As a long time Freemason I had always found Albert Pike to be a distant figure with whom I had little in common. Jim Tresner does a great job on making Pike back into a mortal being without destroying his image. In other works attempting to do the same with larger than life figures the result is usually an all out attack on the accomplishments of the subject in question. Not so with this book. Pike the Freemason, Pike the American, and Pike the man come to life and after reading the book one feels cheated at not having known Pike. I have long had a copy of Morals and Dogma which I have hesitated to read but now thanks to Tresner I think I will give it a try.

As the author points out, most Scottish Rite masons are almost afraid to approach the subject of Albert Pike. Many find that his writings, written in the verbose victorian style of the 19th century, are beyond their comprehension. And the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry hasn't helped matters any by turning Pike into an almost mythological figure. As a result, most of us have been overwhelmed by him and have not felt worthy enough to approach the subject of so much awe and mystery. Tresner does an amazing job in showing us all that Pike is indeed approachable. He peels away the mythology and shows us that, while worthy of our respect and admiration, Pike was indeed as human as any of us. Tresner fleshes out this character that has been cast in stone for the last hundred years, thus making both the man and his writings more accessible to us today. Even if you are not a mason and don't know anything about the Scottish Rite, you will still enjoy this look at one of the most amazing figures of the 19th century. He was a lawyer, a civil war general, an author, an explorer, a musician and an early advocate of native American rights. He wrote about philosophy and religion and updated the rituals of the Scottish Rite. It is a shame that more attention hasn't been paid to the amazing life of this individual. This book is very readable, as it is written in down to earth language. The author is not out to impress anybody with multi-syllabic language. He is not a scholar trying to impress other scholars. Neither does he insult your intelligence by writing underneath you. He is a writer who truly admires his subject and will share that admiration with anyone who will spare a few minutes to listen. Besides it's easy to comprehend language, one thing that makes this book so enjoyable is it's layout. Unlike most biographies, which start at the subject's birth and chronologically list his achievements until death, Tresner devotes each chapter to a separate aspect of Pike's life. There is a chapter devoted to his relationship with the American Indians, one devoted to his lifelong pursuit of knowledge in Freemasonry, even one about his collection of pipes. Thus we can truly appreciate not only Pike's incredible achievements but those small character traits and quirks which made him so likable to those who knew him. By learning more about Pike, we learn about ourselves and about the infinite possibilities which life has to offer. It would be very difficult for someone to read this book and not want to start living life to it's absolute fullest as Pike did. Carpe Diem!

Yes, this book is out of print and I found it secondhand. Don't hesitate to buy it should you see it. Written in 1968 but especialy timely 30 years on. There are many "Bishop Pikes" in the world today, fiercely clinging to their title of bishop while vehemently denying Christ Jesus at every turn. The case of Bishop Pike is a sad one certainly but not one to be sympathized with. Unger gives a thorough overview of the Bishop's beliefs (or rather, lack thereof) and his rapid decline into the occult. The Word of God regarding the occult is made extremely clear in the closing chapters of this book.

Partisian's right, Towne and Strnigfellow paint an accurate, contemporary picture of Bishop Pike. Most people interested in the controversy surrounding the bishop and his trial for heresy nowadays will likely be Philip K. Dick fans eager to delve into the figure behind Bishop Archer in Transmigration of. Towne and Stringfellow provide the chance to do so. Readers can form their own conclusions on what Pike was really looking for in Judaea, what his views on the Trinity were and how his religious thought evolved towards what was then, in the 1960s, a radical form of social activism. Readers should know the authors don't like to beat around the proverbial burning bush as PKD does when he mulls Pike's life and death over. Their account reads more like trial testimony in places than Wilderness Revolt Action Adventures starring St. Thomas and John the Baptist vs. Evil Roman Time Travelling Tyrants. Still, a pearl at a pretty price for mere mortals managing to get buy on a meagre alotment.

Pike was one of the most controversial figures in American theological history. Before his mysterious death in the Judean desert the Bishop of California wrote on everything from situational ethics to the occult, he was a leading figure in the movement to desegregate the Christian church, was the target of a heresy trial that only succeeded in discrediting the whole concept of heresy in the American church. Towne and Stringfellow were Pike's contemporaries and thus this book is the best guide to the Bishop's life yet written.