This remarkable book needs to be set in context, it was written almost 500 years ago, during the brutal persecution of those who believed the simple Gospel and in the absolute authority of "Scripture alone".

William Tyndale, a gifted scholar educated at Oxford and ordained a priest, saw at first hand the widespread corruption within the Roman Catholic Church.

Roman believed that it could not err and it held ultimate power even over the king and government. A core believe was, and still is, that "Church Tradition" holds equal, or even more authority than the Bible. The Church went to extreme lengths to prevent the ordinary folk from having any independent understanding of the Bible, particularly in what it said regarding, purgatory, confessing sins to a priest, selling of indulgences, praying to Mary, praying to Saints, salvation by works and money payments etc.

In defiance of the Pope's law Tyndale laid the foundation for the English Reformation when he completed the very first (from original Greek) English translation of the New Testament. This translation differed sharply from the Church's official Latin version, particularly as to how six key words were translated. From the Greek Tyndale translated, "congregation" instead of "church", "elder" instead of "priest", "repentance" instead of "do penance", "love" instead of "charity", "favour" instead of "grace" and "knowledge" instead of "confess".

Tyndale's unique gift cut to the bedrock of Papal authority. Matthew 16 v 18 now read, "That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my congregation". One word, congregation, had at a stroke demolished the Pope's claim to be the head of Christ's Church and brought into sharp focus the contradictions of the Papal system, its customs, its practices, its friars, its priests, its bishops and its Pope. Taking his cue from Matthew 7 v 15 & 16 he is scathing with righteous indignation when comparing the life and Gospel of Jesus Christ the very Son of God with that of the Pope - "Christ's vicar on earth". This unleashed the full might of the Papacy, Tyndale was hunted across Europe, his New Testament translation and books were burnt, as were people caught holding similar beliefs.

In this book Tyndale systematically examines English social and political life; he examines the relationship between church, and state; he sees one social structure created by God and the Christians responsibility within it. He examines the responsibility and obedience of children through to subjects, "what to do if the king, prince or ruler is evil", what to do with "the Popes false power" and how those in positions of responsibility and power ought to rule.

Tyndale writes with authority, he knows his Bible intimately, he has an unshakable confidence in the promises of God's Word and he knows with certainty that Truth will triumph regardless of a bleak situation. Tyndale's is not an historical faith rooted in an ancient story, nor was it a dead faith; this is a living vibrant feeling faith firmly rooted in the power of the Living Word of God.

Tyndale knew many of his readers would be tortured and burnt; he starts the introduction bringing them comfort. Constantly echoing Scripture, the simplicity of the Gospel and New Testament doctrine he shows how adversity follows Gods chosen people and how God uses this adversity to purify His people, to strengthen their faith and to demonstrate that His grace is sufficient to meet their every need.

This book shows a man driven by one desire and one desire only, the desire that ordinary folk should be able, without fear, to read and understand the Word of God; to know that Salvation is a personal matter, justification is by faith alone in the finished work of our Lord and Savour Jesus Christ and His Redeeming Blood and that the fruits of this faith are good works. Christian living is a life of service according to the New Testament and not according to the Church.

Even in the 21st century this book brings the challenge of the Gospel - do those who claim to be Christian truly know the joy of this vibrant living feeling faith; are the fruits of this faith a life of service and giving?

In May 1535 William Tyndale was caught, interrogated for 16 months, defrocked as a priest and burnt as a heretic.

Today most who read this review will be privileged to enjoy freedom of worship, freedom of conscience, freedom of expression, freedom of the press and freedom from fear; we cannot even contemplate the conditions that Tyndale and his fellow labourers endured. We owe them all a great debt of gratitude for their faith courage and determination.

David Danell has done an excellent job in, modernising the spelling, adding end notes and in his introduction.
© roy.elliot@btinternet.com

This is a complete and thorough book accumulating the best philosophical and theological essays and monograms written about ethics in society and the workplace. The book takes on many points of view and schools of thought. The idea is not to judge the thoughts raised but simply to present the best thoughts of human nature on complex ethical issues.

True Brotherhood.

How or when do you know if someone is a "REAL BRO" ? What does it take ?

From a Christian perspective, Jesus said it was when someone is willing to lay down his life for you that you know he is truly your friend. Sadly, real brotherhood is one of the most lacking things within most Christian groups today. Unfortunately they let pride, arrogance, self righteousness, legalism, and judgementalness get in the way of truly loving one another. I believe that the concept of TRUE BROTHERHOOD is best presented in this book "One-Anothering" written by Simon Schrock. If you claim to be a Christian, and you haven't read this book, you should read it as soon as possible.

I find it to be one of the best laid out perspectives with the deepest understanding of how to have the most successful Interpersonal relations in respect to the Christian life.

Just like the gospel of Jesus Christ this book is so deep because it is so simple, and because it is so simple the concept becomes so foreign to most people that it becomes hard to grasp.

Perfect for madrigal or four-part singing, this book contains many familiar carols, and some that are less familiar, including Easter and Harvest carols. I became familiar with this book when we used it as a backbone for our Christmas Caroling group several years ago, it was fun to sing from, and the music was enjoyed by the listeners.

This is the first translation of the complete Panarion ('Medicine Chest', also known as 'Adversus Haereses') of St. Epiphanius of Salamis. The work is a set of descriptions of 80 heresies, starting with the philosophers and the Jews and brought down to his own times. The lengthy descriptions, sometimes based on personal experience, other times on works now lost, are of inestimable value to anyone who wishes to know more detail on the heresies of antiquity.

We all owe Mr. Williams quite a debt for making this long and difficult work available. It is pleasing to see that the work has now gone into its second impression (1997), which suggests that it is selling well for such a scholarly work. The book is well-made physically and printed on acid-free paper.

This is volume 1 of 2, containing just over a third of the whole work, heresies 1-46 of 80. It deals with:

Barbarism, Scythianism, Hellenism, Judaism, Stoicism, Platonists, Pythagoreans, Epicureans, Samaritans, Essenes, Sebuaeans, Gorothenes, Dositheans, Sadduccees, Scribes, Pharisees, Hemerobaptists, Nasaraeans, Ossaeans, Herodians, Simonians, Menander, Satornilus, Basilides, Nicolaitans, Gnostics(Borborites), Carpocratians, Cerinthians, Nazoraeans, Ebionites, Valentinians, Secundians, Ptolemaeans, Marcosians, Colorbasians, Heracleonites, Ophites, Cainites, Sethians, Archontics, Cerdonians, Marcionites, Lucianists, Apelleans, Severians and finally Tatianists (no. 46).

The footnotes are helpful, and indicate sources or parallels not only with the fathers but also the coptic gnostic texts in the Nag Hammadi Library. The editors of that collection are to be commended for their vision in making so essential a work available.

Niggles? For some reason the 'H'-word has proved a stumbling block. 'Heresy' (haeresis) is rendered mainly as 'sect', rather than heresy. It is unclear who benefits from this, other than persons of heretical views and thin skins! However mostly the text avoids the biases of the US religious studies establishment, and is much easier for the rest of us to read in consequence. It would have been helpful to have running headers that indicated the section in question, and not just the work. In some cases the translation has an unaccustomed force. What Greek word is rendered by the frequently encountered epithet, 'scum', I wondered. No doubt it is in a footnote somewhere, but I couldn't find it. I'd have liked some discussion of the manuscripts and transmission of the text. Finally the *price* -- OUCH!

But these are all minor points. The book is a triumph, and a required addition to the shelves of everyone obliged to paddle in the puddles of these ancient cult-makers. The book has been often quoted, and misquoted. Now we can read the whole thing for ourselves.

[Note: Physical details are the same as for book 1, which is reviewed elsewhere. Niggles and comments are mostly the same.]

This is volume 2 of a 2 volume set. It is around twice the size of vol. 1, and contains 'book 2 and book 3', i.e. heresies 47-80 plus De Fide.

Heretics dealt with are: Encratites, Montanists, Quintillianists, Quartodecimans, Alogoi, Adamians, Sampsaeans, Theodotians, Melchizedekians, Bardesanists, Noetians, Valesians, Cathari (Novatianists / Donatists), Angelics, Apostolics, Sabellians, Origenists, Origen Adamantius, Paul of Samosata, Manichaeans, Hieracites, the schism of Meletius, Arians, Audians, Photinians, Marcellians, semi-Arians, Pneumatomachi, Aerius, Anomoeans, Dimoerites (aka Apolinarians), Antidicomarians, Collyridians, Massalians. The work ends with a statement of the Christian faith (De fide) which also contains some interesting descriptions of contemporary paganism.

This is the only complete version in a modern language. The Latin text in the Patrologia Graeca is said to be of an indifferent standard. (Amidon's selection apparently consists of the description of the heresy in each case, for all the heresies, plus narrative, but omitting Epiphanius' refutation).

As the work gets closer to Epiphanius' own time, his information is increasingly valuable as based on observation or contemporary report.

If only it didn't cost so much!

I applaude Arnold for addressing a tough but relevant subject for the modern church and the world at large. I enjoyed the book so much that I reordered multiple copies to hand out to my ministerial collegues. So what is so special about this book as compared to other pastoral books dealing with sexual issues? What is unique is the scope of the book and the range of topics it addresses. First, Arnold prompts the reader to examine his or her own sexual attitudes, positions, questions, and fears. The reader goes through a process of "self assessment" which is needed in order to understand the context in which an individual ministers from, i.e., "what is my belief system and what baggage do I carry around regarding the issues of sexuality." Arnold stresses this "self assessment" as critical to the task of pastoral counseling because, "caring for others means owning up to who we are." The second portion of the book examines the process of sexual counseling and provides sufficient detail and excellent tips along the way. The third portion of the book provides case studies of actual sexual issues addressed by pastoral counselors. Insight and analysis into each case study from a theological, psychological, biological, and recommended pastoral strategy is included. Arnold's style of writing is non-intimidaing and non-condemning. He addresses the issues "up front" but with the integrity and compassion of a pastor's heart. I would recommend this book to an pastoral care giver including professional clergy, graduate students, or lay ministers.

As a young but informed student of medieval English literature, I consider "Pearl" the most profound and beautiful work ever composed in English. However, the audience for the poem has seldom ventured beyond the realm of specialists and lucky students like me. William Vantuono's unbelievably thorough edition of "Pearl" presents a new opportunity for the poem to reach a wider audience. Its main feature is the complete Middle English text with a facing-page verse translation (the first of its kind with "Pearl"). However, it includes every possible piece of information relevant to the poem's many complex issues (authorship; manuscript origin and dating; poetic structure and themes; linguistic and metrical features). In addition, Vantuono provides an exhaustive bibliography for those interested in the wide range of scholastic work submitted on the poem. In short, Vantuono's edition is the best compilation of materials about "Pearl" on the market. For those who are familiar with E.V. Gordon's standard scholarly edition of "Pearl," I would say that Gordon's edition is still unrivaled for its linguistic apparatus; however, Vantuono's bibliography and up-to-the-minute summary of conjecture concerning authorship of the poem make his edition a must-have for any person or student interested in the poem. As for Vantuono's verse translation, I still think that Marie Borroff's verse translation (Norton, 1977) has no equal, but Vantuono's adequately preserves the rhyme and alliterative qualities of the Middle English.