5 comments about Father Arseny, 1893-1973: Priest, Prisoner, Spiritual Father : Being the Narratives Compiled by the Servant of God Alexander Concerning His Spiritual Father.

1. Having stumbled across this book during travels in the Caucuses I found I had come across a book which describes one of the most remarkable men of Soviet Russia.
   
   The book was initially published in the west and smuggled into the Soviet Union due to the state repression of religion and its belief that the late father and his followers were members of a fanatical religious group (a term used often during the Soviet era to describe anyone remotely religious) It was also privately published and distributed amongst his followers and like minded individuals.
   
   The late father was a scholar in art who had been ordained a priest. He was imprisoned during Stalin's most ruthless suppression of religion and transported to a gulag in Siberia where he was to spend 20 years of his life.
   
   The book begins describing the late fathers life at the Gulag. Here it seems there were two main groups, criminals who were sent there for crimes ranging from petty crime to the most dangerous crimes of murder and robbery. Some of the men the father met where without doubt by our standards psychotic, they had raped, murdered and killed many without conscience. The second group were intellectuals, men who had fallen out of favour with the Stalinist regime, usually men who had rubbed party officials the wrong way or who had been condemned with trumped up charges put together by political rivals. These included, doctors, scholars, politicians, artists. There were a smaller group of men who had fought along side Germany in the second world war but they were featured later on in the book.
   
   The first half of the book narrates stories recounted by former inmates at the Gulag who later on became the fathers spiritual childern examples of his generosity, his compassion to others and even of miracles that were performed. The stories give life to the every day life in the gulag, the punishments, the daily toil, how death was an every day event. There are stories such as when the father stood up for a young intellectual who had fallen foul of the criminals and they both ended up serving 3 days in a punishment cell, a punishment in the freezing conditions of Siberia that usually meant certain death. The father prayed and instructed the young man to do likewise and both were saved by the grace of God. The young man was later to become a follower of the father.
   
   The second part of the book narrates the life of the father on his release from the gulag where he lived in a small town and his students who would visit him, some reaching important positions in the Soviet government others becoming men of the cloth themselves. Each story narrates the lives and struggles of the individual and how through prayer and belief in God they were able to overcome the trials they faced.
   
   I found the book a fascinating one (In fact I read it in just over a day) and was personally moved by several of the stories (The husband devoted to his wife, the young man who became a priest in a small town after being a war hero in WW2, how the father reformed a known criminal and prayed for the dying monk) I would recommend reading this book to not only those interested in religion but also who would like to know something of the life of those who lived in the Soviet Union.



2. ...and really take my faith seriously. This story is about struggle....and struggle.....and struggle.....and more struggle. It is the story of the life that Christian leads when he follows Christ. A great narrative.



3. I have mixed feelings about this book. At several different points the stories about Father Arseny brought me to tears. It is clear that God used him to bring humanity, goodness, and hope into the life of the Soviet Gulags. He was a beacon of light that the powers of darkness could not extinguish, by God's grace. Father Arseny changed the people who encountered him, and after reading his story I hope and pray to be more like him.
   
   On the other hand, Christ and the truths of the Christian faith are missing from these stories. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians he said: "I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Cor 2:2). Christ was the sum total of Paul's message. If you take Christ out of Paul's writings, or out of the N.T. there is absolutely nothing left. It is all about Jesus, about his life, his death, his resurection, and the salvation that was wrought on the cross for our sakes. Christ is the all and all of Christian faith and life. Consequently, if you go to the simplest Pentecostal or Baptist church, and attend a time of testimony, or listen to a sermon there, you will probably hear about Christ, the cross, salvation, and living for God.
   
   But in reading these recollections of Father Arseny we find very little mention of Christ at all, let alone the great truths of Christianity. At best we get a sense that Father Arseny was a deeply moral person, who loved those around him, and worshiped (venerated?) Mary, the Mother of God. But Christ himself is absent. The Cross is absent. The gospel, in effect, is absent. Someone unfamiliar with Christianity will not learn few, if any, theological Christian truths from this book. Even at those moments in the book where the gospel would have been most crucial... when someone on their death bed is struggling with their sin and struggling to believe in God... Father Arseny never responds by explaining the gospel or even mentioning Christ. At least no one recollects him as having done so. Compare this approach, for instance, with similar instances in Lutheran bishop Bo Giertz' classic "The Hammer of God."
   
   In sum, there is very little that is specifically Christian about this work, in the sense that it does not proclaim or explain the gospel, or any truths of the Christian faith. There are important moral lessons to be learned, of course, but that is not enough. No doubt, many people will be upset at that claim, but I do not see how it can be refuted. Similar biographies of St. Seraphim of Sarov, and St. John of Kronstadt are unmistakably Christian through and through. But with Father Arseny's book, I could not help but think something important was missing.



4. A life so filled with the Love of the Lord Jesus Christ spreads the Glory of God wherever that life is told. The living word of God written in the heart of Father Arseny shows us Christ within this humble Orthodox priest. I cannot read more than three pages or so without weeping, both in joy and in profound sorrow that I fall far short of such a Christian. This is not only a book, but a treasure of how to live the Orthodox Christian Faith which has so much to tell us about the Gospel of Christ and how to cooperate with His Holy Spirit in our hearts and consciences. Note: a friend visited a Russian home, and the grandma warned him of thieves in the neighborhood. She made the sign of the Cross over him with prayer. That evening he was indeed accosted by someone who stood, ready to attack, and then ran away into the darkness ..he knows that the Lord protected him - again by the simple faith of Christ's people. Please do not keep this book to yourself, but pass it along to as many as have the heart to receive it. It is a powerful, life-changing testimony.



5. Most Christians, Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox, think of the great saints as people who lived many centuries ago. But every generation has its saints, its shining lights of God's glory, and Fr. Arseny was one of the 20th century saints. Every person has the potential to become a beacon of God's glory. Fr. Arseny showed how one can become transformed, or divinized, even in the most wretched circumstances. Must reading for all people of faith or doubt.

3 comments about WHEN LIFE TAKES WHAT MATTERS.

1. Someone shared this book with me when my son died and it brought great comfort to my hurting heart. I have shared it with others who in turn have purchased copies to share with their hurting friends.



2. I have read and re-read this devotional, especially during my fiercest moments of grief. The author takes special care to empathize with the various stages and feelings of loss (she has experienced so much!), but doesn't leave you there... she always points the way back to God's Word and His ways, and with comforting words encourages the reader to experience the grace and healing of the Lord. A wonderful gift - from one who has been there! Truly an inspiring and uplifting devotional!



3. I would recommend this book for every woman. Although everyone's loss, pain and suffering comes in a different flavor, the commanality of the grief is the same. Susan Lenzkes offers the comfort that she has found in a personal relationship with Christ to the reader. She offers assurance that you are not alone and isolated in your pain and that there is hope.

5 comments about The Grunt Padre.

1. Books
   
   The Grunt Padre
   By Father Daniel L. Mode
   Reviewed by Cos Ferrara
   
   When Vincent R. Capodanno, Jr. decided to become a Maryknoll priest, he expected to be bringing the word of Christ to foreign lands. But it is unlikely that he expected to be the Christ-bearer to American soldiers in Vietnam during one of the deadliest of wars. After spending seven years in Taiwan and Hong Kong, Father Vincent requested permission to become a U. S. Navy chaplain and serve Marines in the field of battle. And serve he did.
   The Grunt Padre by Father Daniel L. Mode (CMJ Marian Publishers, Oak Lawn, IL, 2000), tells his story. The book is the result of painstaking research over a number of years into the life and death of a quietly heroic Catholic priest. Father Mode read every available account on Father Vincent. He spoke to Father Vincent's family, his fellow Marines, and military officials who investigated the priest's heroism before the appropriate medals and honors could be bestowed on him. Once word of his research spread, Marines from across the country sent their accounts of the grunt Padre to be included in the book.
   
   The Grunt Padre
   Father Vincent Capodanno arrived in Vietnam in April 1966, to begin his 12-month tour. The United States had 385,000 troops there, with an average of 40 US soldiers dying there every month. In speaking of Father Vincent's ministry, one Marine said: "He was not standing on any soapboxes. The only thing he asked of the grunt Marines was the honor to be with them, and that meant he had to become one of them." "Grunt Marine" is a term that by rights should only be used by enlisted infantry Marines. They use it to remind themselves of the seriousness of their training: sweat in peace saves lives in war.
   Father Vincent lived as a grunt Marine. Another Marine said he "was not a religious leader who did his job and then returned to the comfort of his own circle. Wherever they went, he went. Whatever burdens they had to carry, he shared the load. No problem was too large or too small to take to Father Vincent. He was available to them day and night. In a short time, the grunt Marines recognized Father Vincent's determination to be with them and one of them. The men respectfully and affectionately dubbed him "The Grunt Padre."
   
   Whatever It Takes
   He heard confessions, instructed converts, and administered the sacraments. He also walked dangerous perimeters, accompanying Marines positioned in distant jungle outposts.
   In his spare time, Father Vincent wrote letters of condolence and information to families of dead and wounded Marines. One family later wrote of such a letter they had received from Father Vincent: "It had been a week of terrible worry for us, and his letter was the most important thing in the world to us."
   Asking to be assigned to the operations entailing the greatest risk, Father Vincent went on many dangerous operations. On November 25, 1966, during Operation Rio Blanco, Captain David L. Walker was wounded in an open, flat rice paddy. He lay hopelessly in pain and exposed to enemy fire. He could not move. He later said:
   
   Father Capodanno was the first at my side, even though he had to run about 75 meters through heavy enemy small arms fire. After summoning a Corpsman, he then assisted in carrying me to a safe area where I was med-evaced. During this time he was constantly exposed to enemy fire.
   
   With the Medical Battalion
   After eight months working with field combat units, Father Capodanno was transferred to the 1st Medical Battalion. The wounded were carried by helicopter to the hospital 24 hours a day. During 1966, the Medical Corps there treated more than a million South Vietnamese civilians and nearly 6400 wounded Marines and sailors.
   The Sacrament of Reconciliation was particularly important to the wounded who were fearful that they might die. In addition, Father administered the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, known then as Extreme Unction, to many about to die.
   Lieutenant Joseph L. LaHood, a Navy doctor, commented on the gentle and effective way Father Vincent carried out his pastoral duties:
   
   I am a doctor and after a year in Vietnam saw much. But never had I seen such dedication and selflessness, not as a sticky "piety" but as a "way." For the hundreds of cigarettes he held for the wounded, many of whom could no longer reach their hands to their lips, and for the hundreds of letters he wrote and helped to write for his men, the Marines will never forget that he is one of them. This priest of God is a hero.
   
   Operation Swift
   With three months left on his tour, Father Vincent asked for a six-month extension. On September 4, 1967, while people back home were celebrating Labor Day, Father Vincent was accompanying his Marines on Operation Swift. Lieutenant Joseph E. Pilon, M.D., gave this account:
   
   On Labor Day our battalion ran into a world of trouble. When Father C. arrived at the scene it was 500 Marines against 2500 North Vietnamese Army regulars.....
   Casualties were running high and Father C. had his work cut out for him. Early in the day, he was shot through the right hand, which all but shattered his hand--one corpsman patched him up and tried to med-evac him but Father C. declined, saying he had work to do.
   A few hours later a mortar landed near him and left his right arm in shreds hanging from his side. Once again he was patched up and once again he refused evacuation. There he was, moving slowly from wounded to dead to wounded using his left arm to support his right as he gave absolution or last rights, when he suddenly spied a corpsman get knocked down by the burst of an automatic weapon.
   The corpsman was shot in the leg and couldn't move and understandably panicked. Father C. ran out to him and positioned himself between the injured boy and the automatic weapon. Suddenly, the weapon opened up again and this time riddled Father C. from the back of his head to the base of his spine.
   
   Father Vincent was one of 127 Marines who died in Operation Swift in the Que-Son Valley that day. He was awarded the Bronze Star of Valor, the Medal of Honor, the highest military award the United States can present. He also was given the Purple Heart. A United States Navy vessel was named in his honor--the USS Capodanno. Perhaps the tribute that would mean the most to Father Vincent is having his name inscribed on the Vietnam Memorial on the Mall in Washington, D.C., along with the other 58,181 dead and missing soldiers from the Vietnam War.
   
   In May 2006, Father Capodanno was publicly declared Servant of God, the first step toward canonization as a saint in the Catholic Church.
   
   A Painful but Uplifting Read
   
   While this book is not for the feint of heart, it does tell a story of Christian sacrifice that should be heard.
   
   
   1187 words



2. This is a must read. I met Father Vincent while I was in a Chu Lai hospital where he was stationed. It was sometime in January 1967. I remember his first visit with me; he brought to me a small transistor radio and some cookies he had received in the mail. I was immediately awed by his presence. He raised my spirits and made me feel special in a place that was overwhelming and intimidating. For the brief time I was there I would visit him in the chapel and had some wonderful conversations with him. When I returned to my company (C 1/7) area I would occasionally see him. I recall we were on an operation and one Sunday he provided services right there out in the field (one of the pictures in the book). A number of us Marines (regardless of faith) would gather and he would lead the service. It exemplified the importance of faith and the unimportance of individual beliefs; we would all prey to the same God. I recall we were on a line sweep across a field and a Marine about three down from me had tripped a land mind. Two Marines were down. Father Vince ran at full speed past me and went in front of the line with no regard for himself. Within a matter of moments he was the first to arrive at the aid of the fallen Marines. I knew then that he would not survive in Vietnam; his dedication to us would be his sacrifice. It wasn't until after I ended my tour of duty and was home that I learned of his death. There is not a day goes by that I do not think about him. I have this book proudly displayed in my office and enjoy talking about him when anyone asks. Recently I published a book Life with an Angel and I'm working on a sequel which will be based on my experiences in Vietnam and will be dedicated to Father Capodanno. He has had a profound impact in my entire life. For that I will always be thankful that God allowed me to share a small part of Father Vincent's life. I hope that this book and his memory and inspiration will live forever.



3. A lot of things come when you hear those words. Being a Veteran from the US Navy a Hospital Corpsman I know all to well what those words mean. I know the sacrifices that a Non Combatant goes through when he accepts that Torch of Freedom. Fr Vincent Capadano also understood what it meant to be a Non Combatant as well. He died coming to the aid of a Fellow Non Combatant a Mortally Wounded Corpsman. I read this book and I was forced to put it down several times to calm my nerves and tears. Never before has a book moved me like Grunt Padre.
   
   A week ago I sat in the Stands of Parris Island watching my son graduate Basic Training as a brand new Marine. My thoughts returned to that book I read so many years ago. I bought the book and am giving it to my son as one of his Christmas Gifts. Every Marine should read this book. Every Catholic should Read this book.



4. "The Grunt Padre" is by all definitions a true testimony to the spirit of peace and slavation that Christ brought mankind and the humble example of Christ's teaching in action as epitomized by Lt Capadono's ministry to his 'Marine congregation.' His story is further testimony to the efficacy of the Chaplain's Corps in maintaining the soldier's ethical and moral compass in the most trying of circumstances . . . war.
   
   One need not wonder that if Chaplains such as Lt. Capadano had been assigned to Ahbu Ghraib whether such atrocities would have ever occurred.
   
   This book should be on every middle school and high school summer reading list if not mandatory reading during the school year. Such a story needs to be told to all our children!



5. I saw the documentary of Fr Vincent Capadano and tears came from my eyes. Something that never or rarely happens in my life. I now have to re read the book again.

5 comments about The Narrow Road : Stories of Those Who Walk This Road Together.

1. The Narrow Road is a reprint of Brother Andrew's `God's Smuggler' that has been distractingly repackaged by the Christian alternative band, Jars of Clay. When a friend lent me tNR, I must admit that I was cautiously put off by the overt graphical `hipness' of the book design. This has apparently been conceived as the `cool' contemporary version of God's Smuggler. More distracting than the gussied-up look and feel, are the story-in-story-vignettes that have been dropped into many pages. These disjointed side-stories often feel artificial and even dubious (i.e., a Muslim boy of the Comoros Islands thinks he has a romantic interest in a certain "very beautiful" Christian girl but eventually decides that he has actually been interested in studying the Bible with her father); it seems that some of these questionable snippets have been composed and interjected essentially because the design scheme demanded them. Style dictates substance; this isn't worthy of Brother Andrew's autobiography.
   
   Sorry for the long complaint. Unfortunately, it wasn't merely a digression; the superimposed design features get in the way here. At least that is my opinion. Brother Andrew's story, printed and reprinted since the late 1960's using the title `God's Smuggler,' is a fast-paced and fascinating first person telling of Andrew's courageous work behind the Iron Curtain. The story itself won't let you go, the pages almost turn themselves, you'll probably read it in two or three sittings. Contained in The Narrow Road is a "five star" story ("God's Smuggler"); but you might want to read a different edition.



2. Though I have published thirty-one titles on the Biblical roots and history of the Early A.A. Christian Fellowship, my efforts have, of late, turned very specifically to the simple program developed in Akron by the pioneer A.A. Christian Fellowship. Its ingredients were abstinence, faith in the creator, obedience, growth in fellowship through Bible study and prayer, intensive work serving and helping other alcoholics to get straightened out. The more I looked at the early program--as distinguished from the one fashioned by Bill Wilson in his basic text published four years later in the Spring of 1939--the more I could see the believing and healing that were an integral part of the astonishing early A.A. cures. In despair, those wretched individuals turned away from booze and to their Creator for deliverance. They did it by accepting Christ. And they were not only cured but said so for a decade. Those observations took me to the books on believing and healing. The Narrow Road and the story of Brother Andrew's relentless efforts to serve his Creator by smuggling Bibles to foreign areas where they were far from welcome--even forbidden--this book was at the top of my reading list on trust in God. The Brother Andrew part of this title presents a cogent reason for believing that God is able and willing to do what He promises to do. And that is where Brother Andrew put his mind. Believe and receive. The story contains great language on this matter of truly believing that God can and will keep His promises. This is a belief factor that is fast vanishing from the alcoholic treatment picture today though it was immensely important and necessary to the unusual success of the A.A. pioneers between 1935 and 1938. Over and over, Brother Andrew put his trust in God and believed that God would enable Him to serve and love through Bible distributions, despite overwhelming obstacles. This is a book of commendable service and value.



3. Brother Andrew strikes many a harmonious chord in this latest book of his. His stories of people are fascinating and how God uses the simplest people to accomplish His purpose. Wonderful reading material for anyone needing a boost to their faith in God's promises!



4. The book, The Narrow Road, by Brother Andrew and Jars of Clay was inspiring. Brother Andrew tells his life story of serving God through the smuggling of Bibles and spreading the word to those who do not have access. His life story is incredible in how he put his life on the line every day just so that other would hear the Word of God. Jars of Clay also journeyed to China and Vietnam to lead services in the underground churches. The experience did not only teach the people there, but Jars of Clay themselves. What greater an experience that to witness first hand, the martyrs for Christ in China and Vietnam. The many stories throughout the book were so inspiring also. Account after account displayed the unending compassion these people had for Christ, and how they would stop at nothing to live for Him. I would highly recommend this book. The stories never get old, and the compassion of one man is jaw dropping. Page after page unravels the coming of nations to Christianity and how one man can make such a difference.



5. This is an heirhoom edition which includes the text of Brother Andrew's world-wide best seller, God's Smuggler, plus snatches of other stories of the Persecuted Church. Also a CD of Jars of Clay. Highly recommended.

5 comments about Joan: The Mysterious Life of the Heretic Who Became a Saint.

1. Donald Spoto's Joan of Arc is powerfully written. The book addresses her early life as the daughter of a relatively prosperous farmer, her great piety, and, of course, the voices that she followed. Spoto describes earlier women who were believed to have been on divine missions and medieval beliefs regarding angels.
   
   Spoto chronicles Joan's journey to the Dauphin's court and her successes at Orleans and Reims. He debunks the commonly accepted view that Joan's role was only inspirational: she actively led soldiers in battle (twice wounded) and helped draw up battle plans. Yet, she never personally killed an English soldier and would weep when she learned of English war deaths.
   
   The treachery of Charles VII is well known and is reviewed by Spoto. That Charles did nothing to secure Joan's release remains beyond belief.
   
   The puppet master at the interrogation and trial, Bishop Pierre Cauchon, is brilliantly portrayed, as is the whole sham tribunal. Joan's ability to match wits with the "learned" men who mercilessly interrogated her is, itself, a miracle.
   
   Refreshingly, the author makes clear his own deep religious convictions throughout the carefully researched text.
   
   This is a good, concise biography. Highly recommended for anyone who has any interest in keeping alive Joan's memory.



2. "Joan: The Mysterious Life" provided a chronological descripton of Joan's short life in a way that made her very human and compelling. This book provided great historical perspectives that gave insights into the possible thoughts and motivations of Joan, her supporters and her enemies - I learned a good deal about the French and English situations and ambitions in the early 15th century, and of the Church - enough to especially dislike the betrayal of Charles VII in failing to rescue the very person that gave him the crown and effectively saved France. It was emotionally involving, the things many people will do for money and power -- contrasting so sharply with the self-less, faith filled purity and purpose of Joan. Not that faith makes a differnce here to me (and the book does not take on the debate if Joan's visons were revealtions from God or not - only correctly suggests that Joan believed them them so, and this was enough), but Joan's purpose was decribed in such a way that reveals that her motives were indeed inspired and are inspiring.
   
   To provide more understanding, I also just finished "Beyond the Myth: The Story of Joan of Arc" which got 5 stars as opposed to this book's 4. "The Mysterious Life" presented Joan with much more personality and insight, "Myth" was more like a flat list of Joans' actions and activities by comparison.



3. Donald Spoto takes a departure from the pop-culture biography and applies his efforts toward the life of a young woman whose name is recognized by practically everyone, but whose life, although very well documented, has been perpetuated with myth and mysticism. There is something about Joan of Arc that that draws affection and devotion from people, something beyond her remarkable exploits--something about Joan herself. As Spoto tells her story, he avoids the mythological and mystical: he does not dwell on the provenance of her sword, her seemingly divine ability to have been able to recognize the dauphin Charles, or the sudden change of wind at Orleans. He focuses instead upon the girl, in language that is often poignant and revealingly endearing.
   
   For those who have studied Joan's life, through countless books, films, poems and plays, Spoto's take will read with the freshness of clean mountain air. Those who are just now taking up Joan's life (and especially those who have only seen the movies) will probably benefit more from Spoto's telling than any other available account. He embeds a chronology into the story, sometimes a day-by-day account, which helps the reader to comprehend events. He applies some of his own translations, which helps to clarify some of the fuzzier aspects of Joan's popular interpretation, and he includes some key details that are often overlooked, such as the unrelated deaths of Joan's older brother and sister, that two other brothers joined her during her campaigns, that her mother and father met her at Reims, and that her family was in Rouen during her imprisonment and execution. These are small details, but make for a more thorough story while eliminating the embellishments that have given rise to so much mythology. Spoto shows that Joan's factual life is much more compelling than her mythological life.



4. Spoto's picture of Joan is of a brave, patriotic, spiritual girl who followed what she believed to be God's will.
   
   His descriptions of her months of loneliness, terror and suffering -- chained in a dark dungeon and nearly starving -- and the disgraceful and dishonest onslaught from her tormentors will touch even a Joan skeptic.
   
   Spoto's message: 1) God is against imperialism; and 2) He often sends the least likely person to do the job (in this case, defending the French nation and culture from English invasion).
   
   Spoto's writing is lively, and he doesn't try to hide his admiration for this teenaged girl or his religious sensibilities. It is not a sermon, though, but an enthralling biography that makes a good introduction to Joan of Arc or adds to the understanding of those whom she continues to fascinate nearly six hundred years after her execution.



5. Having seen several films on her life, I wanted to know more.
   The book explains the Englishes motivation to prosecute her, the wisdom of her responses, her belief in her life purpose/mission and expectation of an afterlife.

5 comments about The Life and Work of Muhammad (Critical Lives).

1. This is a book for believers. I found its treatment of Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians unfair and, frankly, uninformed. A quick example: the author casually discards the Persians as idolators, whereas the Sassanids, for all their faults, were noted iconoclasts. This book may be well-written, but it is not well-researched.



2. Beautifully written in a story like formate, which was easy to follow and visualize. I would highly recommend to all readers interested in this topic!



3. Yahya Emerick has written a masterful and gripping account of the incredible life led by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). His ability to keep the reader interested at all times is the key to this book. He keeps matters simple yet accurate without getting lost in the overwhelming topic literature that exists out there. Just like another reviewer mentioned earlier I too felt like I was right there with the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions. The tone and the content are consistent and give a fair, balanced view of the background that led to many events. A classic example of the author's writing ability is displayed in the inspiring and almost poetic narration of Al-Miraj and Al-Isra. The book also maintains its balance while educating the reader regarding the Prophet's personal, spiritual, political and uniquely influential life.
   
   The only section of the book that deviates from this incredible uniformity stretches roughly from page 154-160. The content here regarding the prelude to the Battle of Badr (missed attempts at attacking Abu Sufyan's loaded Meccan caravan) and the Prophet's actions is rather questionable in light of the authentic material available on the matter. This very small but crucial part of the book seems out of place as it ascribes actions far less than prophetic to one (the Prophet) who had such a close relationship with God and His angel Gabriel.
   
   Overall this is the finest account of the Prophet's life that I've read so far; far more interesting than Martin Lings' book and far superior to the book from Karen Armstrong. Highly recommended.



4. 
   I enjoyed reading this book very much. I felt as if I were right there with the Prophet pbh and the companions. I felt as if I were experencing every trial, victory, and defeat. Very well written reads like a narrative. Not political, choppy, wishy washy, or even biased. One is able to get a clear and fair understanding of the wars, executions, culture, and tribal customs of that time. I also appreciated the way Mr. Emerick was able to discuss the Prophets pbh lineage with out getting lost in translation or the details. I also felt he addressed belief issues by explaining the difference of opinion amongst scholars concerning the trip to the Dome of The Rock, not leaning toward either arguements. Which is why I felt he was fair. He didn't try to butter up the reality, hide anything as if something were wrong. If you're looking for a book to read about the Prophet Muhammad that will give you a clear understanding of who he was, and what his message was, I recommend this book. If you need an eman or faith boost I recommend this book.



5. I've heard of Yahya Emerick before, and own the Idiot's Guide to Understanding Islam, so I was pretty sure when I found this book in my basement that it would be a good read. I wasn't wrong, either! Besides having an absolutely gorgeous cover (which I always judge a book by :D), it is an easy, pleasant read and contains some really valuble information.
   
   The Prophet's (PBUH) life and personality is portrayed very well in this book. I really admire how Emerick was able to blend his personal, religious, and political life together, giving us a very multi-faceted and well-rounded view of what the Prophet was like. For Muslims and non-Muslims both, it contains information that is sometimes little known about the prophet and Islam. Highly recommended!

No comments about Christ Our Hope: The Papal Addresses of the Apostolic Journey to the United States.

2 comments about The True History of Master Fard Muhammad.

1. This is an excellent book in explaining how and that God in person has walked and taught among us. This book points out the relationship between God in person and the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. It clears up false information about the Master Fard Muhammad.



2. MASTER FARD WAS A GREAT MAN,CAN WHAT HE TAUGHT BE TRUELY DISPROVED.

3 comments about The Way Is Made by Walking: A Pilgrimage Along the Camino De Santiago.

1. This was a total surprise. To prepare for a pilgrimage I read portions of the book slowly for months and found that it led me on a deep, transforming internal pilgrimage. I hated to have the book end. The actual pilgrimage I took didn't compare with the internal richness I gained as I read the book. There were no overt exhortations telling me what to think or believe or experience but simply Arthur de Boers sharing his own experience on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. I will read it again and again I am sure.



2. I am planning to walk the Camino de Santiago next May and have been reading a variety of books by very different people with different reasons for doing the pilgrimage. I personally want the experience to be spiritual and provide me with time to reflect on the past and explore what comes next in my life. I feel the author did that on his journey. I had a hard time putting the book down and was disapointed when I finished. An outstanding book.



3. I'm constantly struck by how each book about the Camino brings a unique lens to bear. How many variations can there be when describing a demanding trek of many days? It's a classic play, the walker as the hero, with a flaw of physical frailty and self-doubt, with the adversary being the distance and the climate. With the help of the ally - the support of strangers, and for some, faith - the walker triumphs; or there is failure and the play is a tragedy.
   
   Arthur Boers gives us another one of these unique views. His is the insight of a Mennonite pastor and teacher, walking the walk, and analyzing the experience in terms of his faith and his occupation. Of Dutch background, he speaks Dutch, French, English and Spanish, along with a little German.
   
   The thread of the book is of course, the journey. The reader will be mentally tracking him across Spain, sharing the experiences, but what I found the most instructive was listening to this man of God share his daily thoughts.
   
   As the author encounters the situations of daily walking, he finds correlations and metaphors in scripture. Just some of his daily thoughts: Feet get a lot of attention in scripture, and are an important part of the biblical experience. Walking can be a spiritual process. In current times, walking is an act of protest. What if everyone walked to church? Churchgoers attend for a variety of reasons, not always spiritual, so why be surprised to find walkers on pilgrimage for a variety of reasons?
   
   The book has several appendices on practical matters, but one I mentally filed away for the future. That appendix listed a number of obscure pilgrimage routes. We all are familiar with the big three of Santiago, Rome and Jerusalem, but have you heard of Asperen, South Holland, Netherlands, or Croagh Patrick, County Mayo, Ireland, or Holy Island, Lindisfarne, England? To name a few.
   
   I recommend this book particularly for those making a faith-based journey. The only other Camino book I can think of that is clearly faith based is Walk in a Relaxed Manner: Life Lessons from the Camino.

5 comments about Azusa Street.

1. This book shares a lot of truth to how the spirit of God works and ways that we as Christians hinder it. Judge all things by the spirit while reading.



2. For many, this will be one of those life changing books.
   If your heart is sensitive to it, you will feel the pain of watching greed and avarice step on, use, and pollute that which is pure.
   You will see those who long for the touch of a loving God pursue Him in the midst of persecution and manipulation. You will revel in the Holy Spirit. You will see men struting like swollen roosters brought to their knees in humility before Him. You will see Laban ministries who see God's people as servants for the advancement of their herds. Some will bow before God. Some will sell their souls to keep their titles.
   All in the historical context. You MUST KNOW this story.
   Men build systems. Systems guarantee conformity. Religious systems require that certain people play certain roles. The Holy Spirit doesn't work this way. He goes where He wills. Men don't like that.
   That's why each religious organization has their own assembly-line of ministers. Those who control the systems require the **MARK** of conformity.



3. This is a very good book which describes the early years of the outpooring of the Spirit. I have been very challenged by this book. It shows the cost for a revival: Prayer, obedience and a sincere longing for more of God. This is a very good book. God will bless you in reading it.



4. I did not receive this book, I thought it may have been my fault because I received 2 Devine Life Books. Obviously that is not true because you are inqiring about Azusa Street. Please send it to me.
   Thank you, Roy Holmes



5. Great book on the history of the spiritual experiences and what preparatory work was necessary in the 1906 pentecostal revival. The work may hurt a few feelings, especially if you are in the Pentecostal denominations, because it does not pull any punches. It says quite clearly that the reason that the Holy Spirit is not moving so strongly now is because of man's usurping God's authority and placing it into a man-made structure [denominational or otherwise]. If you are looking for a book that WILL change your outlook on how you need to approach recieving the Holy Spirit or rekindling your walk, then this is it. I loved it!