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Summary: A Poetic, Mystic Vision of the Words of Jesus
Review: If you know in your heart that there is something deeper than the language and the meaning you find in the traditional Bible translations . . . If you're a mystic in spirit, always yearning for a greater, more intimate experience of God . . . If you're avidly curious about the man known as Jesus, what he really said, what he really meant, how he really experienced life and God . . . If your heart sings at the thought of chanting, singing, praying the actual sounds used by Jesus as he taught his followers what we now know as the Lord's Prayer . . . . . . Then this audio series is for you. Built on a strong foundation of scholarship that transcends religious traditions (Douglas-Klotz was raised in, studied and deeply respects Christian, Jewish and Islamic beliefs and practices, and brings all of them into his discussion), this work is warm, deep, accessible, open, and transparent. It is a poet's work, exposing the many interwoven threads of meaning imbedded in every word of Jesus's Aramaic prayer and inviting each of us into our own intimate, deeply personal interpretation and understanding of every phrase, word, sound. This is not something to be "learned" -- it's something to be lived, breathed, experienced. Beautiful!
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Summary: Pioneering work to be accepted with caution
Review: If you read all of the reviews on this audio series you will notice a general positive trend, but at least on review which suggests that the author may have taken liberty with the pronounciations and interpretations. I think all these reviews may be true. The bible has existed in two forms - the mostly Greek and Latin version which has been protected by the Roman Catholic church and an Aramaic version which is possibly older and closer to the words that Jesus actually spoke. There are very few scholars who have tackled the latter version. Infact there are only two scholars who have achived significant recognition in this area: Dr. Rocco Errico and Dr. Klotz. As a result I am not surprised to see some disagreement about whose views are more accurate. I do know that Dr. Errico's work has undergone some scrutiny for basically being sloppy and Dr. Klotz's work has been scrutinized as being an overly liberal interpretation. What I like about this series by Dr. Klotz is that he is very open about where his interpretation comes from and only offers his concepts as one version of the truth. I think such comments come from a very insightful mind. I think over the next 20-50 years of scholarship in the Aramaic bible we will better understand where the truth is, but in the meantime this is a very inspiring series that has nothing less than changed my life for the better.
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Summary: The best resource for The Lord's Prayer in Aramaic
Review: Neil Douglas Klotz provides a 12 lesson, step-by-step, audio program to learn, not only the prayer in the Aramaic language, but also the full meaning. I truly love Neil's approach to this prayer through his singing of each line and by having the participant feel the meanings through his body prayer methodology. I play the tapes in my car during my long commutes and have learned enough to actually say the prayer as Jesus said it. My children, ages 5 and 8, happily sing along with Neil. I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to learn the Aramaic pronunciations and FEEL the prayer.
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Summary: Refreshing Thoughts on Praying during the Time of Jesus
Review: Neil Douglas-Klotz presents his research and a view of the spiritual journey in a very gentle but authoritative fashion. His knowledge of the Aramaic used by Jesus, as well as of other ancient languages of that time and earlier, comes through with clarity. Yet his scholarship does not overwhelm his principal theme--that the "Lord's Prayer" or "Our Father," as presented in languages most familiar to us, limits our understanding of what Jesus was actually communicating. While not denigrating the more traditional forms we have learned, he points out how linguistic nuances and cultural flavorings greatly alter what is contained in the original language. He also takes the time to ameliorate what have become issues of gender discrimination in the sayings of Jesus. For example, when Jesus begins his prayer with the words we have learned as "Our Father", Douglas-Klotz points out that the Aramaic expression has much broader and deeper meanings, such as "Divine Parent", "Father-Mother", "Divine Unity", or "Birther of the Cosmos." Or that the term "kingdom" is inclusive rather than exclusive and is actually linguistically feminine in the ancient Aramaic. The presentation is pleasant, informative listening. It's not preachy in any way; his sincerity permeates the work. The chants and prayer forms he teaches during each of the twelve sessions are easy to learn regardless of one's musical ability. This work is very useful for anyone interested in learning about, and experiencing in a different way, the teachings of Jesus--Christian and non-Christian alike. It provides many fresh and thought-provoking insights which are supported by Douglas-Klotz's solid academic research and his personal, inner reflection.
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Summary: Wrong pronounciation - fantasy interpretation
Review: Sorry to say, but this work is NOT one of the best. First of all, the interpretations the author gives - may they be spiritually uplifting - are a sufi interpretation and addition. Sufism is the mystical school if the Islam.
If you want to get down to the core of Jesus and his prayer you must look at him entirely through Near Eastern eyes at the time of Jesus.
The pronounciation: a complete enigma! No Aramaic scholar whould know where Mr Klotz got the pronounciation from which he displays here. Abwoon dbaschmaya. The "b" letter as written in both cases must collaps in this grammatical case when pronounced: awoon dwashmeya. And that is only 1 shore example.
The way Mr Klotz speaks the lord's prayer, Jesus has definitely NOT spoken it. There exists a CD with the reliable pronounciation of the Lord's Prayer but I am afraid it is only available ... word by word and phrase by phrase spoken in Aramaic and explained in English by Dr. Rocco Errico (more about him further below), the world's foremost authority in Aramaic studies in relation to Jesus. The title of that CD is "Acht Einstimmungen auf Gott" (Eight Attunements to God). If you ask me, the only reliable source for Aramaic knowledge is Dr. Rocco Errico, whose many books you can find here ... By the way, Dr. Errico was one of Douglas-Klotz's teachers and this makes Mr. Klotz's pronounciation more than incomprehensible because he learnt it actually from the number one authority in the world. In closing: if you want a worthwile interpretation of the Lord's Prayer based on the ancient Near Eastern culture and language, trust the book "Setting a Trap for God" by Dr. Rocco Errico. Everything else is coloured by Mr. Klotz's own preferences. But it has nothing to do with Jesus and his times. Jesus was down to earth and a revolutionist, not a sufi mystic.
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