Book Description
This collection of true stories examines incidents involving the use of firearms by ordinary citizens for personal protection against criminals. Three basic types of events are discussed: armed defense at home, at work, and in a public place. Each episode is explored in detail, with a look at the citizen involved as well as how their defensive actions aided them or could be improved. From convenience-store robberies to police arrests gone awry, these stories provide memorable reminders of firearm self-defense dos and don'ts.
Customer Reviews:
I couldn't put it down.......2007-09-11
READ this book! You can't read this book and remain unaffected. You will be forced to come to some educated conclusion as it is really hard to argue with actual events and personal accounts.
The author brings out case examples of civilians who came to an event what would either leave them dead or severely harmed, they defended themselves or their fellow citizen with a firearm, and we're shown the outcomes both good and bad. Excellent follow up with the the major players.
I re-read the chapter on Katrina over and over again - that one chapter by itself is worth than the cost of this book 7 fold.
Read this book! And vote to allow carry concealed permits in every state of the union.
Make America Safer.......2007-09-06
If you believe your government should assist deranged criminals in carrying out rape, robbery, and homicide against law-abiding citizens, then this book isn't for you. If you believe your government should not force innocent people to become helpless victims of such terrible things, then read on.
Some people believe that criminals should be protected from law-abiding citizens, instead of the other way around. These 14 case histories, as good as they are, probably won't pull such people back from the dark side. If you aren't one of those people, you will find these 14 case histories well worth reading. If you agree that rendering potential victims helpless is a bad idea, this book has valuable information for you.
Thank God I Had a Gun provides 14 gripping accounts of how ordinary people stopped dangerous criminals. For example, 72-year old Zelda Hunt confronted an intruder who surely would have killed her. She held him at gunpoint until the police arrived in response to her 911 call. Ms. Hunt successfully defended her life and property without discharging her firearm or killing anybody.
It's hard to imagine that a 72-year old widow would safely stop a large, strong, young male attacker by using her bare hands. Assuming she's an accomplished martial artist and a fitness fanatic, one could argue this is possible. But do you know any 72-year old widows with rippling muscles and a black belt?
Unfortunately, this "she beat him up" scenario is one of the two possible outcomes that the citizen disarmament nuts ("gun control advocates") would leave us with. The other, far more likely, outcome is this: the unarmed woman is raped, killed, and robbed before the police arrive. People who value life obviously prefer the outcome Ms. Hunt experienced. It happened only because, thank God, she had a gun.
Reviewer's note: In the vast majority of such confrontations, the armed citizen never fires the weapon. The mere presence of an armed citizen induces most criminals to suddenly change their minds. That's why thousands of aborted crimes go unreported each year. Those crimes simply never happen, because armed citizens prevent them.
How do we know this number is thousands and not merely dozens? We can compare "criminal protection zones" such as the UK to citizen protection places such as Florida and note the difference. The UK is suffering from a huge increase in violent crime, while Florida saw violent crime drop 90% in the first year of RTC (Right To Carry). Or we can look at "before" and "after" the passing of citizen disarmament laws in Australia. "Before" was much safer for law-abiding citizens. "After" is much safer for criminals..
More than hardware
This book describes true accounts in vivid detail, and provides an expert analysis of each account. The accounts and their analyses show there's much more to responsible and effective self-defense than merely buying a piece of hardware. For example, in one analysis, the author discussed what was wrong with the bullets used. That led into a discussion of understanding what's behind the target.
Review's note: Self-defense expert John Deshotel says to use hollow point bullets in your self-defense pistols. Police have intense training in this very aspect of weapons use, to reduce the chances of hitting an innocent bystander or other unintended target. A couple of the accounts provide especially good cases for teaching how to use firearms more safely. Mr. Deshotel also says a pistol is a puny weapon. This book mentions an adage many instructors are fond of--use your pistol to shoot your way to your shotgun or rifle.
On any shooting range, the concept of safety permeates the air. People wear safety glasses. People wear hearing protection. People observe many rules of safety. A person who is trained in firearm use and who practices with the weapon is immersed in safety so much that the concept is "front of mind." The accounts in this book show how people used firearms for their personal safety. In the case of Mark Wilson, he made the ultimate sacrifice so that others could be safe. This book talks about safely using firearms in real-life situations, rather than just on the range.
Just as guns don't kill people, guns don't protect people. Well-trained people protect people. We do that by using guns we have been trained to use, when and where the situation requires. Guns are tools, and have no will of their own. If you visit an automotive garage, you'll see many tools. But the tools don't solve any problems by themselves (they don't cause any problems by themselves, either). The mechanic's training and experience make all the difference. It is the same for the armed citizen.
Reviewer viewpoint
Some people believe it's debatable whether government should respect the basic human right of self-defense. In fact, they use language to the effect that government gives that right and can take it away. These people continually tout victim helplessness as a necessary solution to crime. They have not demonstrated how making crime easier to commit will reduce the number (or severity) of crimes committed. Logic dictates otherwise, which is why such policies have always caused violent crime to skyrocket.
It's worth noting that the most outspoken proponents of pro-criminal, anti-victim laws exempt themselves from the consequences. Ted Kennedy has armed guards, and so does Rosie O'Donnell. Nobody has ever proven that disarming citizens somehow protects them from violent criminals. Logic dictates otherwise, which is why the survival rates are so much better for armed citizens than unarmed ones.
I think this book will motivate people to stay current with their firearms training and other aspects of crime prevention and self-defense. These 14 accounts clearly show that ordinary people can, with the right tools and training, face death down and defeat it.
Thank you, Chris Bird, for doing the nation a great service with the research and thoughtfulness that went into this excellent book.
self protection.......2007-09-01
This is an excellent book. It gets you thinking. Chris Bird is an excellent author
My favorite of Chris Bird's series.......2007-08-14
This book should be required reading for anyone who owns a firearm for self defense. You will learn from each individuals story of what to do and what not to do during an encounter. The chapter on New Orleans is reason enough to buy the book.
Excellent support for our often infringed right to carry.......2007-08-02
Each of these stories clearly shows why we cannot rely on police to protect us from violent crime. The need for this book is all the greater because these are the kinds of stories which are NOT reported in the media. The book begins with a story from New Orleans, where someone who didn't like guns ended up finding out, in the chaos that ensued after Katrina, that the most dangerous thing that can happen to a city is not a hurricane, "It's the thugs in the neighborhood who would do more damage." The stories are well-written, the book is engaging. I couldn't put it down. The book is a great antidote to the depression one feels when reading the daily newspaper and taking in yet another story of a violent crime and a psychologically damaged if not deceased victim. The people in these stories took up their arms and refused to be victims, and that brightens my day.
Book Description
The tragedy of extinction is explained through the dramatic story of a legendary bird, the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, and of those who tried to possess it, paint it, shoot it, sell it, and, in a last-ditch effort, save it. A powerful saga that sweeps through two hundred years of history, it introduces artists like John James Audubon, bird collectors like William Brewster, and finally a new breed of scientist in Cornell's Arthur A. "Doc" Allen and his young ornithology student, James Tanner, whose quest to save the Ivory-bill culminates in one of the first great conservation showdowns in U.S. history, an early round in what is now a worldwide effort to save species. As hope for the Ivory-bill fades in the United States, the bird is last spotted in Cuba in 1987, and Cuban scientists join in the race to save it.
All this, plus Mr. Hoose's wonderful story-telling skills, comes together to give us what David Allen Sibley, author of The Sibley Guide to Birds calls "the most thorough and readable account to date of the personalities, fashions, economics, and politics that combined to bring about the demise of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker."
Customer Reviews:
Lord God, what a book!.......2006-04-01
At the risk of sounding blasphemous let me simply say "Lord God, what a book!" This book belongs on your MUST READ list!
This is a perfect example of how nonfiction should be written. Every school and public library should have a copy of this book. It is a valuable addition to the study of man, nature, and the environment.
Phillip Hoose's wonderful book captures the reader's attention and doesn't let it go till the very end of a beautifully written account of one of the most magnificent birds ever to grace this land. The cover of the book, not to mention the title, immediately attracts attention and after reading it the reader clearly understands why this bird was referred to as the Lord God Bird.
Hoose introduces us to collectors like Brewster and Wayne who helped lead to the bird's demise. There are the corporate villains in the form of the Chicago Mill and Lumber Company and the Singer Manufacturing Company who could have saved the last real refuge of the Lord God Bird but who chose profit over conservation when the Singer Tract was not spared from the woodcutter's ax. There are heroes to this story. You will meet Jim Tanner, "Doc" Allen, and J. J. Kuhn who worked tirelessly to save the species. Having read this book I felt that Jim Tanner was definitely someone I wished that I had known personally.
Educators will find countless lessons on environmental awareness, extinction of species, and the recklessness with which man has "civilized" the wilderness.
Well done Mr. Hoose, well done.
Engrossing Non-fiction .......2006-03-23
I picked this book up based on recommendations from online reader groups who said it would read more like fiction than non-fiction. They were right! Hoose has meticulously researched the plight of the "Lord God Bird", the ivory-billed woodpecker, documenting the efforts to locate the dwindling population and the sad effects of man vs. nature. Well highlighted by photographs, we follow the loss of this magnificent creature as its habitat is swallowed up by man's greed in the first half of the twentieth century. Hoose's writing is vivid and engrossing and caused me to do that rarest of things---go online and research more for myself. Most interesting of all is that just after this book was published, there have been reports of the rediscovery of the ivory-bill! This is a wonderful book appropriate for people of all ages and especially those who are worried about the endangerment of species by mankind's shortsightedness. Recommended!
The Lord God Bird.......2005-11-18
I thought that this book was well written, reasearched, and thought through. But as a 12 year old I didn't enjoy it quite as much as i think an older person would. I think that the author wrote the stories well, and made them very drawing. This book was not one of my favorite books, partially because it was very hard to read. The other reason was beause to me it was a bit confusing. I could see him doing a kids version of the same book, but making it a bit simpler or shorter. I thought that the author did a great job in writing this book, but I think you should wait to read it until you are a bit older. Some people I know thought it was a great book, but they're older than me. So again I thought that this was an o.k. book, but not a great kid's read.
The Lord God Bird.......2005-11-17
I thought that this book was well written, and thoroughly researched, but I didn't enjoy it very much. It was a very sad book. The author did a great job writing the story's fact for fact, but there were some parts where you say "awwww" and feel bad for these birds. In one story he wrote, a man went on a hunting trip to find a "Lord God Bird" and killed a family of them, including two babies. The hunter also killed many more birds that trip. I would not recommend this book unless you enjoy sad stories. It is one of those books that draws you into certain stories, but in between them you really want to put the book down.
Studying the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker and Trying Too Late to Save It........2005-11-08
"The Race to Save the Lord God Bird" is a chronicle of the history and demise of the ivory-billed woodpecker. It was written for children ages 9-12 but is perfectly suitable for adults as well. The book is large format in size, which makes the font bigger, but there is just as much text on each page as in an adult book, and there is nothing conspicuously juvenile about it. The large dimensions allow for nice black-and-white photographs of ivory-bills, their habitat, and the people who studied the birds.
Author Phillip Hoose follows human interest in the ivory-bill woodpecker from Alexander Wilson's encounter with the bird in 1809 as he was working on his 9-volume "American Ornithology" to John James Audubon's work sketching the bird in natural poses around 1820. By 1900, large scale deforestation in Southern states had made the ivory-bill rare. At this point, "The Race to Save the Lord God Bird" turns its attention to the collectors who were continuing to mine the population when they clearly shouldn't have been and the beginnings of organized conservation efforts, starting with the "Plume Wars" that sought to end the slaughter of birds to decorate ladies' hats. It describes the 1935 Cornell University expedition by Jim Tanner, George Sutton, Arthur "Doc" Allen, and Paul Kellogg to record bird calls of nearly 100 species in the Tensas Swamp in Louisiana. That's followed up by an account of Jim Tanner's 3 years studying the few remaining ivory-bills for the Audubon Society, 1937-1939, from which he wrote his still-famous book.
As Tanner was creeping around in it, the Singer Manufacturing Company sold logging rights to the Singer Tract, where the last known ivory-bills lived, and efforts to preserve the forest by purchasing it failed. The ivory-billed woodpecker was declared extinct. A couple chapters are dedicated to recent searches for the ivory-bill in Cuba and the United States, but this book was published before the announcement in April 2005 that the ivory-bill may still live. In the back of the book, there are maps of the shrinking ivory-bill habitat 1800-present, a chronology of important dates in ivory-bill and bird conservation, a glossary of terms, a detailed list of sources, and an index. "The Race to Save the Lord God Bird" is a readable and informative account of the actions and circumstances that brought the ivory-bill woodpecker to near-extinction in spite of a persistent human fascination with the bird and concerted efforts to save it. For more information on sightings of the ivory-bill since it was presumed extinct in the 1940s, see Tim Gallagher's book "The Grail Bird: Hot on the Trail of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker".
Book Description
In this follow up to his best-selling book Don't Shoot the Decoys, author Doug Larsen offers more humorous observations on the sport of waterfowling.
Customer Reviews:
Even a duck hunter's wife would enjoy this book!.......2005-09-08
Very intertaining and humorous. Anyone who is a duck hunter, knows a duck hunter or married to a duck hunter will enjoy the humor in this book.
Customer Reviews:
Three early Greek comedies by Aristophanes.......2004-07-30
"Aristophanes I" brings together three of the Greek comedians earliest extant comedies. The legend is that when Aristophanes' comedy "The Clouds" was first performed in Athens in 423 B.C., his target, Socrates, stood throughout the performance so that everyone in the audience was aware that he was there and hearing what was said of him. The portrait of Socrates clearly satirical and most critics consider it to be inaccurate. But Aristophanes is making fun of Athens' renowned "Think-tank" the "Phrontisterion," the school where the rich young men of Athens were taught the fine art of rhetoric. Instead of anything lofty the comic poet suggests the primary purpose of such an education is to be clever and out-reason greedy creditors. This is an especially good translation of the play, which includes insightful notes and essays on both Old Comedy and the Theater of Dionysus that helps readers understand the conventions of staged comedy at the time of Aristophanes.
In this comedy Socrates is consulted by an old rogue, Strepsiades (sometimes translated as "Twisterson"), who is upset with the mountain of debts his playboy son Phidippides, who loves fast horses and fast living. Phidippides agrees to go to Socrates' school of logic where he can learn to make a wrong argument sound right. After graduation is able to use the system of "unjust logic" to outwit his father and kick him out of the family home. The Chorus of Clouds comments on the proceedings and in the end the Phrontisterion is burned to the ground by Strepsiades. The flaw of the play is Aristophanes is trying to satirize the Sophists, who were popularizing a new philosophy that denied the possibility of ever reaching objective truth, he picked the wrong target. The Sophists were mostly teachers who were not native to Athens, such as Isocartes and Gorgias. "Sophist" basically meant teacher, so while Socrates was a "sophist" he was not a "Sophist." Twenty-four years later, when Socrates was condemned to death for "corrupting the youth of Athens," the only accuser he said he could name was a certain "comic poet" who renamed nameless.
The version of "The Clouds" that has passed down to us is not the original version, which was defeated by Cratinus' "Wine Flask" at a comedy competition during the Great Dionysia celebrations. We know this is a revised version because the Chorus complains about Aristophanes finishing third in that competition. However, critics assume it is essentially the same play, albeit a more polished version. Once you forgive Aristophanes for his unfair characterization of Socrates, "The Clouds" is a great comedy employing all of his standard tricks of the trade from fantasy and ribaldry to funny songs and obscene words.
"Wasps" ("Sphekes") appeals to contemporary audiences because it satirizes the litigiousness of the Athenians. Actually, the play, produced in 422 B.C., is more about the permanent tensions between conservative and liberal politics. Aristophanes is attacking the practice of the politician Cleon's exploitation of the large subsidized juries used in by the Athenian legal system. Bdelcylen ("Cleon-hater"), representing the position of the playwright, maintains that pay for public service is the device of demagogues to purchase loyalty. His father Philocleon("Cleon-lover"), a mean and waspish old man who has a passion for serving on juries, represents the Athenians.
Bdelcylen arranges for a court to be held at home to hear Philocleon's stupid little case of accusing the dog of the house of stealing cheese. The old man is cured of his passion for juries, becoming a drunkard instead. The best scenes in "Wasps" are Philocleon's attempts to escape when Bdelcyclen locks him up and the scene where the poor dog is tried. Certainly this play is representative of Aristophanes as a reformer, who wanted to persuade his audiences to change their foolish ways by ridiculing them on stage.
The problem with "The Birds" ("Ornithes") is that for once Aristophanes does not seem to be attacking some specific abuse in Athens. Still, we suspect that even this little fantasy is not simply escapist entertainment. Certainly there are those who see it as a political satire about the imperialistic dreams that resulted in the disastrous invasion of Sicily (which happened the year before his play was produced in 414 B.C.). Then again, this could just be Aristophanes bemoaning the decline of Athens.
Pisthetaerus ("Trusting") and Euelpides ("Hopeful") have grown tired of life in Athens and decide to build a utopia in the sky with the help of the birds, which they will name Necphelococcygia (which translates roughly as "Cloud Cuckoo Land"). Pisthetaerus and his feathered friends have to fight off those unworthy humans, malefactors and public nuisances all, who try and join their utopia. Then there are the gods, who come to make some sort of agreement with the new city because they have created a bottleneck for sacrifices coming from earth. Because it is a more general satire, "The Birds" tends to work better with younger audiences than most comedies by Aristophanes. Besides, the chorus of birds lends itself to fantastic costumes, which is always a plus with young theater goers.
In studying any of the Greek plays that remain it is important to I have always maintained that in studying Greek plays you want to know the dramatic conventions of these plays like the distinction between episodes and stasimons (scenes and songs), the "agon" (a formal debate on the crucial issue of the play), and the "parabasis" (in which the Chorus partially abandons its dramatic role and addresses the audience directly). Understanding these really enhances your enjoyment of the play.
Three classic plays translated for performers and students.......2004-02-03
Better known for translating the great Greek tragedies, Peter Meineck has now turned his pen on the comedies, with generally positive results. Like other translations published by Hackett, this one is aimed squarely at today's college students. It has plenty of historical background for those who want it, or can be read just for the plays.
Translating comedy is trickier than tragedy, because jokes are so fickle. What one society finds hilarious, another might find distasteful. Meineck does his best to render the old Greek jokes and still be funny. He doesn't always succeed. His skills at punning are not as great as Aristophanes', nor do the jokes about minor Athenian figures like Theorus and Cardopion add much to a performance text.
And these are performance texts. No matter how faithful to the original, no matter how many footnotes and endnotes the translator provides, a student should still be wary of changes made for modern performance. Today's theater operates under an entirely different set of conventions.
The plays themselves are three genuine classics, WASPS being less known than CLOUDS and BIRDS, but in this book, perhaps the best. Procleon's obsession with jury service and the headaches it causes his son translates very well, and Meineck is surprisingly adept at rendering the political understory that subliminally critizes the Athenian leader Cleon.
BIRDS is the story of two friends who come up with one of the great comic plans: a utopia named Cloudcuckooland where they, with the help of the birds, rule both the gods and men. And it works!
CLOUDS is read most often because it features a comic version of Socrates and his 'Pondertorium.' While Meineck and Introduction writer Ian C. Storey conclude the portrayal of Socrates is entirely innaccurate, it sure is funny. CLOUDS is really more of a father-son story, a father convincing his profligate son to get an education in order to argue the father's way out of the accumulating debts. What the father doesn't bank on is his son using new-learned rhetorical skills to argue that a son has the right to beat his father.
Meineck is British, so the slang in the plays is full of 'poofters' and 'arses.' I will say this much, only recently have translations of the Greek comic playwrights begun to reflect how genuinely bawdy they were. Some of Meineck's best footnotes let you in on the double-entendres.
It's all a lot of silly mischief, and in the final reckoning Aristophanes comes through loud and clear, despite such devices as rhymed doggerel passages (no rhymes in classical Greek) and confusing name translations like Makemedo. The title of this book is ARISTOPHANES I, and let us hope that professor Meineck is at work on an ARISTOPHANES II that will include some of Aristophanes lesser-known works as well as perennial favorite LYSISTRATA.
Customer Reviews:
A wonderful work but this isn't the best English version........2002-08-16
The Conference of the Birds is a marvellous book--a sufi treatise on the spiritual life written in Persian rhyming couplets. This translation is not in poetry, but in rather dull prose. In addition the translator leaves out a number of the stories that make up the bulk of the work. He mistranslates at a few crucial points.
I would recommend instead the extraordinary translation by Dick Davis and Afkham Darbandi. With great skill the whole work is translated into rhyming couplets like the original. Davis' rhythm and rhyme carry you through the work at a cracking pace, unlike the plodding prose of this version. Davis and Darbandi's translation is in the Penguin Classics series, ISBN 0140444343, also available from Amazon, where you can see a sample of their work.
Average customer rating:
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Walking Faithfully with God: 1 And 2 Kings And 2 Chronicles (The New Inductive Study Series)
Kay Arthur , and
Brad Bird
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ASIN: 0736913866 |
Book Description
More than 880,000 books from Kay Arthur’s life–changing New Inductive Study Series have been sold! This exciting series brings readers face–to–face with the truth of God’s precepts, promises, and purposes—in just minutes a day.
The books of Kings and Chronicles picture the nation of Israel rising and falling according to the faithfulness of its leaders. In this study, readers will discover for themselves the true meaning of success and the key to finding it. In just minutes a day and by using the effective inductive study method, readers will be inspired by the passion of the prophets and kings who sought to bring restoration and revival to their land.
Formerly titled Come Walk in My Ways
Book Description
Vladimir Lossky established himself as one of the most brilliant Orthodox scholars in the years between his departure from Russia in 1923 and his death in 1958. His uncompromising faithfulness to scriptural and patristic tradition, coupled with his constant concern for an articulate Orthodox witness in the West, make his works indispensable for an understanding of the theology of the Eastern Church today. Here, in twelve essays, he explores the implications of the Orthodox understanding of man's destiny - communion in love with triune God.
Concerned with the fundamental questions of theology, Lossky addresses the following: can we really know God? How are we to understand the relation of creation to the Creator? Where is it that we are to find the heart of the Christian message? In the process of answering questions such as these, the author shows the doctrinal issues are not just abstract propositions for theological debate but affect the whole of Church life.
Customer Reviews:
An Articulate Presentation of the Eastern Tradition.......2007-07-21
REVIEW: If you like Lossky's work and would like to see an articulate presentation of the Eastern theological tradition and see how it contrasts with the Western conceptual framework on critical points, then there is no reason not to purchase this book, case closed. This book provides a wonderful introduction to the Orthodox faith for those of the Augustinian tradition (Catholics and Protestants.) This book champions intellectual sophistication without becoming inaccessible and is critical of other positions without coming across as harsh or unnecessarily abrasive to those of contrary opinion. This is *not* a book for those who want just "the basics" or a general idea of what Orthodox theology is all about, and that is why I believe this book has received a few negative reviews on this page; those who are looking for that kind of material should check out popular works such as Bishop Kallistos Ware's "The Orthodox Church" or "Facing East" by Frederica Mathewes-Green. This is not a popular work but a collection of scholarly papers (which are accessible to most with an interest in theology.)
OVERVIEW: The first three chapters of the book concern how man comes to know and experience the Holy Trinity according to the Eastern Tradition. The fourth chapter covers the Filioque Controversy, contrasting Eastern & Western Trinitarian theology. Chapter Five ("Redemption & Deification") covers soteriology. Chapter Six compares Eastern and Western notions of personhood and critically examines their implications for Trinitarian theology. Chapter Seven is a very brief essay on the concept of "image" with a special focus on anthropology & Christology. Chapter Eight ("Tradition and Traditions") is a brilliant essay on the nature of Tradition and God's revelation to man. Chapters Nine & Ten cover ecclesiology and shed light upon the theological presuppositions many Western Christians take for granted. Chapter Eleven covers the place of Mariology in the Orthodox Tradition and the last covers eschatology.
Ecclesial Being.......2006-07-24
This collection of essays by Vladimir Lossky - one of Eastern Orthodoxy's greatest 20th century voices - is a fine complement to his more popular book (which is a modern classic), The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church. It is important to note that this book is not about Orthodox anthropology - that is, the theology of human nature - and although the essays within this volume do touch upon various facets of this theme, only a few of them do so explicitly. Several essays deal with the Trinity and apophatic theology, the meaning of deification, and ecclesiology (the study of the Church). Largely technical in nature, for those that wish to dig a bit more deeply into Orthodox thinking, this is a fine volume to do so with.
Lossky is one of those authors that, for myself at least, seems to range between two poles: the technically dry and the thrillingly illuminating. Some of this has to do with his own beliefs concerning theological method: "There is nothing more dangerous, more contrary to true theology, than a superficial clarity at the expense of profound analysis" (170). When Lossky reaches profundity - and he does so repeatedly throughout the essays in this volume, particularly in his discussions of the meaning of Tradition - it is like standing on the highest mountain peak in the mountain range. This can make the rest of his writing seem more like a valley, but the journey is well worth wading through some of the more difficult and dry material within.
As with all Orthodox theologians, Lossky spends a good bit of time with the Church Fathers. The first essay, "Apophasis and Trinitarian Theology", and the second essay, "Darkness and Light in the Knowledge of God", traverse similar ground as they look at what is more often called "mystical theology" - the interplay between the theological language of presence of transcendence, excess and seeming absence. Between the affirmative (cataphatic) and negative (apophatic), Lossky points like St. Dionysius the Aeropagite (who figures prominently here) to the God who is beyond both affirmation and negation. These essays are followed by an essay on the theology of transfigured light in St. Gregory Palamas and an essay on the procession of the Holy Spirit in Eastern thought. In both essays, the cataphatic and apophatic are again drawn together and shown as being equally necessary to each other and to us now today.
Salvation - deification/theosis, "becoming by grace what God is by nature" - is the theme of the next three essays. Perhaps this is necessary, for having contemplated God we now move on to contemplate human nature and its relation to the Trinity. This "move" is made in the double paradox of God's kenotic descent into humanity which draws humanity up into God's life. Within this incarnational descent and graced ascent, the Orthodox understanding of humanity emerges a bit more clearly: the possibility of union with God on the one hand, or a falling into a "region of dissimilarity" on the other hand. The image of God, which we are, can attain to likeness because of Christ, or fall into the unlikeness of sin and death.
It is his reflections upon Tradition that I have found to be the richest. Particularly illuminating is the Trinitarian interplay he finds: the Scriptures are Christological, while Tradition is Pneumatological. Yet, their substance is one, for the both seek to bring us to the Father. Rather than allowing Scripture, Tradition, the Church and Sacraments to be all pitted against one another, Lossky shows that "Tradition tells us not only what we must hear but, still more importantly, how we must keep what we hear" (198). Thus, all that the Church has is deeply interconnected with everything else. If all is not received, we will eventually find that nothing is received.
The essays here can be read together or separately, although it makes the most sense to read them in order, for they ultimately witness to a whole that is greater than their own unity. Perhaps they ought to be considered as an invitation to participation in the fullness of liturgy and sacrament, learning what and how to received that which has been given. Particularly for Western Christians, dipping into the thought of our Eastern brothers and sisters can be both exhilarating and bewildering. There are few guides to the East that have been as widely hailed as Vladimir Lossky, and this collection of essays, along with his The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church, are a fine place to start.
Disappointing.......2006-04-25
This is the only time I can say I have not thoroughly enjoy a Lossky work. This is not a book but a collection of essays, articles, and papers which are compiled together into this volume. It's choppy and jumps. The theology is of course totally consistent, but the way he describes it, the more specific themes, etc. are explained in a way which leaves a lot of gaps. I don't recommend it.
Boring technicalities.......2004-12-28
The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church was one of my favorite spiritual books for many years and it is with high expectations that I ordered "In the Image and Likeness of God". I was sorely disappointed. This thin book presents a series of short theological articles dealing with the Trinity, Eschatology and Ecclesiology. There is also an article on the Imago Dei. Hence the title of the book.
When I read these articles I often put down the book and asked myself: what did I learn from what I've just read ? And believe me or not: I was absolutely incapable of remembering a single notable idea! Lossky seems to have caught the virus of French intellectuals, talking endlessly and without contributing anything substantial or interesting about extremely technical matters such as the difference between the trinity according to Clement of Alexandria and the trinity according to Dyonisius the Areopagite. Are you interested, dear reader? I'm not.
The article about the Imago Dei was extremely disappointing and seems to have been written with a view to please the Protestant intelligentsia: in it, we learn that according to Scripture the image of God is indeed nothing more that the capacity of man to dominate nature. There are more developments in the rest of the article since the Orthodox don't accept "sola scriptura", but the final result is quite unoriginal, to put it very mildly.
"The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church" is worth your time and money but this collection of essays isn't, unless of course you happen to be a hair-splitting scholar who relishes high theological abstractions with ecumenical overtones.
Man's destiny is communion with the Life of the Trinity.......2000-06-18
A collection of essays, this gem is sure to deepen and change your understanding of salvation, creation, God, the Church and many other topics. I found it hard to sleep after reading this book at night, as it seemed to charge my mind with a surge of creativity and a desire to put my face on the floor to pray. These essays are far from dry. Engaging from the start, they cover the following topics: 1.Apophasis and Trinitarian Theology 2.Darkness and Light in the Knowledge of God 3.The Theology of Light in the Thought of St.Gregory Palamas 4.The Procession of the Holy Spirit in Orthodox Trinitarian Theology 5.Redemption and Deification 6.The Theological Notion of the Human Person 7.The Theology of the Image 8.Tradition and Traditions 9.Concerning the Third Mark of the Church: Catholicity 10.Catholic Consciousness: Anthropological Implications of the Dogma of the Church 11.Panagia 12Dominion and Kingship: An Eschatological Study Bibliography
It is hard to imagine a better presentation of these topics. My only complaint is his use of greek and latin without translating. While his use is usually inferrable from the context, if you are unfamiliar with theological jargon, you'll want a greek-latin-english dictionary at hand (maybe not, though). PLEASE don't let that scare you. It is a minimal amont of times that you'll not get what he means. Besides, isn't time to learn a little greek? Although Lossky's works are always worthwhile, his "Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church" takes the cake. He's done his homework, now do yours!
Book Description
You don't have to be a dedicated birdwatcher to gain life-changing truths from Under His Wings. This devotional collection is drawn from the world of birds-the same creatures that won't fall to the ground without God's notice. Each selection describes birds in their natural habitats, and makes a spiritual point for humans, who, according to Luke 12, are worth more than "many sparrows." After each devotional are quotes and verses to consider, followed by a "For the Birds" tip- ideas on feeding and caring for birds nearby. Uses Scripture from the NIV, NKJV, Amplified, and Living Bible.
Customer Reviews:
Simply delightful........2005-08-15
Simply delightful. A series of short essays, mostly personal anecdotes, in which the authors share their experiences of watching birds and drawing spiritual lessons from doing so. Each essay is followed by some practical advice for fellow birdwatchers.
Not preachy (at least not overly so). Down-to-earth and heartwarming. Unless you absolutely can't stand to hear the Evangelical Christian viewpoint, if you're a birdwatcher you'll enjoy this little gift book.
A devotional with stories about birds.......2005-06-25
I have a new devotional, and it's such an inviting and, well, cozy book. And the idea is so simple, yet so unique. Under His Wings, by Joy DeKok and Cristine Bolley, is a devotional with stories about birds!
The authors, through biblical truths and the collection of bird stories, remind us that like the sparrows in the sky, God will keep us safe and provide for our needs because we're His children.
The authors offer an illustration of God teaching us in their stories. Following each story they give three points to ponder:
The Bird Feeder is a bit of wisdom to think about while pondering the story.
The Birdbath section is the biblical truth of God's word and God's promises.
The Birdhouse section reminds us that prayer is the answer and helps us apply the lesson's truth.
Finally, a bonus: For The Birds is a section of practical tips about the birds themselves.
I especially enjoyed the following stories: Attempted Break-In (which reminds us that our conclusions are not always true), A Lesson in Love (a lesson in deep and abiding love), Cleaning House (which is not what you think), Goldie (the story I needed to hear), and Scout (a reminder that we can all use).
This is a great book to read and reread. It makes for a gentle way to begin each day.
Under His Wings is AWESOME!.......2002-05-29
I enjoyed this book of devotions soooooo much. They were nice and short so I could treat myself different times throughout the day when I needed a lift. It is a wonderful reminder that God has things to teach us all through-out our day..not just 'scheduled' times that we allow him into our busy lives. The book is beautiful enough to be given as a special gift but should also be a must-read devotional for all.
Average customer rating:
- Earl the Emu God's Promises a Rainbow
- Great story, great lesson, highly recommended
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Earl the Emu: God Promises a Rainbow (Earl the Emu)
Pat Winston
Manufacturer: Light Way Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Fiction
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Christian
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Inspirational
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Ages 4-8
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Fiction
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ASIN: 0970282141 |
Book Description
A book written for children living in our challenging times. Earl the Emu and his friends on the Berry Farm discover the wonder of God's promise in a rainbow. Jason the special little boy only wants to hit a homerun, but because he can't run and play as fast as the other children they won't let him play. Earl and Jason discover that God is with you through the tough times, as they are reminded that God always keeps His promises, and never ever leaves us alone.
Customer Reviews:
Earl the Emu God's Promises a Rainbow.......2004-09-20
This is a delightful children's book. The illustrations are beautiful, very colorful.
The message of the book is one that especially children who are "different" can relate to. This book tells us how God ALWAYS keeps his promises. Sometimes our prayers are answered in the most unusual way, but the point is they are answered. This is a book that should be in every child's library.
Jeanetta Bearden Pollard author of "Mrs. Claus Shares Stories From the Heart" founder of http://www.jeanettapollard.com
Great story, great lesson, highly recommended.......2004-05-09
Although this is the fifth in the Earl the Emu series it is the first one that I have read for review. "Earl the Emu: God Promises a Rainbow" is a wonderful children's story with an important message for everyone - God delivers on His promises. It may not be the way that we expect but be assured that He does keep His word. Join Earl the Emu and his animal friends as they help Jason. Jason just wants to play baseball so he can hit a home run. But he is not a very fast runner and so the other boys won't even let him play baseball with them. How can he hit a home run if he is not even allowed to play? This is a real problem. Join Earl the Emu as he becomes aware of this situation and helps Jason to make it happen. "Earl the Emu: God Promises a Rainbow" is a recommended children's book for ages of about three to eight.
Books:
- The Art of Ratatouille
- The Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher: Birdfeeders and Bird Gardens
- The Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher: Birdfeeders and Bird Gardens
- The Backyard Astronomer's Guide
- The Backyard Bird Feeder's Bible: The A-to-Z Guide To Feeders, Seed Mixes, Projects, And Treats (Rodale Organic Gardening Book)
- The Bastard of Istanbul
- The Birds of East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi (Princeton Field Guides)
- The Birds of Pennsylvania
- The Birds of Pennsylvania
- The Boy Who Held Back the Sea (Picture Puffins)
Books Index
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