Rating: 
Summary: Pleasant pitch for ecumenism
Review: Feiler, a non-theologian, tries to approach Judaism, Christianity and Islam as three offshoots from a common source, their forefather Abraham. In gathering his information, he speaks to a large number of people and makes some interesting discoveries along the way, e.g. he notices (or is told) that the Akedah is not mentioned anywhere else in the Tanakh. On the whole, however, the book disappoints as it rehashes more cliches than elucidates the unbridgeable differences between the various cultures shaped by Judaism, Islam and Christendom. Feiler fails to note that he is not grappling with three "faiths." Judaism is a culture, a civilization, based on veneration of a sacred text and a basic understanding of a resultant code of conduct. Christianity is indeed defined by a set of articles of faith, but has little to do with Abraham, and has branched into a large number of widely divergent denominations. In Feiler's reading, Jesus was almost incidental to Christianity -- a gross misunderstanding of this religion. Both Christianity and Islam are to be understood as developments out of Judaism and in opposition to it. New Testament and Quran are collections of midrashic narratives derived from the Hebrew Scripture: When it comes to biblical tradition, they do not attain to equal status, but are reactive. The attempt to forge commonality, based on the thin strand of Abraham, seems strained and,ultimately, unconvincing. What we end up with, then, is more of a string of notes in a journal of religious search by an individual, rather than a scholarly contribution to our understanding of religion in general or the Hebrew Bible in particular.
Rating: 
Summary: Oh gosh -- the voice
Review: I picked this book up at a local store and read it while I had some down time between homework assignments. Feiler takes an ecumenical look at three faiths, Islam, Judaism and Christianity - starting with Abraham. Of note are the interviews Feiler performed with leading Islamic, Jewish and Christian scholars and holy men. While the book does not draw any really solid conclusions it is a good place to start when looking at the religions originating out of the Torah. I am sure Muslims will take issue with how they are portrayed by a Jewish author, and Christians may tend to do the same. But, this does not mean it is not worth reading. A good place to start when having a conversation about faith with someone outside your own tradition is to find common ground. Feiler tries to do this in his book, and does it with some success. Joseph Dworak
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