In this absolutely fascinating book, Professor David Trobisch of the University of Heidelberg looks at the Pauline letters of the New Testament. He begins by examining ancient Bible manuscripts, drawing conclusions about how the New Testament was organized (which is not quite the same way that it is organized in modern Bibles). Then he examines the Pauline letters, and their organization, coming to the conclusion that (like many ancient authors) the Apostle Paul actually created the first letter collection (Romans, I & II Corinthians and Galatians). He examines how this collection would have been organized, what its purpose was, and what it has to say about the rest of the New Testament.

I must say that this book really impressed me. The author uses sound reasoning to draw the conclusions he makes, and succeeds in presenting them in a very convincing manner. Also, his writing succeeded in making me care about where he was going, keeping me from putting the book down!

I must say that if you are looking for any earth-shattering new revelations (secret codes, new theology, etc.), you won't find it here. What is here, though, is a fascinating look at the New Testament, and what it means. I loved this book, finding it totally engrossing, and I highly recommend it to you.

[By coincidence, lately I was reading the Apocryphal book, The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to Seneca, with Seneca's to Paul. Near the beginning, Seneca is quoted as saying, "We were much delighted with your book of many Epistles, which you have wrote to some cities and chief towns of provinces..." Professor Trobisch's book suggests that Paul may indeed have had a "book of many Epistles."]

I have not read this book, but I would have to believe that since Dr. Brasington had a hand in writing it, it must be good. As soon as I read it I will write another review.

I enjoyed this book. It's full of good stuff - as you would expect proverbs and what may be more accurately termed aphorisms - which relate universal truths. You don't have to be a Christian or even religious to get something out of "Proverbs".

I found it best to dip in and out of "Proverbs" rather than attempt it in one go. Many of the individual proverbs deserve some time for considered thought. Also, at times the proverbs are very repetitive (for example "spare the rod and spoil the child" crops up in multiple versions) - this could be a distraction if you're trying to get through them all at one sitting.

Several things struck me about this book. Firstly "Proverbs" felt very conservative in tone - one is told repeatedly to follow your father's advice without question (...).

Know thy place, in other words. They are also very masculine, which no doubt will irritate some female readers (Proverb 31 in particular lays down the duties of a good wife). Yet perhaps one should take an understanding view of this given the age of the book.

Modern readers may have problems reconciling the injunction that the search for knowledge and understanding is good. (...) This seemed to me to reflect the problem (addressed more directly in "The Book of Job") that knowledge and understanding can only operate within the limits imposed by God. Beyond that, do not stray. So, what appears unjust and inexplicable is best left as such, as it will make sense to God. This is the "leap of faith" which sceptics (like myself) cannot manage.

"Proverbs" also assures us that the wicked get their comeuppance - yet is this really the case? Or does it mean in the next world - again faith is needed? (...)

The title suggests this is another polemic in the "canon wars." But it isn't, at least not directly. Sinaiko defends the canon not by running down selections by feminist or multicultural theorists but by showing why the great books-by Homer, Plato, Tolstoy, etc.-are great books.

He does not do this through argument. Alone, such arguments often fall on deaf ears because they are simply not convincing. Instead, by stepping readers through the process of detail-oriented, deep reading Sinaiko shows why, for example, after 2500 years Homer still has something to say to modern readers.

The best thing about Sinaiko's method is that he does what so many college professors fail to do today: demonstrate the tangible reward of taking time with great books. Sometime, as with Tolstoy's War and Peace, he does this by showing the relation between a novel's plot and its structure. Other times, as with Homer's Iliad, Sinaiko concentrates on small details (like Homer's similes) contained in the writing of the lines themselves.

Sinaiko communicates simply and effectively. His tone is never pedantic or authoritarian. Instead, he writes as if these were lectures, which they were. The effect one gets in reading is as though one was in class with a master teacher. At once, it is humbling because we see the demonstrable skill of a master. But it is also uplifting. We are inspired to read these books and to imitate the attention he gives to them.

A fascinating and rich account of how the European mind, since the Reformation, has been captivated by the idea of autonomy. The author discusses how the preoccupation with autonomy has eroded the social, public and political dimensions of modern ethics and manners. Lambropoulos is equally at home with literature, philosophy, art, and law, and he paints a dazzling picture of the grand, but perhaps fatal, obsessions of modern selves.

A Herculean achievement. All matrimonial cases heard by the Roman Rota and published from 1971-1988 are summarized in English (from the Latin); indexed by protocol number, date of decision, canonical grounds, judges, and country of origin. Presentation of cases appears unbiased, indexing seems highly accurate. Allows researches to determine in a few minutes whether a given annulment case needs to be studied in more detail, and permits immediate study of Rotal trends during years of intense canonical development in marriage law. A magnificent resource.

This is a fascinating comparative study of the development of commentarial traditions. Henderson -- who is amazingly knowledgeable about the Confucian, Islamic, Jewish, Vedantic and other traditions -- examines how commentators from different cultures employ similar interpretive strategies.

It is a shame that this book is not available in a paperback edition to make it easier to use in courses.

This second year Latin course supposes the previous study of "Latin Grammar," by the same authors.

It is intended for students who can devote only two years to the study of Latin and who must by prepared to read intelligently Latin textbooks of philosophy, theology, and canon law. Therefore the vocabularies, word studies, exercises, and connected passages have been selected with this practical purpose in mind.

The first half of the book is based on philosophical texts; the second half is drawn from the works of theology and from the Cod of Canon Law. At the end of the volume is a vocabulary of 3,000 words, which may serve the purpose of a concise dictionary. 270 pages, PB.

SHAKESPEARE'S POLITICAL ANIMAL is a delight. Hager quickly dismisses the deconstruction of Shakespeare by showing that the Bard has already deconstructed himself. Then he goes on to show that the new historicists miss the irony of Shakespeare's political background in Machiavelli, Montaigne and Sidney, and Shakespeare's own self-irony. Touching on an extraordinary number of Shakespeare's works, including sonnets and the so-called "Ill May Day" scene of SIR THOMAS MORE, Hager demonstrates a consistent view of Shakespeare on the need for indirection in sexual politics and realpolitik. Buy this book if you want to know the true underpinnings of Shakespearean thought.

P.D. Ouspensky lucidly and along definite philosophical reasonings guides the reader from our 3-dimensional world to higher dimensional realities. As humans we perceive the "World" not as it is, but rather as our perceptive faculties communicate it to us. Therein lies the difficulty of comprehending higher orders (our own hard wiring). Ouspensky's greatness is his ability to elucidate higher truths by straightforward analogy and reasoning. The author marries the ideas and teachings of many great thinkers into one multifaceted format. Mystical teachings are explained from a scientific slant and revolutionary scientific Ideas lead to a mystical end. The ultimate aim is to lead the reader to the ultimate truth of "THOU ART THAT" or "I AM".