An absorbing biography of an Afircan-American's rise to the highest position of the AME church as a Bishop, and his challenges to build and maintain the church. It also explains his challenges and struggles in America as a African-American and the love of God, his family, friends an associates . It was hard to put down. At times I was with him in the struggles. It provides another format to look at the African-American history in America, and the impact on a cutlture and people. His daughter has done an excellent job at collecting and recording this history. I only hope others will follow in her footsteps. The book was rather pricey but well done with adequate references.

Bishop Gomez built the AME church in Cleveland, Ohio. He rewrote church doctrine in the 1970s for the first time since written by Richard Allen. The book also depicted his struggles and lonely walk with God as he lead a Black congregation and was faced with issues during the Civil Rights movement. The book was easy to read, inspiring, and you didn't want to put it down until finished!

A bit of philosophy that occasionally reached beyond me, but an engaging read on the meaning of being human.

The book Integral Humanism can be considered as one of the most important books of the twentieth century. It is Maritains masterwork on social philosophy. It was first published in Spain as a result of six lectures on the university of Santander in 1934. The whole idea of the book, is that the crisis of the Modern times is a problem of the question of what humanism is? He shows that the great problems of communism and liberalism is that it is based on an antropocentric humanism. Against this form of humanism Maritain defends a theocentric humanism, which gives meaning and value to the human person. His idea of the human person has been known as Personalism. The person is more important than the totality of society. As an individual he belongs to society and therefore he has to obey the laws etc. But as a person, society must be serving his neccessary rights to live a full human life, which also means for men to find his supernatural destiny. Only a society which has a notion of a common good can provide meaning for the human life. The society is organic, build up of lower relative autonomous groups. This idea is consistent with the earlier encyclical views of a Pope like Leo XIII and the ideas or roman catholicism on social issues. Maritain has been praised for the book, but also been criticized because of his lack of insight on economic issues. Altought he rejects marxism, he also has an anti-capitalist attitude.

Maritain can be considered as one of the most influential roman catholic philosophers of the twentieth century and I think this work has still a lot of value for the problems of our time.

Cornelis van Putten

This is a very old but still very well written biography. Its greatest strenth is the fact that George Q.Cannon met Joseph Smith and knew people who had known him most of his life. You can sense that Cannon had a deep respect and love for Joseph Smith. Of course this love and respect that Cannon had also leads to bias. Cannon does not speak much about controversial subjects in the life of Joseph Smith. There have been better biographies written about Joseph Smith since this one. Such as No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith by Fawn Brodie, this biography of course has a skeptical bias and is not always historically accurate. The most fair biography of Joseph Smith is "Joseph Smith the First Mormon" by Donna Hill. However the best biographies of Joseph Smith are still to come. But any serious person who wants to study the life of Joseph Smith must look at this one by George Q. Cannon.

This biography on the Prophet Joseph is the best biography written. President Cannon knew the Prophet personally which adds to his insights. With the exception of the biograpy by his mother, all other biogrpahies are repeats of President Cannon's.

Just when you think all's been said on a topic, Joseph Ratzinger throws yet more light from a different yet utterly orthodox angle. I bought this book thinking Scott Hahn was co-author, but he writes only the foreword. Ratzinger isn't afraid to raise difficult questions and tackle them head-on. O, the lucidity of the catholic mind.

Cardinal Ratzinger presents a lucid summary of the central theological issues arising out of the covenant shared by Jews and Christians. Insisting (properly) that the Abrahamic and Chrisitian covenants represent a single movement of God in his work of reconciliation of human kind, Ratzinger shows how the work of Christ is a fulfillment of God's promise announced in the covenant with Abraham-- 'all the nations of the world shall be blessed through you'

Ratzinger recognizes that for this blessing to be realized, priority must be given to the relationship between Jews and Christians. Until Christians recognize their fundamental kinship with Judaism and Jews, and until that recognition leads to reconciliation between them, the proclamation of God's reconciling work in the world will be truncated and compromised. He recognizes that the often tragic misunderstandings in Chrisitian Jewish relationships raise very specific difficulties, especially for Jews, and Christians have a major responsibility to address those difficulties.

Ratzinger's presentation should be read by Christians, Jews and others for the clear and consise scriptural and theological perspective it offers. I am not a Roamn Catholic but one need not be Roman Catholic to appreciate the charity and discipline that inform this work.

Jim Woods

Origen (c. 185 - c. 250) is, with Tertullian, one of the two prolific ante-Nicene Christian authors who is not recognized as a saint. That verdict on Tertullian, an apostate to the Montanist sect, is not surprising. Origen, however, was the most prominent Christian teacher and scholar of his day, remained steadfastly loyal to the Church, died as a martyr and was admired fervently by such great and unquestionably orthodox theologians as Gregory of Nyssa. Notwithstanding such credentials, his ideas fell under suspicion soon after his death, and "Origenism" has since borne a taint of heresy.

Joseph Trigg, an Episcopal clergyman and author of a previous life of Origen ("Origen: The Bible and Philosophy in the Third-century Church" (1983)), would like to restore his subject's reputation and introduce him to contemporary Christians. To that end, he has assembled this anthology of a dozen selections: seven Biblical commentaries, four homilies and a letter to St. Gregory the Wonder Worker. Most of these are excerpts from, or fragments of, longer works, but each is substantial in itself. None will be familiar to the non-specialist. Not included are Origen's best known treatise (the source of many later doubts about his orthodoxy), "Peri Archon" ("On First Principles"), and his apologia "Contra Celsum", both readily found elsewhere and neither typical of the author's work.

Origen's great subject was the interpretation of Scripture. These texts illustrate his approach, which differs strikingly from that of any modern commentator. The underlying theory is that, because God is the author of the Bible, every word of the text is significant. But, because God is supremely subtle, that significance is not evident to the untutored reader. The plain, obvious meaning is, to Origen's mind, usually the least important. The deepest, spiritual truths can be uncovered only through learned scholarship, augmented by prayer.

These principles lead to minute, painstaking analysis. Book I of the commentary on John's Gospel, 46 pages in this edition, is devoted to discussing two words. The conclusions reached through this effort can be unexpected and may often look arbitrary, as when Jeremiah's lamentations over Jerusalem are construed as an allegory of the mission of the Apostles or Jesus's washing of his disciples' feet is taken as symbolic of Christian pedagogy.

Because this way of reading Scripture is so foreign to our habits, these writings, if perused quickly and carelessly, are more likely to bewilder than enlighten. Origen's method and assumptions obviously bear no resemblance to modern Biblical scholarship, despite his sedulous care to establish the most accurate possible text. Nor can he be grouped with the fundamentalists. He agrees with them that the Bible is the very Word (and words) of God. From that premise, the draws the unfundamentalist conclusion that statements of fact are frequently not to be taken literally and that ordinary Christians get little out of Scripture without expert guidance.

To read Origen as more than an historical curiosity requires, then, the adoption of an unfamiliar perspective on the Bible. Fr. Trigg's introduction, while offering a useful account of Origen's career and posthumous reputation, unfortunately pays little attention to furnishing equipment for such a feat of intellectual imagination. A work like James Kugel's "The Bible As It Was", dealing with the very similar ancient Jewish hermeneutics, may help supply this need.

Origen is one of the most famous names in early Christian history, and this collection, though not fare for a casual Sunday afternoon, is the best available way for laymen to see a great mind at work in its most characteristic mode.

This introduction to and translation of Origen appears in a highly respected series of key selected texts by the major Greek and Latin Fathers of the Church. Joseph Trigg, who is one of the foremost interpreters of Origen, provides fascinating and profound insights into Origen's life and writings in his introduction. He analyzes the principal influences that formed Origen as a Christian, his emergence as a mature theologian, and his controversial legacy. The translation is fresh and clear. Moreover, the book includes some writings by Origen that have not been available previously. This is an exciting book that I'd recommend to anyone -- scholar or not -- who wishes to explore the thought of one of the greatest and most influential Christian thinkers before Augustine.

Cynthia B. Cohen, Ph.D., J.D. Senior Research Fellow, Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University Washington, D.C.

Probably in effort to make up for failure to produce "Papers of Joseph Smith vol. 3," Jessee here republishes his long touted necessity of all LDS scholars' personal libraries "Personal Papers of Joseph Smith." The new edition removes some of the Hofmann forgeries (Patriarchal blessing of Joseph III, Anthon manuscript, etc.) and updates some of the erroneous footnotes of the first version, as well as the introduction of a new letter or two sent by the Prophet. The reader will be especially interested in the letter correspondance between Governer Thomas Ford and the prophet prior to the martyrdom. This is an expensive book, and I recommend it only for the Joseph Smith history enthusiast, as the casual reader/learner may find his personal writings difficult to navigate or search. Those interested in the doctrine taught by the prophet should continue to seek the usual sources (TPJS, WJS, etc.) as this book is predominately historical.

I am glad that the renaissance of Joseph Smith Manuscripts is still going on. It hit a high mark when Mark Hoffman was deftly producing his forgeries, and seems to have petered out a bit. As Jesse says in the introduction, "Since the first edition, a team of scholars has commenced preparing for publication the complete papers of Joseph Smith, which, it is anticipated, will fill a dozen volumes." (xvi) Good! The Church of Jesus Christ has put a lot of time and money into Islamic Classics translations, and the Dead Sea Scrolls, that it is high time they remember their founder and prophet!

The book itself is a gem. It has some materials that were previously published in "The Papers of Joseph Smith, vol 1-2," such as the 1832 account of the visitation of God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ, and his early journals. The bulk of the book is devoted to letters and epistles Joseph Smith wrote in the process of his life and mission.

Some of the letters are interesting, such as his letter to Oliver Cowdery discussing his early childhood. Others, such as his letters to Edward Hunter (my great-great-grand uncle), are rather boring and incidental to the greater work. This book also includes several letters to his wife Emma. I feel like a voyeur as I read these letters, but I am also very curious about this aspect of Joseph Smith's life. We see him as a Prophet, Seer, Revelator, and Translator, but not as a husband, father, and lover. These letters open up this aspect on to the man's life.

Jesse has also included photographs of the manuscripts, so if you are into eyestrain, you can compare the transcription against the original document. This becomes important in the 1832 account of the First Vision, where Joseph Smith give his age when the events happened. He wrote the age in a "between-line" insertion, and wrote the age in Arabic numerals. The age has traditionally (habitually?) been transcribed as "16th year of my age," but as the manuscript showy, the "y" from the "heard my cry" in the immediate above line crosses over the "16" in the insertion, so it is possible that the "16" may actually be a "15," which corresponds to the other accounts of the First Vision.

The maps are absolutely incredible, and the mini-biographies help us keep track of who's who. The paper is very sturdy archival paper, and the binding is reinforced, so the book should really last the ages.

This was first published in 1959 after the election of John XXIII, and updated in 1964 and 1979 to include subsequent pontiffs. While Father Brusher's work is of somewhat limited use to the historian (being a Jesuit, he tends to over-emphasize the majesty of the office while being eager to explain away some of the truly awful men who served), it is perhaps the only volume ever published to attempt an illustration (mosaic, painting, sculpture or photograph)of EVERY pope from St. Peter to John Paul II. That is where its true value lies: to tie human faces with the stories of the 263 men who governed the Church. And the collection of illustrations is without parallel, from many different sources. If only for these reasons (Brusher's historical sketches are adequate, but others have done it better), this book needs to be back in print!

The first time I was exposed to this book was in 1965. My 8th Grade teacher used to book a simple way to teach the Lives of the Popes. The book has its flaws as an in depth examination of each pontificate. If one is seeking for more in depth studies; many of the popes from Pius IX to John Paul II have separate books devoted to their lives. The Oxford Dictionary of the Popes has longer biographies but no pictures. Many of the pictures used by Fr. Brusher are the mosaics of the popes in the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside-the-Walls in Rome, Italy. I highly suggest the book for teaching children and non-catholics in learning about the 264 men who have served as Holy Father.

Perhaps you are alot like me, when you discover a great teacher, you want the front row seat, so you can ask lots of questions. Getting the front seat means being the first to class. Studying "Revelation of the Restoration" was my class away from class.

The authors provided a comprehensive study of the Doctrine and Covenants. The authors don't stagnate in boring date, time, and place trivia. Each chapter has interesting stories about early leaders, saints, and pioneers.

There is a nice balance between doctrine and biographies of people, who were a part of Church history. The authors research yields some very interesting stories many of which were new to me.

One of the most important aspects of the book is that it gets the reader to reflect on man's relationship with God. The Doctrine and Covenants is a marvelous set of revealed scriptures.

It outlines the organization and name of the Church, (establishment, organization, and power of the priesthood), man's eternal potential and covenants., the establishment of Zion, building of temples, eternal marriage and family, judgement and mercy, prophets and revelation, genealogy and family research, (priesthood keys: Elijah, Elias, Mose, John the Baptist), wickness before the second coming, the call to be a missionary. A large number of additional topics are covered in the book.

Several years ago, Dr. Joseph Fielding McConkie co-wrote a commentary on the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, and I ate it up! Wonderful! Wonderful! But this book is more than a follow-up to the Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon. It is even more that a commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants: it truly is a commentary on many of the institutional Revelations of the Restoration. It includes not only the Doctrine and Covenants, but also the Joseph Smith Translation, the Joseph Smith History, the Lectures on Faith, the Book of Abraham, the Wentworth Letter, and the King Follette Discourse!

As you can see, this book is geared for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, so if you wan an introductopry book, I would recommend "Standing for Something," by the church's world leader, Gordon B. Hinckley.

Ezekiel bound the sticks of the Bible and the Book of Mormon together so that they become one! Not only should we bind the Bible and the Book of Mormon together, we need to bind them with the D&C, and the Pearl of Great Price, and with the counsel of the living prophets and apostles. This bundle of sticks can be very heavy, but thank goodness for palm pilots!

This book is doctrinal heavy, so it doesn't have a lot of the historical tidbits that some my want, but Cook's "The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith" would be better suited for such research. Or you could always go back to the primary text: "The History of the Church." It does, however, focus on what we believe and who we should act, and traces the lines of revelation as they cut across the lives of the early Saints. As a historian (BA from BYU, class of 1995), I would prefer studying doctrine over history-as important as it is-since we are saved by Jehovah, the god of Israel, and not Clio, the muse of history.

This is the next step in evolution of commentaries and surpasses Hyrum Mack Smith's "Doctrine and Covenants Commentary," which was the standard for so many generations. The McConkie-Ostler commentary has some advantages over the Smith commentary: it is more readable, it is up to date in the scholarship, up to date with the current revelations, and had an easier font. The disadvantage is the McConkie-Ostler commentary doesn't have the text of the D&C in the book, unlike the Smith Commentary or McConkie's earlier "Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon." The trade-off is between a larger, self contained work in several covers, or a slimmer, one volume, dependant work. I see merits and debits either way, and therefore respect the choice made.

On a personal note, Brother McConkie not only has the voice of his father, but the mind of his father as well. It is wonderful to see him and his brother Mark keeping the family tradition of doctrine alive. I have always been enlightened and, yes, even blessed by reading his words.

At this side of the millennial threshold, wading through the deepening waters of change, the issue of reexamining the nature and future of the church is foremost on the minds of theologians, church educators, ministers, and denominational leaders. What will the church look like at the midpoint of the next century? Will the structure of the church require change to survive? Will the mission and functions of the church change? Will the institutional church survive its own success or succumb to a structure too rigid to adapt to the winds of change? Understanding the Church sidesteps contemporary conversations of the sociological dynamics of the church or the usual speculation as to generational shifts within the body. Being a compilation of papers presented at a 1997 colloquium at Grace Bible Chapel in St. Louis, Missouri, the book reviews basic questions about the nature, structure, and functions of the church. The seven essays that make up the chapters of the book do not stray far from the biblical text for interpretations and prescriptions on rudimentary questions about the church from a strictly Protestant theology. The book begins with an almost apologetic chapter on the necessity of maintaining the primacy of Scripture in understanding the nature of the church and any interpretations as to her form and function. This foundational chapter limits its understanding of the church not only to a Protestant theology, but more, to that of the Brethren Church (and even narrower, the Open Brethren, at that). This self-limited understanding of the nature of the church is the book's greatest weakness. The following chapters explore further the nature of the church from a strictly biblical theology, and issues of the identity, nature, and character of the local church versus the universal church. The final two complementary chapters examine issues concerning the autonomy and the interdependence of local churches. Rather than providing a new vision for the church in the 21st century, the book offers up a 19th century conservative evangelical biblical theology of the church typical of what would be found in a sophomore year systematic theology course at a Bible college. The "biblical ideal" for a 21st century church that appears in the book's subtitle seems to be a call for a return to an idyllic "first century church"-the yearning to return to the days of a fabled ecclesiastical Camelot. Some will find comfort in the certitude that a propositional systematic biblical understanding of the church provides. Unfortunately, such a stance is inadequate in helping churches deal with the overwhelming complexities that the church faces in the 21st century.

In Understanding The Church: The Biblical Ideal For The 21st Century, Joseph Vogl and John Fish effectively collaborate to address such fundamental questions as what is meant by "the church" within a Christian context, the purposes of the Christ in founding the church, what resources were endowed with its creation, and did Christ intend that the function of the church be essentially connected with its nature and purpose. With scripture having primacy in exploring these issues, Understanding The Church then addresses the nature of the church, the character and life of local churches, as well as the autonomy and interdependence that govern interaction between the churches and within the broader Christian community. Originally presented as a series of essays for a colloquium sponsored by Grace Bible Chapel in St. Louis, Missouri, Understanding The Church is a welcome addition to contemporary Christian studies reading lists and reference collections.

The nuts-and-bolts of running a parish in a hospitable manner is of little interest to me; hence, the "boring". However, Kollar gives very concrete, practical suggestions which are available to all parishes regardless of financial status; hence, the "highly recommended".

Kollar presents her material in short chapters with a "think and reflect" summary for each chapter. This makes the text very usable in a small leadership group setting. The concreteness of her suggestions show how to identify the problem areas while recognizing that the particulars of a parish will determine the implementation.

What is considered? Landscape, signs, lighting, voice mail, job titles, comittees ... all those little details that determine first impressions. Buy yourself a copy - then copies for each of the parish leaders.

Judith Kollar's awareness-heightening book reflects her years of experience with Catholic parishes, encouraging small changes that will reap large benefits. Her suggestion that parish staffers should know what it's like to sit on the congregation's side of the altar is just one example of her thoughtfulness. "Explain, explain, and explain, again!" likewise encourages parish personnel to help the parishioners to understand changes in liturgies and in the parishes' heightened social / societal responses. Certainly, this little book with the big heart should be read by all parish personnel. It's a delightful User-Friendly book!