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Summary: A book for thinking Christians
Review: I tend to like books whose ratings vacillate between five stars and one. Clearly some readers get it and some don't. The Bible has been used for centuries as an excuse for slavery, for bigotry, for war, for torture, for anti-Semitism, for homophobia, and for misogyny. It has been used as a crutch for those emotionally immature enough to need to feel right and morally superior. The people who would use the Bible in this way--and they continue to flourish and proliferate--will probably have little use for Gomes's impressive volume, and so be it. For the rest of us, however, The Good Book is worthwhile and enriching. It illuminates the Bible for both the veteran churchgoer and the uninitiated. In teaching Sunday school and Confirmation classes for the Episcopal Church and in delivering funeral and wedding sermons, I have drawn on Gomes's book again and again to help convey the Christian message. Anyone interested in reading the Bible with "mind and heart" will find The Good Book to be a good read.
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Summary: This book has helped restore the joy in my faith
Review: I was once very involved in born-again Christian activities, but never felt fully comfortable there. With due respect, I always felt the 'born-again' interpretation of Christianity mimicked the Pharisees more than it did Jesus' disciples. After distancing myself from this path, though, I missed feeling active in my faith. This book helped me to be excited again about being a Christian. It has helped restore the joy in my faith, in a way that seems more Christian to me than the born-again path (which I unfortunately thought and unfortunately still think is exclusive and arrogant). Thank you, Thank you, Peter Gomes!
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Summary: Reading the Bible for inspiration
Review: I was someone who had studied the Bible (on an lay level) mainly for historical interest. My past encounters with fundamentalism had turned me off to trying to find spiritual inspiration from much of the Bible. This book helped me see that one does not have to turn the Bible into a religous idol in order to gain spiritual nourishment from it. It also placed into context some of the more confusing laws and holiness codes from the Pentateuch. In short, Professor Gomes has helped me reclaim much of the good from my Christian heritage.
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Summary: Perceptive and enriching, but biased
Review: I would have no trouble recommending this book to anyone who has previously shied away from the Bible on account of the various social abuses of Scripture. Dr. Gomes writes an analysis that will ease many people's fears that the Bible is largely a highfalutin stream of condemnations, and there's definitely a need for such a book. Having said that, I must admit I found little in this text that was original or truly revelatory; people who have read other books on the subject will find themselves re-treading familiar ground. More bothersome, I think Gomes sometimes fails to distinguish between scholarly and popular consensus, and his own avowed left-leaning political tendency occasionally makes his viewpoint appear biased. In more than one instance he seems to be arguing less about freeing Scripture from reactionary partisanship and more about harnessing it to the progressive agenda. Is the latter necessarily a purer motive than the former? In light of Gomes's occasional potshots at public figures of political conservatism, I think not. In the end, though, Gomes succeeds in persuading the reader that the Bible is most significant as a universal repository of human experience and a time-honored source of advice on human relationships. I have to agree with Gomes that, as often as not, the most vehement social moralists are mere careerists; if only he had balanced that observation with a similar one for those of the opposite ilk.
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Summary: This book is good in some views, but bad in others.
Review: Mr. Gomes is obviously a very intelligent man or he would not be where he is today. However, I question his tactics in condoning homosexuality and women in the clergy. He seems to be using the same tactics in condoning these two issues that he criticized Southerners for using in justifing slavery, which causes me to question him as a religious leader. He mentions the beginnings of the Bible, but fails to mention the roll the Catholic church played in deciding what books were to be included in the Bible. He makes positive comments concerning the Eucharist and Confession, two fundamentals of the Catholic religion. Why Mr. Gomes are you not Catholic? This is another example of religious shopping: "I will hunt around until I find a religion that doesn't conflict to much with the lifestyle I want to live." Mr. Gomes did make several good points in his book and for this I do respect him. This book is worth the read, but I would not jump on the Mr. Gomes bandwagon.
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Summary: A Courageous Message of Peace and Love
Review: My wife read this book aloud to me cover to cover on our commutes to church. She bought it because she is black and an Episcopalian and wanted to see what a black Episcopalian bishop had to say about the Bible. We found Gomes writing to be clear, well reasoned, and very non judgemental. My wife knows many Jews and got a lot out of the chapter that refuted Biblical arguments for Anti-Semitism, as did I. We especially got a lot out of the chapter on the refutation of Biblical justifications for slavery, as I am white, and our marriage would have been illegal 50 years ago in many states. We found Gomes rebuttal of the sinfulness of homosexuality to be very balanced and informed and were a little surprised when he bravely admits to being gay. Overall, The Good Book opened our eyes to the fact that the Bible is a great source of understanding God as a peaceful and loving God. We are no longer scared of reading the Bible anymore.
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Summary: Why the Messenger is Important
Review: Of all the wondrous professors to have graced my ears, while slagging through undergraduation at Harvard, the Reverent Gomes was the voice I most trusted and treasured. . . and with good reason. The rare combination of strong, lucid judgement and eloquent, effective presentation was not only preseent within the Reverend Gomes. . . it was raised to heights beyond which I had not seen.
His lectures were sumptious journeys through language, style and subject. I wanted to write down every word.
This audiotape captures the beauty of his mind, but also the beauty of his voice and diction. One could study the tape simply to learn how to speak, but the power of his ideas will doubtless send him or her scurrying to blow the dust off that old Bible that has lain fallow in the corner of your mind, and read! As if for the first time, those words that suddenly dance with a meaning that had somehow eluded you, but is now back in all its effulgence.
Thank you, for bringing me back to my roots, Professor Gomes.
-- Best enjoyed with a warm cup of tea.
Dave Beckwith
Founder/President
Charlotte Internet Society
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Summary: Thought provoking, but intellectually dishonest
Review: Peter Gomes has many insights to the correct approach one must take when attempting to understand scripture. He boldly challenges conventional ideas using widely accepted historical precedents. However, in more than one case he glibbly disimisses opposing arguments from other scholars by appealing to a nonexistant consensus on the difficult and controversial topics of the consumption of alcohol, the Biblical acceptibility of homosexual practice (as opposed to homosexual celibacy), and women in the ministry. To deny the existence of well supported opposition from scholarly evangelicals is not responsible. It is one thing to offer one's opinion through strong argument and Biblical support, as Gomes does, but to pretend that the opposing viewpoint is held only by irrationals or anti-intellectuals is intellectually dishonest.
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Summary: Lovingly thoughtful treatment by seeming enemy of the Bible.
Review: Peter Gomes largely expresses his love of Scripture, though, at times, he ascends the soapbox to defend personal behavior or bias. Mostly expressing insights that make even a staunch conservative rethink well-known passages, his hermeneutic on those portions of the Bible which contradict his practice does, however, become juvenile. All in all a powerful treatment which causes one to either reinforce previously held beliefs or alter preconceptions based upon new analyses. And, isn't that what thoughtful writing does
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Summary: Put this next to your Bible and then refer to it often!
Review: Resisting the temptation to patronize or impress Peter Gomes' book about THE BOOK combines the best of practical theology with widely-accepted Biblical scholarship. He fearlessly and logically explains many of the difficulties Christians (and others) have with portions of this beloved, but seldom-read text. He outlines the history behind the Bible, posits his own well-informed interpretations of the more difficult portions and sings the praises of all. His love - affair with the Bible is evident in his desciptions and explanations. Rev. Gomes makes no apologies, either for this object of his affection, or his hermeneutic, but he doesn't accept it at face-value either. Get this in hard-back so you can keep it the rest of your life. Be sure to bequeth it to someone in your will. Its that good
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