Religion Books

`An Introduction to the New Testament' by leading NT scholar and writer, Raymond E. Brown may be the best possible introduction to its subject for the lay reader and for pastoral readers. I am relatively sure the book is also used as a text in college level courses on the New Testament, if only for the wealth of bibliography on each aspect of its subject.
I give this glowing praise with some reservations, since I have been bitten before by praising a book on a subject on which I have not read many different works; however, by now I have read numerous books on both New and Old Testament subjects, on both introductory and `scholarly' levels, and this experience assures me that this is a superior book for its audience.
As you read this volume, you may be surprised to discover that the author is a Catholic, since there is not one wit of `bias' which would diminish the work for our Protestant kin. Rather, the author brings in notions from Catholic practice for which the Protestant, even the deeply scripture - imbued Lutheran tradition, has no easy concept. My favorite is the notion expressed by the Latin (of course) phrase sensus plenior, or `fuller sense' of a reading of scripture. This is totally consistent with Herr Luther's dictum that a scriptural reading has but one meaning. It just means that one wants to find the broadest sense of the text, taking all things into account.
Another of the author's positions which warm's my heart (and assures me the author is intellectually sound) is his opinion that the politically correct terms for what we all commonly call the `Old Testament' are no more accurate than this ancient term which some feel is disrespectful to our Jewish cousins. All common alternatives such as `Hebrew' scriptures are actually less accurate than the adjective which says these came before the Christian scriptures.
The greatest service I can do for you, kind reader, is to point out that the proper audience for this book may be much wider than the title may suggest. I would offer it as a NT complement to James Kugel's `How to Read the Bible', which deals only with the Old Testament (as Professor Kugel is a Hebrew scholar). It is also an excellent replacement for such heavy tomes as `The Oxford Bible Commentary', which I have never found exceptionally helpful in getting into an unfamiliar book of the Bible.
A dramatic illustration of how good this book is compared to some other works is to compare it to the recent Lutheran introduction, `Opening the Book of Faith' on four ways to read the Bible. Brown gives ten (10) different ways the Bible has been studied, and that doesn't even include the Lutheran text's `lectio divina' and `theological' readings. The former is a classic devotional reading and the latter is the approach promoted by Lutheran theologians.
If I have any reservations at all about the book for serious students, it is the fact that it was published twelve years ago, and probably written up to two years before that, which means the bibliography may already be slightly dated. However, I still found the bibliography exceptionally good, even with its limiting itself to works in English, proper for a book written for the lay reader or beginning student.
I was tickled to find, at the very end, a bit of a polemic against the works of the Jesus Seminar in an overview of works on the historical Jesus. He shares the dim opinion of this enterprise held by Catholic colleague Luke Timothy Johnson. This is the only place in the book where Brown strays one iota from an even handed approach to Biblical scholarship.
If you are first starting out in serious Bible reading, this book is a Godsend!

Raymond Brown sure knows how to write an introduction. Though I am not exactly sure how long the New Testament is, surely it is dwarfed by the 800+ pages of Brown's commentary. He does an excellent job covering the books as well as discussing various approached to studying the New Testament. I used this for background while studying Mark. Thus, this work is approporate for specific research or a general understanding of the New Testament. Though it is not quick reading, if you have your bible handy it the learning process is better. Unlike many theologians, he does a good job of sticking to mostly understandable vocabulary. I would say this could be of use for all beginning and intermediate-level bible students as well as those extremely familiar with the doctrines surrounding the New Testament. High praise for Brown in attempting such a collasal task!

This is a great book. Ray Brown is a scholar who has the ability to write so clearly that he is able to pull together years of study and scholarship and bring beginners, students and Scripture readers up to speed on the latest in Biblical understand. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more about the Bible and how to read it and understand it.

As others have stated, this if you only buy one book for a study on the nuts and bolts of the New Testament, this is it. It is extraordinary in its scope, magnificently researched, and best of all, it's written so well that it does not become tiring or try to impress you with huge complicated words or phrases. This is an outstanding volume for the common man and the advanced student as well. Thank you Raymond Brown for leaving us with this marvelous tool to understanding the times and structure of the New Testament - this book will serve as a legacy and the benchmark by which all others will be compared for ages to come.

I am a somewhat new Christian and have really felt a connection with God since becoming faithful. However, I became wary of Church dogma and completely literal, simplified views of info in the Bible. I knew it had to be deeper than that. I had a hunger to learn more about the history of the New Testament and it's books, letters, etc. to help me better understand it. This book was extremely helpful and easy to understand; but I can see how it would be good for people who already know about Biblical critisism. It has deepened my faith more reading this book which actually has a centrist point of view for the most part. Highly recommend to all. I had read Raymond E. Brown was the way to go for this information and I'd have to agree.

This is a fact filled book that will be a good study tool to learn about the new testament background. Covers many aspects of Greco-Roman culture such as politics, social customs, religious beliefs, philosophical beliefs, etc. Also covers Jewish beliefs of the new testament era as well. Sometimes ties in subject matter with the new testament content. A gold mine of information. Well researched by a good scholar, this book just reports the facts. Reads almost like an encylopaedia, and as such it is a good reference book. I give it 4 stars instead of 5 simply because it is a bit of a dry read, but I guess that's the nature of a reference work. For similar, but shorter and easier reads, check out The World That Shaped The New Testament by Calvin Roetzel and also, Exploring The New Testament World by Albert A. Bell.

This is THE book on NT backgrounds. Ferguson gives you a broad sweep of nearely everything you need to know when studying hte NT and an extensive bibliography of additional resources for picking up the rest. I read this book early on in my carreer and still refer to it almost weekly. In the more specialized material I now study, his work is the basis that allows me to understand it. In short, if you read nothing else on NT backgrounds, read this. If your going to enter into advanced study of NT backgrounds, read this first. I even reccomend this book to 'lay' churchmembers without any theological training. It is simply the best.

The next best thing to Fergusson is C. K. Barrett, "NT Background: Selected Documents." This is a collection of excerpts from 1st Century primary sources. Still, READ FERGUSON FIRST!

Ferguson does a great job at presenting the information in such a way that the reader is able to understand and still gather a considerable amount of information. I am currently using this book, as well as two atlases, for a Greco-Roman survey class and appreciate the simple, to-the-point aspect of his book. The professor really could have just used this book by itself, instead of using all three.

Very good general introduction to the social, political, and religious background of early Christianity. Covers everything from the coins in use to the condition of slaves. Written in simple, readable English. One of the best features is that every section has a bibliography with books that cover the subjects in greater depth.

I had hard to find anything about the veneration of saints, which I think would be important to include with a comparison to other religions of the period and earlier. In this book there's remarkably little on the actual original backgrounds of christianity, a religion composed from sources and not all that inventive uninformed people tend to think.

After having a more than difficult time with my marriage, our Pastors recommended this as we reconcile, forgive and fulfill the call that God has on our lives. We just got this yester and it is just amazing. We tend to have difficulties coming up with the words to explain our feelings and ask for help, this solves it. We look forward to getting all of the Prayers that Avail Much (women, men, workplace, etc) This has already become invaluable. Yes, if you just sit back and read the book it's just that...a book. BUT...if you have the Holy Spirit and you read these whole-heartedly as you approch the thrown room of the Almighty God you will undoubtedly feel the power of these prayers. MORE GREAT NEWS!!!If you DON'T have the Holy Spirit overflowing in you there are prayers/guidance for that as well. Get the book, stay grounded in the Word of God, get yourself grounded in a Bible-Based Church (ex. not catholocism, lutheran, protestant etc...) just a church that truly teaches out of the bible with no sugar coating. You and all yu come in contact with will prosper. Enjoy, and Stay Blessed.
By the way..my husband and I now fully enjoy each other and are more in love than ever =)

This leather bound edition is beautiful and compact. It's a great book to have at your fingertips with prayers for just about any subject. They're all written with scripture as a guide and the verse references are attached to the end so as not to break up the text. A perfect gift, too.

If you want to know how to pray according to God's will (to get answers), then you must pray scriptural prayers. This is a tremendously important book to Christians who want to see results from their prayers. God always honors His Word. If you don't pray according to God's will, you won't get results. If you do, you will. Simple as that.

I'm sure that anyone who picks up this book would find a prayer that pertains to their personal experience or need. There are so many wonderful prayers including intercessory prayers. I gave it as a gift to both of my sisters and my mom for Christmas. They all loved it and refer to it often.

THE BOOK IS GREAT! DELIVERED PROMPTLY & IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THE PRICE WAS RIGHT. I ALL WAYS ORDER MY BOOKS FROM AMAZON. ALL WAYS GREAT PRICES,SERVICE & CONVIENT. SHIRLEY L

This book is great for first-time anthropology students; it teaches basic as well as advanced concepts without seeming overly preachy or didactic. Its ethnographic examples focus mainly on so-called "primitive" societies, and allows the discerning reader to visualize the supernatural world time and time again through their eyes. A fantastic read!

A must read book that sneaks up on the man's heart and gets you. Wild at heart is a must read for all christian mean, what am I saying, all men should read this!

The praimary book is very good, and the feild guide is a good way to meditate and absorb thsoe learnings.

If you are looking for a good mens study, Wild at Heart and Wild at Heart Field Manual are a great set to use.

FINALLY A BOOK FOR MEN, ABOUT REAL MEN AND HOW WE REALY SHOULD ACT, AND NOT WORRY ABOUT BEING PC.

This is for the man who is willing to express himself in writing. For many, it will just sit on your bookshelf. My advice, read Eldredge's book and take action in your life. If you buy the field manual, it will only help if you commit to writing and expressing yourself in it. I did find it helpful for leading a small group study.

THIS BOOK IS WONDERFUL. SHE HELPS YOU TO PRAY FOR THINGS THAT YOU MAY NOT THINK OF FOR THE FUTURE OF YOUR CHILDREN. I ALSO RECOMMEND "THE POWER OF A PRAYING WIFE." THAT BOOK AND THE PRAYERS IN IT ARE EXTREMELY POWERFUL. I HAVE SEEN AMAZING CHANGE FROM READING IT.

The Power of a Praying Parent - A Book of Prayers by Stormie Omartian is an excellent tool for all parents to have. I purchased the book to give to a couple that was expecting a new baby. A gift for the baby would have been good, but this book was better to assist and keep the parents motivated to pray.

Parents are not perfect and no one can ever have too much information. That is why no matter how much you read the bible, attend church, and watch christian television...it is always good to have something new, fresh, and scriptual to keep you on your toes along this parental journey.

The book contains prayers that concern various areas of parenting. A scripture is paired with each prayer. A space for your personal prayer notes is also included. The prayers, scriptures, and personal notes can be used to encourage yourself and others as needed for a lifetime.

A great book to supplement this book with is "Single Parent Support - A Collection of Inspirational Scriptures" on Amazon.

I give this book 4 stars and highly recommend it for all parents. Parents come in all fashions (married, single, widowed, grandparents, god-parents, foster parents, teachers, aunts, uncles, adoptive, etc.). So get this book and be encouraged.

Reviewed by:
Pamela Jarmon-WadeSingle Parent Support: A Collection of Inspirational Scriptures

This is a good companion book with the praying wife. I love both books and use them regulary in my quiet time.

Power Of A Praying Parent is a much needed guide for parents. When this guide is followed and used consistently the power behind praying scripture over your child(ren) is overwhelming. Don't doubt what God can do through you when you pray for your children.

As parents we are to continualy pray for our children....too much evil in the world.

I used this text for an undergrad world religions course and found it very informative. There is obviously some bias, especially in the Christianity section, but it served its purposes well. I was not pleased with the organization of each chapter and found the information was presented in a chaotic fashion, requiring the reader to piece together different parts of the chapter to understand singular concepts. The book is very well indexed and footnoted. I also think the text was very readable so if someone was looking for a book to do self-study on world faiths, this is a decent place to start.

I have actually read The Analects before, as a student. Then, as now, I was attracted to a philosophy that did not hold out a reward of eternal salvation as the basis for establishing common morality. You should be a good person because it is effective and desirable. Nothing more. At one point in the Analects, Confucius mocks someone who wants to know about death when in his opinion the person knows nothing at all about life. I like that.

It is always interesting (at least to me) rereading something that I initially read many years ago and which has meant something serious to me on both readings. I am certainly better equipped to understand this now then I was 19 years ago. I am emotionally and intellectually better suited to appreciate the ideas. On the other hand, reading it as part of a class and as a student gave me what I am sure was a much better framework for placing the work against history and context. This was one of those books where I longed to take a class to go with the reading/digesting of the text. I am frustratingly sure that I have missed quite a bit, and that both background and discussion would have been useful.

The Introduction was actually rather helpful, in this case. D.C. Lau did a really able job of setting the stage for the reading. I had read Mencius two years ago and distinctly remember being frustrated by the introduction. I found it absolutely useless as a non-expert reader. I recognize that writing an introduction is rather a thankless job-- you either bore the experts or lose the newbies.

I am not certain whether the Lau introduction to the Penguin edition of The Analects would bore an expert, but this (relative) newbie certainly appreciated its assistance.

In the end, I appreciated this book in an almost physical way. It was like looking at a set of carvings. I took each paragraph out of the box, examined it, and returned it again. Some parts entranced me. Other bits I want to reconsider more later. Still other sections feel as though they will speak to a different me at a different point in my life.

It would be impossible for me not to recommend the reading experience, but is that valuable if I do so out of ignorance? A lovely book. I am not qualified to judge the translation, so I will not try.

(I am wondering if someone here can point me to a good text as to how this basic philosophy became the religion of Confucianism. Also: what Confucianism means as a religion rather than a philosophy.)

It's amazing how after so many years Confucius thoughts are still important. Here you can find the basis for most of the later philosophists, including some universal principles of most religions. Even though it is not easy to read, with a little effort is a book to enjoy.

I guess, there is not much point in buying this book for the text of Lunyu itself: it is available in full on the Internet (for example at Wengu: http://afpc.asso.fr/wengu/wg/wengu.php?l=intro - in the Chinese original, two English - including Lau's - and one French translation) but it is the introduction and adjoining commentaries that are of value. In this respect, I found D.C.Lau's work quite pleasing. He explains the main terms and how they hang together, illustrates his arguments with quotations from the actual Analects and tries his best to relate Confucius' philosophy to suitable analogues in the Western tradition. I am no China-expert, so this helped a lot. The book also has a post-script outlining Kong-zi's life and a short piece on the individual disciples and friends that Confucius converses with in the book. I think there is $9 of value (or whatever the price) in this book.

While 'Penguin Classics' paperbacks are generally some of the best on the market, the Analects themselves are, in this case, a bit out a date.

Better translations have been made, in my opinion. However, the prose itself is well-styled and clearly separated. Concise and easy to understand. The fluency of the book is what seems most troubling.

Filled with totally obfuscated phrases like, "The Kuan-chu Ode is lively but not licentious, plaintive but not harrowing," are gems like, "Po I and Shu Ch'i never remembered old injuries, and therefore their enemies were few." The thing about it, is that I read it cover to cover. Clearly, this deep and old wisdom is best taken in small bits for not many words are wasted. Also, the Lionel Giles translation I read was weak on supplemental commentary so I really felt like I needed a more knowledgeable guide as I was reading. Perhaps the Norton version would have better annotations then the beautiful Easton Press version from my library. It is clearly a five star book, but I think I only got about three stars out of it. Most certainly a book to read again, and again and again.

This is a collector's item and a must read for everyone who gives (and want to give) themselves the permission to open, and feel, and bleed "all over the place" (if you have to) - to really live. It invites you to God's place inside you.

I love it.

As a product of a profoundly legalistic upbringing (20 years at a very condemnational fundamentalist Christian university in SC), with tremendous wounds that remained hidden and denied for 45 years, I was given this book by my godly and wise counselors during the most significant crisis of my life. To the legalists who read this review, I just want to offer that there is no other way to freedom in Christ than Truth. It is the Truth that will set you free. And if you find this book offensive, I can assure you, you are not free. Please set aside your preconceived notions about the "acceptable" ways God chooses to heal His children and RUN to get this life-changing, prayer-bathed, wisdom-filled and HEALING book. Although I ADORE The Bible and have experienced firsthand its power to heal, strengthen and bless throughout my lifetime, God personally used THIS book to speak to me at a time when nothing else could speak to my specific pain. (Yes, He does use unexpected people, events and means to get through to His hurting kids ... just read the book of Judges if you don't believe me.)

The five-star rating that I give this book would go on into infinity if it were an option. For all you sufferers out there, if you choose one "secular" book to get you through the valleys and dungeons of life, let it be this one!

I read one or two as meditations in the morning. They are so insightful you can feel the anguish.

A friend of mine has recently "relapsed" into depression and so I have sent this link as a resoure for his reference, which I believe will help. I'm sharing here since I want to arm more people against not the agony, but the decapacitating debilitation, of depression.

While struggling to walk out of my depression, I gained immense strength once I had received Henri Nouwen's The Inner Voice Of Love as my companion.

As a popular spiritual author and Catholic priest, he was supported not only by his spiritual training but also by personal guides who accompanied him every day throughout his months of anguish --- and so I can understand why he had only had 8 months of anguish :)

I am truly grateful that we can now have his book and CD as our companion.

He was someone who truly understood the Past (the triggers, grief, guilt, unforegiveness, regrets, disappointments, rejections, exhaustion ), the Present ( the love & agony, shamefulness & authenticity, helplessness & generousity, despair & conviction, fear & courage, worthlessness & worthiness, tears & humor ) and the Future ( Freedom, Clarity, Purity/Nothingness, Power & Serenity, Centredness/Wholeness, Grace & Compassion ) of "Being" in and through the depression.

This is probably one of the best, if not the best book I've read in a long time. Henri Nouwen's journey through anguish and depression--straight from the heart and every single chapter illuminating!! His words helped me to change the way I look at others, myself and God. I highly recommend this profound book!

I have read Mr. Rosenbergs book, "Epicenter", before. This study guide really helped me go deeper. It gives you a lot to think about.