3 comments about Hidden Women of the Gospels.

1. This is truly a must read for laity and clergy alike. The book is not only inspiring, but also thought provoking. Ms. Coffey reaches deep into the gospels and weaves ancient stories that can help each of us live in today's contemporary society. This book deserves a bravo!!!!



2. I found this book to be wonderfully moving. It helped me to understand the women of the bible within the context of their everyday lives. And so it made me more able to then relate their lives to mine. This book is an exciting read for women (or men) who want to know the women of the bible on a more personal, emotional and every day level. It's also a great jumping off point for prayer, meditation, or bible study.



3. A rare book of encouragement to all the silent Christian women. Funny, moving and a very good read.

No comments about Some Catholic Writers.

5 comments about TOUCH: Pressing Against the Wounds of a Broken World.

1. Pastor Rudy's account of his ministry style reminds readers of the hands-on approach that I believe Christ intended. He provokes one to think twice about judging those who don't look, smell or behave the way "church folks" should. "Touch" is the answer to WWJD!



2. Have you ever thought to yourself "how can I help someone?" Touch is a practical guide assessing a persons ability to understand that "you really have the LOVE factor to affect and infect another persons life." By simply not being afraid to embrace and "touch" a person, this book embodies spiritual, as well as scientific proof (read the testimonies in the book) that the greatest single emotion that humans experience is to touch one another. It was proven long ago that children thrive by a physical "touch" (i.e. hugs and kisses), but Pastor Rudy expresses that this "touching" does something else for a persons soul as an adult. IT GIVES THEM HOPE!



3. My husband and I were members at Pastor Rudy's church for three years. What you read about in the book is just what you experience at St. John's. We experienced a wonderful healing in our lives as we were accepted into the faith community and loved unconditionally. This book will make you think about how you deal with others, as well as validate your own desires for unconditional love and acceptance. God truly is in the business of transforming lives. Pastor Rudy is certainly part on staff in God's workshop!



4. Rudy has done an outstanding job of bringing to life the ministry of Christ in the hard places. His approach is authentic and inspiring with visions of hope for the world. It's definitely not only worthwhile reading, but offers transformation for all those willing to do the gospel of Jesus Christ in a hurting world.
   Rev. Dr. W. Earl Bledsoe



5. This warm, wonderful, down-to-earth book has something for everyone. Pastor Rasmus is not just a born storyteller but a true philosopher who will make you think differently about every aspect of your life. Reading his words is like sitting down with an old friend and having a deep, enlightening conversation.

3 comments about For Kirk and Covenant: The Stalwart Courage of John Knox (Leaders in Action Series).

1. For Kirk and Covenant is an easy book to pick up and get a feel for John Knox--particularly his character. But I have not found the result of reading it to be that I feel that I really know and love the man himself. The book's short chapters (topically arranged) are engaging but paint a choppy picture of his life. Author Douglas Wilson's aim to display his godly character and leadership requires him to continually protect Knox from his critics--the result being an almost perfect picture of him in every chapter. I'll use For Kirk and Covenant as a supplementary reference, but I look forward to reading a more comprehensive chronological biography.



2. A great reformer written from an honest perspective, well aware of our own culure... another great one for young and old alike!



3. I have read 3 or 4 biographies of Knox in the past ten years. Stanford Reid's *Trumpter of God* is considered the standard. But Wilson's is by far the most engaging.
   
   I am not a Wilson fan at all. But this is a good read.
   
   Wilson has not attempted a comprehensive biography. Instead he hits the milestones and highlights what made Knox one of the most interesting figures in Western history. WIlson seems to have relied primarily on 2 or 3 sources and has little to no familiarity with the bulk of the scholarly literature on Knox, but this matters little for the scope of this work.
   
   Wilson makes contemporary, practical applications from Knox's that the reader will find very challenging.

3 comments about Martin Luther: A Guided Tour of His Life and Thought.

1. Nichols uses sound scholarship to make an easily accessible book that is an easy read in providing some of Luther's basics.



2. First of all, please see my rebuttal to the awful one star reveiw in close proximity to mine.
   
   And on to my reveiw...
   Though this is certainly not the best work on Luther, I would venture to say that it is the best popular introduction. The book is layed out nicely. It reads quickly. Covers all of Luther's major epochs and works in a compact fashion. Having read the book, the average high schooler will have a reasonable amount of knowledge about Luther and a desire to learn more. My only complaint is that it would have been nice to have more than two chapters of biography at the front end. Nichol's is a good scholar and is doing a service to the church by writing history in a way that is easy for the layman to digest and enjoy. If you are mildly interested in understanding Luther, I would get this book, a good biography (Bainton or Kittelson), and Martin Luther's Basic Theological Writings edited by Lull. Nichol's also has great suggested reading sections and a good bibliography for further study.



3. This is the worst book I have ever read on the topic of Martin Luther by a person claiming to be Reformed.
   
   The book is littered with historical and theological mistakes from start to finish.
   
   Nichols asserts that Luther himself wrote "Table Talk" in one part of the book. Nichols writes, "Luther, in one of his table talk entries..." page 162. Any novice of church history knows that Luther did not author "Table Talk." This is poor scholarship.
   
   Another mistake is seen when Nichols asserts that the 5-Solas are Protestant presuppositions. This is the type of mistake we expect someone from a completely different religion to make, not one who is supposed to be Calvinistic. Nichols writes, "Perhaps more than any other person, Luther shaped the presuppositions that define Protestantism. Theologians use a series of Latin expressions to capture these concepts. Known as the "Reformation Solas," they include: sola Scriptura, Scripture Alone; sola fide, faith alone; sola gratia, grace alone; solus Christus, Christ alone; and soli Deo gloria, to the glory of God alone. These ideas all take root in Martin Luther's thinking" page 16.
   
   Sola Scriptura is the Axiom of Christianity. It is the belief that the Bible alone is the word of God. It is the only "Sola" that is presupposed. The other 4 are either explicitly stated or logically deduced from the Bible alone. Nichols is therefore wrong. For Nichols to make the absurd claim that all of the "Solas" are presupposed by Protestants is to completely misrepresent Protestant theology. Furthermore, the "Solas" do not take their root in Martin Luther's thinking. Luther merely rediscovered these principles and published them openly. He did not come up with them. John Wycliffe and John Huss, for example, each asserted the Protestant principle of Scripture Alone. Both were persecuted for their profession, and Huss even died the martyr's death for it.
   
   These are two mistakes I came across in my reading of this book. There are many more.

2 comments about St. Benedict: Hero of the Hills (Vision Books).

1. Note: This is the same book that is published by TAN books, except "Hero of the Hills" has been added to the Vision Book title.



2. There is not a Religios book in the world like this the auther took all the facts and turnd saint benidicts life into a naritiv like it is realy happining while you are reading it. this book is a real page turner and once i started i couldent stop just like the harry potter series. I hily recomend this book to people interested in monastic life, the life of saint benidict, the catholic church, miricals, or even somone who just wants to read a good book as rare as this one. believe me this book is worth reading.

5 comments about Maimonides (Jewish Encounters).

1. Maimonidies' two biggest contributions to civilization were his religious writings, and medical practice. As author Sherwin Nuland himself points out, Maimonidies' truest, lasting legacy are his religious writings. Yet probably because he himself is a doctor, Sherwin Nuland emphasizes the medical Maimonidies at the expense of not giving the religious Maimonidies his proper due. When reading this book, Maimonidies sounded like quite an ordinary man, nothing special, and the truth is, as a doctor he was nothing special. Yet in religious circles, he is a giant. This specialness of Maimonidies was lost in this short biography of this great man.



2. The most interesting parts of this book focus on Maimonides the physician (as opposed to Maimonides the religious leader, where Nuland's discussion is a bit too sparse here and there). Maimonides (known to most Jews as Rambam) did not develop new medical knowledge, but wrote ten books synthesizing existing medical knowledge in a clear and concise way, and even occasionally criticizing the Greco-Roman masters whose works dominated medieval medicine. By the low standards of the Middle Ages, this passed for genius.
   
   Nuland links Rambam's religious and medical careers by pointing out that in both areas, Rambam focused heavily on codifying existing knowledge in ways that would be easy for the public to use.
   
   Nuland also engages in interesting speculation about a variety of other issues, including:
   
   1. Why were Jews so likely to be doctors in the Middle Ages? Nuland asserts that (a) Christians were uninterested in medicine because they were more ascetic, (b) because priests could not take employment as doctors, the Christian talent pool for medicine was artificially diminished and (c) because Jews' wealth could easily be taken away, Jews had a strong incentive to seek portable skills (as opposed to investing in fixed assets such as land).
   
   2. Why was Rambam so uninterested in accommodating or discussing competing religious views? Nuland speculates that because of Judaism's dire condition in those days (beset in persecution in some places and the temptation of assimilation into Islam in more tolerant places) Rambam may have felt the need to "circle the wagons" by encouraging as much uniformity as possible.
   
   3. Why did Rambam (who generally opposed Messianic speculation) suggest in his letter to Yemenite Jews that prophecy might return in 1216? Nuland suggests that Rambam may have been trying to defang Messianic fever by setting a date so far in advance that he could not be disproven during his lifetime.



3. Nuland has accomplished the difficult task of summarizing Maimonides' complex writings in a way that is accessible to the common reader. Nuland's style is clear and concise, and he obviously admires Maimonides as a sort of Renaissance man before the Renaissance. It is true that the book gives considerable attention to Maimonides' life as a physician, but as someone who has dipped a bit into Maimonides' writings on Jewish law and thought but knew little of his place in medical history, I didn't see that as a problem. In fact, I found that that made this book even more enlightening.
   
   I could have used more discussion of the Guide to the Perplexed, however, beyond the notions that the book is difficult and that some see it as a hidden confession by Maimonides of his lack of belief (an unlikely hypothesis). The Guide is an extraordinarily fascinating book, from all I understand, and Nuland does not do it justice.



4. it shows you right way about life
   i think it is possible to adopt it to today.
   it was very interesting book for me.
   it is the kind of book that i always enjoy reading



5. Dr. Nuland, himself a Jewish physician, was understandably reluctant to engage in doing the biography of perhaps the ultimate Jewish physician of all time: Moses Ben Maimon also referred to as Rambam or Maimonides.
   
   His reluctance was understandable on a number of levels. First, Maimonides was of pronounced expertise in the healing arts. Not only the author of ten medical books, he had through dint of skill managed to elevate himself to being court physician at the court of Saladin.
   
   Second, for Jewish thought (and derivatively for western thought itself) Maimonides was significant for his recognition of and attempt to deal with the conflict between the canonized precepts of faith and the unanswered questions of science. His "Guide for the Perplexed" itself perplexing is an attempt in some ways an attempt at striking a balance.
   
   However, in both ways Nuland managed to briefly make the material accessible to the reader.
   
   And significantly also, Nuland managed to connect the reader with Maimonides humanity...his early difficulties with learning, his grief at the loss of his brother and his joy in parenthood.
   
   In this way, Nuland managed to create and even more iconic figure because rather than putting him a pedistal, Nuland put Maimonides right next to you...all the more human and therefore all the more relevant.

5 comments about Out of the Black Shadows: The Amazing Transformation of Stephen Lungu.

1. I was blessed to hear Steve speak shortly in Belgium...I had to read the full account of his story and you will also want too. I plan on passing this book around for many others to read and believe/be encouraged by his amazing story as well! God is using this man and will bless you through reading this book! Two thumbs up..you won't be disappointed!



2. Stephen Lungu has written a gripping biography of his violent young gang life from the slums of Rhodesia to the missionary pulpits all over the world - this is the remarkable story of Stephan Lungu.
   
   A black boy orphaned by his mother to life on the streets at age 4, Stephen learned to do little more than survive. Taken in for awhile by a relative of his mother, Stephen left home and joined a gang by age 12. The gang, The Black Shadows, committed all sorts of violence, generally on the more wealthy white ruling class, robbing them at knife or club point of their money and possessions. People were stabbed to death, clubbed, and suffered all sorts of violence.
   
   Stephen and his group were about to fire-bomb a missionary tent with thousands of worshipers, when Stephen was transformed by the born-again message of a recent woman, and then was convicted of his sinful state by the preacher. That night was the turning point of his life. He stopped his gang activities and began preaching the life-saving message of Jesus to anyone who would listen, especially on public buses, where he led many people to a knowledge of Christ.
   
   Later taken in by a white missionary, the previous subject of his racial hatred, Stephen learned to read, write, and become a member of civilized society and the family of God. It took him over a decade of study, but soon he was ready to bring his message of transformation to greater Africa, and then later the world. Today, Mr. Lungu is a world-renown missionairy.
   
   Stephen Lungu's story is one of the power of God to transform even the vilest sinner into a loving child of God. It's message is heart-warming and inspiring to all. Truly, no one is too far gone to respond to the message of God.
   
   I was encouraged and inspired by Stephen's story, and how God can powerfully transform even the worst sinner.
   
   Buy this book and share it with a friend.
   
   Jim "Konedog" Koenig



3. This is a book that you won't be able to put down. To read of how God in His mercy transformed Stephen's life from a life of total devastation and hopelessness into one of purpose and meaning and usefulness certainly builds one's faith and creates a desire to know this God of his. It encourages and gives hope to anyone who struggles with feelings of inferiority and "what's the meaning to life - is it worth the living?" Well worth the time and money - you will get more than you paid for!



4. I was recently given this book as a gift because a friend of mine had heard Stephen speak at the bible school he is attending, and his testimony encouraged him so much that he bought a copy and had it sent to me, I loved it! It is truly inspiring and an amazing testimony of God's power! It left me just in awe that the God that saved Stephen is the same God that I love and serve! I encourage everyone to read this book and share it with everyone they know! God Bless!



5. Stephen Lungu came to Stanford University to speak recently, and his testimony was one of the most moving testimonies I have ever heard in my entire life. I bought the book so that I could ask my friends to read it. I think the key to the testimony is that... most of the time, when Christians witness to other Christians, it is difficult to accept their perspective: Christians often get responses like, "it's easy for you to believe, you havn't suffered adversity", or "you simply believe because you were taught to believe when you were little." Mr. Lengu's testimony is nothing like this; from being abondoned as a small child and being taught by his environment to hate Christians, people, and God, he was able to turn his life around and see Jesus. Incredible evidence that Jesus is life-changing, and real, and the Savior.

2 comments about The Thomas Kinkade Story: A 20 Year Chronology of the Artist.

1. This work is the equivalent of a chocolate sundae for the eyes.....you BET it is popular.....but unless you consider fast food to be fine dining...lets dispense with the superlatives accorded these artbits. As a more "healthy visual feast"I suggest as a starting point the work of Gustav Baumann or Christopher Burkett(photographer extraodinaire!) if you enjoy beauty in the landscape as your subject of contemplation.After seeing their work you may be embarrassed at your admiration for this stuff.Come on people....get OUT more!!



2. Have you ever heard anyone scoff at Kinkade's work, because it is "too commercial" ? There are many who disdain work that is embraced by "the common man", and work that is reproduced for a mass market. So be it, but I do not agree with this elitist viewpoint, and think that in many years to come, Kinkade's work will be far more valued than some of what is "fashionable" in art circles today.
   This is a magnificent coffee table book, with thick glossy pages and excellent color reproduction, and a well written text by Rick Barnett. I pored over this volume with a magnifying glass, examining the details, the brushwork, and the evolution of Kinkade's work over the years.

   Part I, "The Early Years": Born in 1958, Kinkade was drawing before he could walk, and his first mentor was the Bay Area artist of renown Glenn Wessels, who in 1974 moved to Thom's Placerville, California neighborhood. Later while studying at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, he painted "The Prince of Peace", which he saw in a vision, and it is a powerful piece.

   Part II, "20 Years of Published Work":
   "The Early Works, 1984-1989". Many of these pieces are massive scenic vistas and city street sceenes, and my one and only complaint of this book is that it does not give the dimensions of the original paintings.
   "The Artist is Recognized, 1989-1993". On page 55, is a piece I find startling, "New York, Snow on Seventh Avenue, 1932", painted in 1989; with its extraordinary perspective, and skyscrapers bathed in the light of the setting sun, it captures the feeling of another era and there is a palpable sense of movement in it...and it is a painting I could look at for years and never tire of.
   In 1990, during a family trip to England, the cottage paintings were born. The one that I find incredibly lovely is "Spring at Stonegate". The graceful slope of the roof, and the dappled sunlight are beautiful.

   "Chasing the Horizon, 1993-1997". The Kinkade family moved to the South Bay area of San Francisco, and the plein air paintings took flight. My favorite of this genre is "Wailea Pool, Maui" (1996), with broad free strokes, the wind is ruffling the palm trees, and the clouds seem to be dancing.
   There also seems to be a heightened idealism emerging during these years, which becomes even more evident in "The Golden Era, 1997-2000", where the landscapes take on a misty, eerie light. In the world of "Cobblestone Bridge" (2000), Kinkade says "man and nature live in God's perfect balance".

   "Light of Freedom, 2000-2004". Inspired by a dream, Kinkade painted "The Light of Freedom" in 2002 as a tribute to 9/11, and from 2001, "San Francisco, Lombard Street", with an entire vista of the city, is a marvel; another treasure is "Desert Sunset" (2002), with its red sky and magical twinkling lights in the distance.
   Motivated by his faith, and dreams and visions, Kinkade's gentle world of peace and light is sure to shine for many generations.

5 comments about Holy Man: Father Damien of Molokai.

1. When people analyze the life of a soon-to-be saint, such as Damien, it's not uncommon for them to gloss over any imperfections. This book, thankfully, doesn't do that. What it does do is show you a very human man, not an intellectual, not the star of his religious community or even his family, but a very devoted man who made an incredible difference in the lives of so many who others wouldn't even touch. Read it.



2. This is a wonderful book for anyone who is curious about Father Damien of Molokai. It is comprehensive, non-religious, and thoroughly satisfying book. Gavan Daws did a great job describing Father Damien, his negative as well his positive attributes. The book is very well written, very well structured. It includes actual photos of key players at that time and drawings of the Kalawao settlement. I absolutely enjoyed reading this book. This one is a keeper.



3. Very interesting, and informative on the times that the event was occuring in the Hawaiian islands. The story kept focused, and was very easy to read and keep up with.



4. I visited the leper colony on the island of Molokai, the villages of Kalawao and Kalaupapa last March and this book was recommended to me. I picked it up from a gift shop there as I went round visiting the sites of Fr Damien's enormous and extensive ministry. I also heard from the tour guides, stories of the zeal and dedication with which he ministered to the ill-fated leprosy patients. I also knew about him from other sources.
   
   The book is a wonderful read. It brings to the light of the world a rather obscure life of a Catholic priest who belonged to the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts Fathers and worked in the mission of Hawaii. His devotion and dedication to the ministry in favor of the lepers and his eventual martyrdom as a leper seemed to have moved this non-Catholic writer to go into detailed research and strenuous investigation to bring out such a classic work on the subject. Gavan Daws does not idealize Fr Damien's life or make him a superman. According to him Fr Damien was an ordinary man, a priest with his own frailties and flaws, at the same time a hero and a martyr worthy to be called `holy.' The book in fact, is more than a mere biography of the leper priest. A lot of research and study has gone into the writing of this book which is a story of leprosy in the Hawaiian islands, a history of the Church in the second half of the nineteenth century, besides being the life of a saint-to-be. I hope that the book will inspire ordinary people to make deep personal commitments and fulfill them with extraordinary devotion and fervor.



5. "Holy Man" is undoubtedly the finest and most scholarly work to date on this topic. Prior to Daws' work, the overwhelming majority of books on this topic have been somewhat biased as they were produced by Catholic clergy and lay writers. Daws has brought the secular historian's skill to this subject and has produced a truly balanced account of the life and work of Father Joseph DeVeuster. Only a visit to the Molokai, Hawaii, settlements of Kalawao and Kalaupapa will provide the reader with a more detailed account of Father Damian's life and work among the lepers of Molokai. Father Daimian was beautified in 1993. A church inquiry is underway to determine whether or not this "Holy Man" should be made a Catholic saint. "Holy Man" is required reading for anyone even marginally interested in Hawaiian history. In the short period of time this work has been in print, it has become required reading for all students of Hawaiian History, American approaches to chronic and incurable disease and Catholic doctrine pertaining to leprosy and lepers. Daws has written a masterful account of the life and works of this important nineteenth century Catholic clergyman. "Holy Man" is the definitive work on Father Damian and is likely to remain so well into the next century. Father Damian was buried on the island of Molokai until earlier this century when his remains were exhumed and re-interred in his home of Louvain, Belgium. Today, only his hand remains buried on the island of Molokai. The hand is widely regarded as a religious relic.