LIFE IN YEAR ONE: What the World Was Like in First-Century Palestine
By Scott Korb
Riverhead Books, 2010
Review by George R. Pasley
Hear is an easily read, thorough, and enjoyable summary of the entire sum of knowledge about life in Galilee during Jesus’ lifetime.
Scot Korb has devoured everything written on the subject, arranged it into ten easy chapters so that non-scholars can easily understand it, and busy scholars can easily digest it. Furthermore, he makes it funny (Talking about cleanliness- or the lack thereof, due to water shortages, he says “A place like Nazareth, without much of local body of water to speak of…would have remained small. A town can only take sop much concentrated stink.”).
Beyond reading all the literature (though he quotes Crossan and Reed most often), Korb visited Israel and Palestine himself, and interviewed numerous archaeologists. The book has numerous annotations, references to quotes, and along bibliography. Makes a great addition to any church library, and affine introduction to the subject for all biblical scholars.
July 31, 2010
Showing posts with label ministry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ministry. Show all posts
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Thursday, August 7, 2008
LEAVING CHURCH
LEAVING CHURCH
I just finished reading Barbara Brown Taylor’s newest book, “LEAVING CHURCH: a memoir of faith” (HarperSanFrancisco, 2006).
The book describes her faith journey into the Episcopal priesthood, then from a large-multi staffed church into a small rural church, and then out of the parish ministry when that small rural church became large. Taylor is now a college professor. She is still ordained, and sees her ministry as teaching.
I shall endeavor not to put words into Taylor’s mouth by condensing what she has said herself. Let me just say that she loves the church, loved parish life, and loves God. She identifies her own faults, and goes so far as to say this memoir is about her own journey, and it is not everybody’s journey. I’m so glad she made that point important.
There are parts of the book that make me cry with joy. Every part of the book is insightful. It is filled with depth yet incredibly easy to read. I especially like the part where she talks about new ways of being and doing church. Let me give an example.
“What if people were invited to come and tell what they already knew of God instead of learn what they are supposed to believe? What if they were blessed for what they’re doing in the world instead of chastened for not doing more at church? What if the church felt more like a way station than a destination? What if the church’s job were to move people out the door instead of trying to keep them in, by convincing them that God needed them more in the world than in church?” (p. 222)
My problem with the book is that she seems to be saying, “You don’t have to go to church to be a Christian, and you don’t even have to be a Christian.”
I like the way she says it, and I like most (in fact, almost all) of what she says. I can travel even with her so far, but I have a hard time with either conclusion.
George R. Pasley
I just finished reading Barbara Brown Taylor’s newest book, “LEAVING CHURCH: a memoir of faith” (HarperSanFrancisco, 2006).
The book describes her faith journey into the Episcopal priesthood, then from a large-multi staffed church into a small rural church, and then out of the parish ministry when that small rural church became large. Taylor is now a college professor. She is still ordained, and sees her ministry as teaching.
I shall endeavor not to put words into Taylor’s mouth by condensing what she has said herself. Let me just say that she loves the church, loved parish life, and loves God. She identifies her own faults, and goes so far as to say this memoir is about her own journey, and it is not everybody’s journey. I’m so glad she made that point important.
There are parts of the book that make me cry with joy. Every part of the book is insightful. It is filled with depth yet incredibly easy to read. I especially like the part where she talks about new ways of being and doing church. Let me give an example.
“What if people were invited to come and tell what they already knew of God instead of learn what they are supposed to believe? What if they were blessed for what they’re doing in the world instead of chastened for not doing more at church? What if the church felt more like a way station than a destination? What if the church’s job were to move people out the door instead of trying to keep them in, by convincing them that God needed them more in the world than in church?” (p. 222)
My problem with the book is that she seems to be saying, “You don’t have to go to church to be a Christian, and you don’t even have to be a Christian.”
I like the way she says it, and I like most (in fact, almost all) of what she says. I can travel even with her so far, but I have a hard time with either conclusion.
George R. Pasley
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