Musings from the High Desert

Israel is very much in the news these days. The Gaza Conflict, the never-ending attempt at a peace process, the rise of anti-Semitism and the turn against Israel in recent years are very much upon us. As Christians we have a sense that Israel is our spiritual homeland and so we watch with interest and concern. Fr Gabriel introduces us this time to a noteworthy book, My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel, by Ari Shavit, a major Israeli journalist and commentator. This book, which reads like a well-written novel, offers a narrative introduction to the history of contemporary Israel that will grab your attention and that leaves you with the questions that Israel itself faces as the country tries to move forward. This is not a work of either praise or condemnation, but an overview of the paradoxes and complicated issues Israel has either created or faces now and in the future.

Israel is very much in the news these days. The Gaza Conflict, the never-ending attempt at a peace process, the rise of anti-Semitism and the turn against Israel in recent years are very much upon us. As Christians we have a sense that Israel is our spiritual homeland and so we watch with interest and concern. Fr Gabriel introduces us this time to a noteworthy book, My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel, by Ari Shavit, a major Israeli journalist and commentator. This book, which reads like a well-written novel, offers a narrative introduction to the history of contemporary Israel that will grab your attention and that leaves you with the questions that Israel itself faces as the country tries to move forward. This is not a work of either praise or condemnation, but an overview of the paradoxes and complicated issues Israel has either created or faces now and in the future.

In this review, Fr. Gabriel continues with further consideration of resources for Old Testament study. In an attempt to assist people to understand contemporary research and interpretation of Old Testament texts, this week he looks at two books by Richard Elliott Friedman, Who Wrote the Bible? and The Bible with Sources Revealed. The latter book may well be considered Friedman's masterpiece. Friedman's work is highly respected among Biblical scholars, and he has paid particular attention for years to the contemporary use of the documentary hypothesis, which relates to the compilation of particularly the first five books of the Old Testament. He teaches at UC-San Diego.

In this review, Fr. Gabriel continues with further consideration of resources for Old Testament study. In an attempt to assist people to understand contemporary research and interpretation of Old Testament texts, this week he looks at two books by Richard Elliott Friedman, Who Wrote the Bible? and The Bible with Sources Revealed. The latter book may well be considered Friedman's masterpiece. Friedman's work is highly respected among Biblical scholars, and he has paid particular attention for years to the contemporary use of the documentary hypothesis, which relates to the compilation of particularly the first five books of the Old Testament. He teaches at UC-San Diego.

Fr. Gabriel commends Fr. Eugen Pentiuc's new book from Oxford University Press, The Old Testament in Eastern Orthodox Tradition. This is an important and unique new resource; nothing exists like it in the world of biblical interpretation. Though many aspects of Fr Pentiuc's book may be approached through monographs, essays, articles, and other books, no other resource pulls them together as does his. The two parts of the book are Reception and Interpretation, and his concluding chapter is on the Church's iconographic representations of the Old Testament. Highly recommended!

Fr. Gabriel commends Fr. Eugen Pentiuc's new book from Oxford University Press, The Old Testament in Eastern Orthodox Tradition. This is an important and unique new resource; nothing exists like it in the world of biblical interpretation. Though many aspects of Fr Pentiuc's book may be approached through monographs, essays, articles, and other books, no other resource pulls them together as does his. The two parts of the book are Reception and Interpretation, and his concluding chapter is on the Church's iconographic representations of the Old Testament. Highly recommended!

Fr. Gabriel spends some time musing on three major reasons why it is so difficult for traditional Christianity to get a hearing in the United States these days, and then moves on to the theme of commitment, which leads into the spiritual journey in a serious way.

Fr. Gabriel spends some time musing on three major reasons why it is so difficult for traditional Christianity to get a hearing in the United States these days, and then moves on to the theme of commitment, which leads into the spiritual journey in a serious way.

Fr. Gabriel undertakes musings in this Paschal season about the basics and center of the faith. These will be exploratory, and certainly not definitive, notes on the search for a genuine and deep spirituality that is Christian, Orthodox, and open to the present and the future. Fr. Gabriel invites you into these musings as a conversation partner; please feel free to write with comments.

Fr. Gabriel undertakes musings in this Paschal season about the basics and center of the faith. These will be exploratory, and certainly not definitive, notes on the search for a genuine and deep spirituality that is Christian, Orthodox, and open to the present and the future. Fr. Gabriel invites you into these musings as a conversation partner; please feel free to write with comments.

Turning again toward contemporary Biblical studies, Fr. Gabriel swiftly surveys recent research into Jesus and Paul and then turns to one representative volume in current Pauline studies—The First Paul by John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg. Their names may be familiar as members of the controversial Jesus seminar, but this book is quite accessible, very well-written, and the authors give us clear and simple insights into how Paul is currently viewed in scholarly circles.

Turning again toward contemporary Biblical studies, Fr. Gabriel swiftly surveys recent research into Jesus and Paul and then turns to one representative volume in current Pauline studies—The First Paul by John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg. Their names may be familiar as members of the controversial Jesus seminar, but this book is quite accessible, very well-written, and the authors give us clear and simple insights into how Paul is currently viewed in scholarly circles.

After considering the issue of pride, Fr. Gabriel turns back to books—particularly to books that relate to the issue of sin and grace. So this week we look at the twofold work by Archimandrite Sophrony on the life and teaching of St. Silouan the Athonite, The Monk of Mount Athos, and Wisdom from Mount Athos. Many people have been touched by these books (available also in one volume entitled St. Silouan the Athonite), and Fr. Gabriel has turned to them for his lenten reading again this year.

After considering the issue of pride, Fr. Gabriel turns back to books—particularly to books that relate to the issue of sin and grace. So this week we look at the twofold work by Archimandrite Sophrony on the life and teaching of St. Silouan the Athonite, The Monk of Mount Athos, and Wisdom from Mount Athos. Many people have been touched by these books (available also in one volume entitled St. Silouan the Athonite), and Fr. Gabriel has turned to them for his lenten reading again this year.

Fr. Gabriel turns aside from the concentration on books to deal with a heartfelt matter—how pride works to break up community and harm people, especially within the Church. At the heart of what the monastic founder John Cassian called the "deadly sins" following Evagrius Ponticus, pride is the worst of the lot and the inspiring agent for all the others. Let's look at pride's deadly work.