known is actually less than clear to those unfamiliar with your view of things.
   
   Those readers not clearly aware of social assumptions of communism and the rather arrogant superiority of French socialism will find some of the text bewildering even in this fine English translation. This is unfortunate because much of the author's writing does help non-believers understand the life of this world religious figure. It isn't that the social-political stuff turns the facts into lies, it is simply that a reader uninitiated in these increasingly antiquated ways of viewing the world will find the author's points somewhat opaque because of the language the points are couched in rather than any complexity in the underlying point.
   
   For those of us who completely reject the socialist communist version of the world it is also quite irritating to read.
   
   So, beware.

5 comments about Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor: The Life and Reflections of Tom Carson.

1. I've long had a theory that the most effective pastors are ones we'll never hear anything about. It's hard to believe this in a day of celebrity pastors and megachurch conferences, but our values are so far out of line with God's that I'm sure we'll be surprised one day at how God's estimation of things is different from ours.
   
   Chances are that you've never heard of Tom Carson. He was an ordinary pastor who gained respect but never rose to prominence. He planted a church in Quebec when this was no small feat. He eventually left the church when he was not seeing the conversions that he had hoped for, and he finished his working life as a civil servant and a tent-making pastor. Throughout his ministry he struggled with a sense of inadequacy, no doubt in part because he was just an ordinary pastor. I'm sure there many pastors who can relate.
   
   If Carson's son, noted New Testament scholar D.A. Carson, had not written this book, we probably never would have heard of Tom Carson's life, or benefited from his story. But I'm thankful that he did. Any pastor who feels ordinary, and who sometimes feels discouraged - and that's pretty much every pastor - could benefit from reading this book.
   
   Memoirs helped me see the beauty of ordinary pastoral ministry as I observed it in Tom Carson's life. I was inspired by his example of faithfulness, integrity, and humility, especially when lesser men would have compromised. I recognized some of my struggles in his life. I was frustrated to see Tom Carson get discouraged when he probably did a better job in many areas than I'll ever do. The book helps us understand how the Gospel can help the pastor deal with discouragement in ministry.
   
   D.A. Carson has managed to write an account of his father's life that is neither hagiography nor a tell-all memoir. The book concludes:
   
   "Tom Carson never rose very far in denominational structures, but hundreds of people...testify how much he loved them. He never wrote a book, but he loved the book. He was never wealthy or powerful, but he kept growing as a Christian: yesterday's grace was never enough. He was not a far-sighted visionary, but he looked forward to eternity..."
   
   "When he died, there were no crowds outside the hospital, no editorial comments in the papers, no announcements on television...But on the other side all the trumpets sounded. Dad won entrance to the only throne room that matters, not because he was a good man or a great man - he was, after all, a most ordinary pastor - but because he was a forgiven man."
   
   May God raise up more ordinary pastors like Tom Carson.



2. very humbling, very encouraging, very challenging to see the way Tom lived despite the hardships difficulty in spreading God'sword. He is faithful and loving, generous, just like Jesus. Read it if ur'e a christian!



3. You don't have to be a pastor to profoundly benefit from Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor: The Life and Reflections of Tom Carson, a moving biographical account written by Pastor Carson's son, eminent author Dr. D.A. Carson. This is a simply an outstanding book for any Christian who wants to fight sin, grow in grace, and be faithful until the end. I read it straight through, and was quite moved.
   
   Dr. Carson writes poignantly about his father, Tom Carson, who spent much of his life in pastoral ministry in small churches. Tom Carson never wrote a book and was never a sought-after conference speaker, but he was a faithful, consistent, Christian man. Though imperfect, Mr. Carson was an overwhelmingly godly example to his children, leading them in both family worship and by his own exemplification of Christian virtues. He faithfully prayed for and loved his congregation, and sought to redeem every relationship for good.
   
   The book begins with a brief history of Canada, to give the reader some perspective as to where Tom Carson ministered. Interesting historical details are given as to how Canada viewed and was impacted by the American War for Independence. Carson gives emphasis to language issues; much of the Quebec area (where Carson's life centered) was predominantly French speaking. This would become an issue in Mr. Carson's ministry because the congregation he served was bi-lingual, and toward the end of Carson's life most churches were bifurcating into English-speaking and French-speaking congregations. Chapter 2 walks us through Carson's early years. He was soundly converted in high school through the influence of a godly mother. Carson's father, however, was not a Christian until the last few years of his life--long enough, however, for Don Carson (a grandson) to discern the difference conversion makes in an older man's life. [An application: Don't stop praying for your unconverted father.]
   
   The next few chapters walk us through some of the difficulties of Mr. Carson's ministry. He occasionally received unfair treatment from denominational leaders, but never returned evil for evil. The book quotes at length from Mr. Carson's journals and we're given access to how he led his family. Mr. Carson's story motivates me greatly to authentically live the Christian faith before my wife and children. It also motivates me to want to suffer well and work vigorously for the Audience that truly matters. Mr. Carson, even to the very end of his life, was one who redeemed his time. His journals document that he was up early for intimate prayer and devotional reflection in the Word, and then sought to be fruitful in study as well as in visitation with his parishioners. He also did not neglect to pursue healthy relationships with his children (e.g., encouraging Don in his sports and his studies).
   
   Mr. Carson died well, three years after his wife Margaret succumbed to a painful, extended season of Alzheimer's disease. Mr. Carson's final suffering was relatively brief, a persistent cough, then a fever. A month later he breathed his last. The last two paragraphs of the book are particularly moving--but read this 148-page book straight through -- regardless of your calling, you will be blessed:
   
   "When he died, there were no crowds outside the hospital, no editorial comments in the papers, no announcements on television, no mention in Parliament, no attention paid by the nation. In his hospital room there was no one by his bedside. There was only the quiet hiss of oxygen, vainly venting because he had stopped breathing and would never need it again.
   
   But on the other side all the trumpets sounded. Dad won entrance to the only throne room that matters, not because he was a good man or a great man--he was, after all, a most ordinary pastor--but because he was a forgiven man. And he heard the voice of him whom he longed to hear saying, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord.'"



4. In Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor, New Testament scholar D.A. Carson says his book is "a modest attempt to let the voice and ministry of one ordinary pastor be heard, for such servants have much to teach us."
   
   He has succeeded in his purpose. This little book, obviously a labor of love, is a jewel. This account was pieced together using excerpts from his father's journals, the author's own memory, and recollections from friends and family. Carson follows the career of his father as he served as a pioneer Baptist church planter in French Canada from the 1930s until his death in 1992.
   
   There were a few times I felt slightly bogged down in all the backstory. A good portion of his father's life and career was affected by things that happened in his denomination during that time. Explaining these things was essential to understanding the rest of his father's career. They couldn't have been left out.
   
   Church politics, whether it's denominational or just in the local church itself, are part of life (a sad part of life that reflects our sinful natures, but part of life nonetheless). I doubt there is a pastor alive whose life hasn't been affected by these things. To leave them out would leave the story incomplete.
   
   This is a wonderful biography that can edify any Christian who is occasionally discouraged by the ordinariness of his or her life. There are plenty of books about people who thrill the world with great an amazing things. To read the story of a man who lived a lifetime of faithfulness in the small things, who labored diligently without seeing a lot of earthly rewards, is a refreshing change from most biographies, and the kind of thing there needs to be more of.
   
   In our Purpose-Driven, Megachurch world, I think this book could be a fantastic edification for any ordinary pastors out there. Since only a handful of pastors in each generation receive any sort of professional notoriety, I think that would include most pastors you know.
   
   I'm not a pastor, just an ordinary Christian, and I enjoyed the book very much.



5. I was at once drawn in when I first heard of Don Carson's project to write a book reflecting the life and ministry of his late father. I eagerly awaited the book's publication, then received a copy and was, ironically, in a very busy period of ministry and so therefore unable to get to the book. However, I picked it up during my son's baseball practice last weekend and pretty much could not put it down. This book was a tremendous blessing to me.
   
   Tom Carson was involved in ministry for a span of six decades. His station was the French Canadian area around Quebec. The younger Carson combed through the journal entries, letters, notes, and sermon notes that were left behind. Apparently Don was significantly aided by Tom's regular notes and his tendency to hang on to everything. What results is this book that I will refer to as a `journal-ography'. Don Carson interacts with the development of his father's ministry via his journal, the letters and his own first hand observations.
   
   The title is fitting: Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor. Carson notes in the introduction that many men seem to be extraordinarily blessed by God; their ministries grow, they see many conversions and they leave a large imprint as they pass from the scene. But, Carson writes, "Most pastors will not regularly preach to thousands, let alone tens of thousands. They will not write influential books, they will not supervise large staffs, and they will never see more than modest growth. They will plug away at their care for the aged, at their visitation, at their counseling, at their Bible studies, and preaching...Most of us--let us be frank--are ordinary pastors."
   
   In chronicling the development of Tom's ministry there are several encouragements that I took away:
   
   1- Tom was faithful to do the important things because it was what God wanted, regardless of the human concept of success.
   
   2- Tom's burden for French Canada to be saved seemed only to increase amidst the persecution from Roman Catholics, the lack of conversions, and his own shortcomings.
   
   3- Tom believed that faithful preaching would accomplish God's end.
   
   4- Tom believed that God was sovereign while at the same time laboring with tenacious zeal for souls.
   
   5- Tom was a pilgrim. He loved ministry because it emphasized the transcendent message and the coming kingdom.
   
   6- Tom did not get disqualified. He was faithful to his wife, his family, his church, his city.
   
   7- Tom loved his wife. The chapter on Marg's Alzheimer Years was a heart wrenching chapter. Tom and Marg were very much in love with each other, even till the end.
   
   8- Tom did not fire in vengeance back when wronged. Several times in the book he was unjustly accused or mistreated. Instead of retaliating he was prayerfully compassionate. Even his children had not heard of some of the conflicts until they were older. When Don asked his father why he had not told them he replied, "he did not went to become bitter."
   
   9- Tom taught his family the Bible.
   
   10- Tom took a job as a civil servant after his Drummondville ministry and still was as engaged as ever in ministry while also being a faithful evangelist at work.
   
   Some other interesting points, particularly if you, like me, enjoy D.A. Carson... "...after he (Tom) was gone I found he had carefully gone through most of the books I had written, often with little ticks or marginal notes or question marks, neatly written in pencil."
   
   As a pastor this book was a delight to read. Tom Carson is a pastor I wish I could have known, now, thankfully, it is as if I had. He has influenced me greatly, causing me to be more thankful for the blessings of divine grace, the power of the gospel, and the time remaining in ministry, that I might be more faithful. That is, more like Tom Carson.

4 comments about Diary of God's Generals: Excerpts from the Miracle Ministry of John G. Lake (Charismatic Classics).

1. This is a small, easy to read glimpse into a life that was mightily used of God. The testimonies shared in this tiny power packed book were inspiring.



2. Having previously read everything I could find on this man of God, I found this book to be an excellent synopsis of the miraculous highlights of his ministry. Between him and Smith Wigglesworth, we Christians can be encouraged in the knowledge of how God, our Father, will use any of us that dare to believe that He will ever be true to His Word. This little book shows us how Holy Spirit filled believers can bring Jesus to the world.



3. John Lake came to Zion,IL. , very successful business man and the Lord called him into service and he gave all of his money away and was sent to Africa. His whole life and Ministry was one continous Maricle, his calling was from God for sure. Reading this book caused my spirit to jump within me and to say it was exciting reading will not do the book justice.



4. This was a man who affected two continents amazingly. He affected Africa through starting revival there and through healing crusades. He affected the USA and the International Community through the over 100,000 healings that occoured through his ministry in the spokane Washington area.
   
   He was often a workaholic but he got tremendous results. He even had Doctors and scientists on stage with him many times so that their would be verifiable evidence of the healings.
   
   When he was young his wife was healed by John Alexander Dowie.

5 comments about John G. Lake: His Life, His Sermons, His Boldness of Faith.

1. Yes, yet another five-star review of what is quickly becoming a Christian classic. In addition to this being a collection of sermons, it also contains personal letters written by Dr. Lake as well as testimonies of those healed. It is the most complete book of its kind, giving insight into real Holy Ghost life via historical documentation and story-telling. Understanding the truths in this book will help you distinguish between traditional, lifeless religion and the true power of Jesus Christ - the power that is to be demonstrated so that our faith will not rest in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.



2. I borrowed this book from a friend and realized I wanted my own copy. This is not a quick read of Lake's sermons, but a book one has to really think about and absorb the truth he expounds on from the Word of God. Excellent resource for a ministry student, minister, or devout Christian.



3. As a homeschool mother I am intensely selective of the materials chosen to be curriculum. This book is required reading for all my children.
   
   It is annointed. What else is there to say?
   
   I highly reccommend it to all who love CHRIST JESUS as it was written by one of the most sincere, committed, and successful Christians who ever lived...a man who followed Christ and fulfilled JESUS's OWN WORD
   "They that believe in ME, the works that I do, shall they do also..."



4. First, let me say a big God bless you to Kenneth Copeland Ministries. They're the publishers of this book.

   Basically there are three main collections of Lake's sermons out there, all three classics in their own right. First and foremost, there's Robers Liardons 1000+ page collection entitled "John G. Lake: The Complete Collection of His Life Teachings" (ISBN:1577780752). I strongly recommend that everyone get this collection! It's chock full of the most wonderfull messages you could ever want to read.

   Then there's "John G. Lake Sermons on Dominion over Demons, Disease & Death" by Gordon Lindsay (ISBN:0899850286), a brief but well-done collection at under 100 pages.

   And in the middle we have the Copelands' collection at about 250 pages. Again, very well done, but what I'm getting at is, if you're anything like me, you'll fall head over heals reading Lake's sermons. The Copelands' or Lindsay's books will only serve as appetizers for Liardon's collection.

   Save money and time. Go straight for Liardon's. You'll be glad you did.




5. This book is nothing short of amazing. Why? Because John G. Lake was such an amazing man of faith and action. I can't recommend this book enough. It has it all. Amazing powerful testimonies of faith for healing, boldness to stand up against unbelief, honesty to admit when wrong, a desire to walk in integrity, and sermons that encourage the reader to take bigger and bigger steps of faith. I could feel faith rising up within me. Page after page of the miraculous. It will challenge the reader to approach his faith in an entirely new way. This book has helped me redefine my approach to christianity. I'll truly never be the same. Never again will I allow my unbelief to limit what God can do. Personally, this book is an answer to prayer. I am reading the Bible with an entirely new outlook and level of faith. What happened in the New Testament can happen today!!! I truly believe this book is annointed. Read it!! You'll never be the same.

1 comments about Ratzinger's Faith: The Theology of Pope Benedict XVI.

1. Associate Professor Tracey Rowland, Dean of the Melbourne John Paul II Institute, is described by Cardinal Pell in the foreword to this book as making progress towards "becoming Australia's leading theologian." Anyone who has read her 'Culture and the Thomist Tradition: After Vatican II' will understand that she is a theologian of substance. Those who read 'The Theology of Pope Benedict XVI' will see why she is indeed becoming a leading theologian, not just in Australia but in the English-speaking world.
   
   For her present work demonstrates a profound grasp of the wide-ranging theological work of Pope Benedict XVI and of the theological and philosophical schools within which and in contradistinction to which he has written. No one book can hope to encompass his theological achievement, but certainly one finds here a reliable and sympathetic introduction to it. For serious students of Catholic theology and indeed for those seeking an insight into Pope Benedict's vision of the Church's role in the modern world, this book is a must.

4 comments about Women of Wisdom.

1. 
   The second edition of Tsultrim Allione's Women of Wisdom features, at the request of her many readers, a much expanded spiritual autobiography, enriched by photographs not included in the first edition. This and the Introduction comprise over a third of the book, and are in a sense a resonating complement and counterpart to the biographies of female Tibetan teachers and adepts which Tsultrim Allione sought out and translated. In keeping with the Buddha's dictim that we should endorse only those things we have actually experienced as true, Allione's life has been a journey to spiritual truth underwritten and ratified by her faithfulness to her own experience-- her need to bear and rear children, to embrace but also to leave marriages, to stay true to the essence of the Tibetan teachers and teachings she sought out from her teens-- and from all of that, to create Tara Mandala, a retreat center whose wellsprings include North
   American First Peoples' teachings, families, feminine spiritualities, healing of earth and of bodies, and deep dedication to preserving and transmitting several Tibetan lineages.
   One of the threads woven into the tapestry of Allione's life is her pursuit of the life and teachings of Machig Lapdron, the 12th century teacher who first formalized the Chod ceremony for feeding rather than murdering demons. Allione's forthcoming book, Feeding Your Demons, as well as her oral teachings in the already available CD series, Cutting Through Fear, develop the ways in which this approach to personal and collective darkness contrasts with the more dualistic western myth of the hero who slays the dragon. But Allione has discovered another body of Machig's work: extensive, subtle and practical teachings on the Prajnaparamita Sutra and on the nature of mind, and in the years to come we are sure to see more teaching on this topic from this gifted scholar-practitioner.
   In 2007, Allione was recognized in Tibet as an emanation of Machig Lapdron. So, Women of Wisdom contains a book within a book of books, and tracings of a particular life within a much larger lifestream-- teachings brought forward for our times that encourage us to not be afraid! to dive directly into those things we fear most! and to join with each other in the quest to discover our own truths, and express them by art and ritual and service and fully experiencing the life of the body. This is a book to take to bed with you, to let seep into your dreams. Read it, and take heart.



2. There is a hunger among women practitioners for the stories of other women who have gone on before them. Often these stories have been lost or over time turned to silence.
   
   Tsultrim Allione, founder of Tara Mandala, a 600 acree retreat center in South West Colorado, sets out with this book to reclaim some of those lost voices. She was initiated on this journey with the death of her daughter from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Prior to becoming a mother to four children, Tsultrim had been one of the first American women to take vows. For four years she lived in the Himalayas as a nun devoted to in depth practice. Later she returned her vows and became a mother and with the death of one of her twins began the search for stories to sustain her during unbearable times.
   
   In Women of Wisdom she uncovers and chronicles the stories of several of the more well-known women practioners, saints, and delogues, but what is particularly compelling is her own story. She writes openly and honesty with remarkable ease.
   
   It is a must for anyone who wrestles with integrating Buddhist practice with the demands of a modern life.



3. This is a lovely collection of sacred biographies of Tibetan Buddhist yoginis. The author, a former Buddhist nun, provides an extensive introduction including an autobiographical account-virtually a 7th biography. She provides much valuable information about the Buddha families, biography vs. sacred biography or hagiography, and Tibetan traditions and terminology such as delogs (people who die and come back to life), Togdens (Tibetan yogis), etc. The six sacred biographies included here vary considerably in length (2 are quite long and 4 are rather short) and in nature (some include much more hyperbole and others are more historical). The author states on p. 54 that "Goodness is not necessarily truth." She also provides a prolog and extremely valuable endnotes for each chapter, suggesting that (p. 215) the reason for embedding teachings into a biography is to make them come to life.
   
   She also provides psychological explanations for a number of otherwise fantastic descriptions and activities, frequently based upon the writings of Jung's disciple Esther Harding:
   p. 147: "When we think of a demon, we generally think of an external spirit which attacks us, but Machig realized the true nature of demons is the internal functioning of the ego...all four demons are thought-processes which block a state of clear, unattached awareness."
   p. 195 note 62: "If we understand the serpentine underwater Nagas as a manifestation of Machig's unconscious, as part of her own mind, this assumption being based on the idea that our environment is a manifestation of our karma and our own projection." Other contemporary books support such a view: Loren Pederson's "Dark Hearts," George Weinberg's "Invisible Masters," & John Sanford's "Invisible Partners."
   
   Further, she also clears up the ambiguity about Tibetan Buddhist practitioners consuming meat:
   p. 194 note 54: "the Buddha did not teach strict vegetarianism, but rather that all meat one eats should have passed through at least three hands before a Buddhist should consume it...if a Tantric practitioner eats the meat of an animal with awareness and transcendent insight into the true nature of reality, this creates a connection between the animal and the yogi, and therefore the animal will have a much better chance of reaching a higher rebirth than if it had not been killed and offered to the yogi or yogini. Also...it symbolizes going beyond the limitations of vows and conventional `goodness,' and transformation of poison and dangerous substances into a means for enlightenment. Therefore a big piece of meant would be an appropriate offering for a Tantric initiation." Interestingly, this practice parallels that of Kabbalah where practitioners raise the spiritual level of animals by eating them with proper kavvanah (mystical intention).



4. There is a time when women shall have names. The time of consciouness rising, when the wisdom of all life perceiving will be received by humankind.
   
   This text will be recognized - by those who sense that they are called - as an entry point to the evolution of consciousness found in the divine feminine; the source of all inspiration to the Buddhas.
   
   Those who feel a hunger for echoes of the great women spiritual leaders of Buddhism will find great inspiration in this book. It is a personal, fascinating, warm, and inspirational book.
   
   The stories are translated by Tsultrim and her Tibetean associates with a tremendous respect for the meaning in the original sacred texts.
   
   I recommend this work highly to anyone who desires to connect with Buddhism's sacred center, the Prajna Paramita. I recommend it to anyone who perceives that Buddhism has misplaced its joyously empty center, and who senses a chance for a more complete knowing of their own divine spirituality.

5 comments about The Puritan Dilemma: The Story of John Winthrop (Library of American Biography).

1. This brief and dense history of John Winthrop's Boston is a must-read for folks interested in colonial life in America. Beginning with the formation of the Massachusetts Bay Company in England, and following them to the new world and the new struggles that accompany their arrival, historical juggernaut Edmund Morgan paints an unfamiliar picture of John Winthrop.
   
   Often depicted as a fundamentalist zealot, Morgan's Winthrop is a more pragmatic puritan - one willing to make compromises in favor of trade, diplomacy, or popular support. Winthrop's struggles with his own people are also highlighted throughout the book, particularly in the roller coaster of on-again, off-again governorship between him and his rivals.
   
   The book also clarifies the objectives and different types of puritanism, which I, as a student of history, found very helpful in understanding the religious landscape of Englands both new and old.
   
   The one downside to the work is the style in which it's written. As an early work of Morgan's, he had not yet found the compelling, conversational voice which he is today known for, resulting in an academic tone that makes reading a bit tedious at times. Regardless, the thorough research and interesting subject matter more than makes up for it.



2. An interesting look at the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the remarkable character who lead it for most of its first couple decades. It seems easier for many people to view the Puritans as stereotypes rather than real people, but they're more interesting as flesh and blood human beings living in the real world. Considering their importance to American beginnings, it's probably wiser to try to understand them as real people. They were amazing in some respects, misguided in others, but they got New England going, along with Harvard, Yale and a powerful commitment to literacy and education. They also started representative government in the New World, at least in the northern British colonies, and they had a leader of rare abilities in Winthrop. This is a part of American history that's perhaps more relegated to either caricature or the dustbin than any other, and that's to our loss in understanding our roots and their continuing effects on our society.



3. This book is a good overview of Puritanism in England and New England in the first half of the 17th century, especially the role of John Winthrop in establishing a Puritan commonwealth in the vicinity of Boston, Mass under the auspices of the Massachusetts Bay Company in 1630. Little time is spent on day-to-day living conditions in the new Mass. Bay colony - and they were harsh.
   
   Much of the book is concerned with the subtle but explosive differences in Puritan thought that Winthrop was forced to deal with: Separatism, Presbyterianism (hierarchical, inclusive) vs. Congregationalism (flat, independent, & exclusive), or such deviating thought as Arminianism and Antinomiansim. In some cases, diffident residents were banned from the colony, such as Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson.
   
   In addition, the author shows the gradual inclusion of adult male church members in the governance of the colony from the original conception of only the few members of the Company exercising absolute control. The author maintains that the basics of church-state separation existed, yet there is no doubt that both sectors were concerned with rooting out and punishing ungodly behavior. The author shows that the survival of the colony owed a lot to Winthrop as he resisted tendencies of some towards separatism and purity - in other words, fanaticism. At times he was voted out of the governor's office, but the colony always returned to him.
   
   A rather understated aspect of the book is any real feel for living in a totally religious community under constant surveillance and the superiority of those who wish to judge who had been saved or not (or worse). Somehow the spread of that mindset into representative government is not especially heartwarming. The myopic idea that a pure, godly community, superior to others, could be established plagues us even today.



4. Short and sweet is the word. Morgan is a first-rate historian who, unlike some of his colleagues, can write in an engaging way that draws in the average reader. This book will not only shed light on Winthrop, but is also the best description of puritanism that I have come across. If you want to understand this influential movement, and one of its most important leaders, here's your book.



5. Edmund S. Morgan is simply a wonderful historian and writer. As I get older I find I appreciate a writer who can get to the nub of his subject without blathering on for hundreds of unnecessary pages. This excellent short biography concisely tells the story of Winthrop's leading role in the Massachusetts Bay Colony established during the Great Migration of Puritans. Great books challenge us with new insights. Read this book and leave your preconceptions of Puritans behind.