From Mellen Biblical Press... This study offers several important contributions to Gospel studies. First, to cast light on the Fourth Gospel's Beloved Disciple, the book sets forth four essential questions: 1.) Is this disciple meant as a real person who followed Jesus during his ministry? 2.) If so, who was he? 3.) What does "disciple whom Jesus loved" mean? 4.) Why does the Gospel refer to him without using his name? The author makes a thorough case that Lazarus of Bethany was the Beloved Disciple. A more significant contribution follows: Lazarus is identified as Eleazar son of Boethus, whose sisters Miriam and Martha appear briefly in rabbinic literature. This identification is based on evidence in the Fourth Gospel, in Josephus, in second-century Christian tradition, and in the Talmud and Midrash. The assumption that the Synoptics are more reliable than the Fourth Gospel is challenged. The study raises new questions about the political situation during Jesus' ministry, and the profound theology of the Fourth Gospel is explained in view of Eleazar's background as the High Priest. The author suggests that the crisis which led to the dissolution of the Johannine Community resulted from a scandal surrounding Eleazar's death.

"Dr. Baltz's clear logic and willingness to ask the difficult questions are admirable. His ability to bring new life to seemingly insignificant details is truly amazing at times. This careful exegetical approach, encompassing most of the Gospel, makes this book more than just a specialized monograph. It is a book which could easily be used in 'New Testament Introduction' courses. By pursuing an important theme throughout the Gospel, Dr. Baltz's discussion of Lazarus as the Beloved Disciple was more than just entertaining and thorough; it had, for me, the effect of significantly challenging my old views about the authorship of John....his careful research, clear presentation and various new interpretations will certainly cause the Lazarus hypothesis to be considered anew by many."--Dr. Lyle Vander Broek, University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, in Scholarly Research and Review.

Spare and muscular, this life of Jesus is beautifully written. This is the perfect book for the irreligious or the inchoate Christian or the youthful Christian to read in order to understand the life of Jesus Christ and His importance to the world today.

I've been writing an overview of bio-statistics and have been immersed in a stack of statistics books and this one is my favorite, from the perspective of a non-statistician. Chapters are well organized and the material is covered thoroughly without bogging down in formulas. Medical professionals will find this to be an excellent resource for understanding the types of statistical methods used and reported in the well known medical journals.

In 1835, an extraordinary series of articles appeared in the New York "Sun," one of the city's newspapers. The articles told how astronomer John Herschel, with the aid of an advanced new telescope, had discovered life on earth's moon. Of course, the articles were pure fiction, and the story has become known as the Moon Hoax. The articles, written by Richard Adams Locke, were published in book form under the title "The Moon Hoax; Or, A Discovery That the Moon Has a Vast Population of Human Beings." A reproduction of an 1859 New York edition, with a new introduction by Ormond Seavey, was published by Gregg Press in 1975.

Locke's Moon Hoax is one of the most remarkable works of 19th century U.S. literature. Ormond Seavey's intro to the 1975 edition does a good job of placing the hoax in literary and cultural perspective. Seavey notes, for example, that the hoax appeared at "a time when the tall tale was first recognized as a characteristically American narrative" (p. xxiv). Seavey also makes note of the reaction of showman P.T. Barnum to the hoax, and draws a parallel between the Moon Hoax and Edgar Allan Poe's 1844 "Balloon Hoax."

The text of the hoax itself is a charming piece of literature; it could be seen as a pioneering work of science fiction. The text's flavor of authenticity is enhanced by the many technical details about the new telescope; Locke even names the glassmaking firm that allegedly created the lens for the device! Locke's descriptions of Herschel's bogus discoveries are delightful. We learn about the lunar oceans; trees; gigantic, obelisk-like amethysts; unicorn-like creatures; tailless beaver-like humanoids; and most wonderfully, "Vespertilio-homo," the winged human-like species alluded to in the book's title. "The Moon Hoax" is a marvelous book that deserves to be rediscovered by new generations of readers.

Meat is a modern, definitive cookery guide branded by Omaha Steaks and providing over a hundred recipes on how to cook beef, veal, pork, lamb, fowl and other meats. Many of the dishes host international flavors and influences with ingredients readily available in any modern market. Color photos liberally pepper the title and add confidence about the finished result.

This is a good old fashioned adventure story-- right along with lines of "King Soloman's Mines", "Allen Quartermain", "Beau Gests", "The Sea-Hawks","She", "Scaramouche","The Scarlet Pimpernel", etc.

"Prester John" is based on a character/myth of the same name. Thoughout the Middle Ages it was rumored that a priest named "Prester (Father) John" had traveled to Africa to convert the natives. But instead emassed a huge fortune and made himself king of this mysterous part of Africa. So as you can expect this story is full of lost civilizations, hidden treasures, deepest-darkest Africa, great friendship and ruthless betrayal, explorers of spooky places, tigers and lions, witch doctors, and just plan good old fashioned late-victoria adventures. And despite it being written 100 or so years ago, it is still very,very readable.

So if you just want 100% escapism, or to introduce a child to the joys (and excitement) of reading, you can't go wrong with this story...esp. at this price!

I borrowed this book and found that the various essays about writing in the workplace and teaching writing in the workplace had great practical applications to my daily writing activities at work. While I had an academic reason for my interest in this book, I am now going to buy my own copy!

Helpful sample documents illustrate concepts; great topics such as "Consulting in a Bureaucracy" is helpful in navigating any bureaucracy. "What Adult Work-World Writers...." gives great examples about styles to avoid, etc.

Going into management? You might want this book!

Please note that you have mispelled the author's last name. It is AHEARN and not AHERARN in your presentation of Refugee Children.

I tell you something right now sweethearts, this book makes me wanna shout, shout and let it all out. It made me pinch myself because it was such a riveting book about positive things.

William Wolf's book explores the diversity of theological development in the Anglican Communion by bringing together descriptions and analyses of three major Anglican thinkers'Hooker, Maurice, and Temple'to illustrate both historical development and breadth of range of what can be classified as 'Anglican' theology. Wolf concedes that there are many other theologians who might have been included; the Anglican Communion doesn't have a definitive person (apart from Jesus Christ)''the Anglican Communion sets aside no special authoritative place for a great reforming figure such as Luther or Calvin'' (p. 137) Wolf also states that 'the Communion has unfortunately produced no systematic theologians of the first rank.' (p. 137). That being said, the theological thoughts and development presented for Hooker, Maurice, and Temple illustrate the branching streams that feed Anglicanism today, a stream that continues to branch forward.

Richard Hooker
Hooker was alive and active as a theologian during a tumultuous period in the development of the Church of England as a distinct body. Politics entered into church affairs on a grand scale; the idea that church and state issues were one in the same was as strong in England in the sixteenth century as it ever was in any continental kingdom or empire. Religious tolerance was a new concept, imperfectly conceived; the idea that each kingdom must be united in religious practice was strong. Hooker was an active apologist for the Church of England, his main opponent being the Puritan factions. 'Hooker's magnum opus was addressed to Puritans who attacked the church of England in the name of a purer, more scriptural ecclesiastical settlement.' (p. 9)

F.D. Maurice
Maurice would agree with Hooker that prayer is social action. Working in the nineteenth century, Maurice was exposed to the social ills that befell England as an imperial power in simultaneous growth and decay. The situation in society was deteriorating. 'Maurice saw that this social breakdown was rooted in a theological breakdown.' (p. 50) Maurice was unique in that he lived a prophetic life (and, like many prophetic persons, was often disliked for his prophecy). He made 'Christology the starting point of all Christian theology and ethics' and made Christ the central focus of all he said and did. (p. 49) Maurice made the Gospel the centrepoint of his educational philosophy, as well as the call not for revolution, but for regeneration of English society upon a truly Christian foundation. (pp. 64-67)

Maurice's view of theology is, like Hooker and Temple, rooted firmly in the communal action of the Book of Common Prayer. 'The Prayer Book becomes the key for understanding the views of the Church of England on the six signs of the Catholic Church,' these six signs being baptism, creeds, forms of worship, eucharist, ordained ministry, and the Bible. (p. 61) This practical and tradition approach was in keeping with the general spirit of the English society. 'Maurice expressed both English empiricism against the conceptualism of continental thinkers and the Anglican's respect for historical institutions as points of departure for theological analysis.' (p. 72)

William Temple
Temple was, in the words of G.B. Shaw, 'a realised impossibility.' A man born and raised in the church, he rose to the position of Archbishop of Canterbury and made the broad church appeal for Anglicanism that renewed its spirit for the mid-twentieth century. 'The general tendency of his faith and theology was toward a more catholic or orthodox position. But this was always balanced by his concern for freedom in doctrine and by his generally liberal attitude of mind.' (p. 104) Temple saw an intimate connection with God through Jesus Christ, perhaps thinking in proto-process theological terms by believing that 'because of Jesus' perfect union and communion with God, it can be asserted that in him God has a real experience of human life, suffering and death.' (p. 112) For Temple, this communion and experience is worked out both individually and communally''the inner unity of complete personality and the outer unity of a perfected fellowship as wide as humanity.' (p. 117)

Temple felt it important to be open to new ideas and developments modernity (perhaps a reaction to having been raised in an era with the expectation of long-term stability and subsequently living in a world turned upside-down by warfare and other social change). Temple felt that freedom of churches and freedom of individuals for inquiry and development, with the guidance of the Spirit, was more important than a rigid adherence to tradition. 'Temple was quite open to the new truth and insights of the modern world and to the critical and constructive use of reason in Christian faith and life. this can be seen clearly in his commitment to philosophic truth.' (p. 133) This, coupled with his call to social action by the church and the working out of Christian faith in everyday life and action, made Temple a major ecumenical figure.

The Current Spirit of Anglicanism
A key word for the current spirit of Anglicanism is comprehensiveness. Anglicanism incorporates catholics and protestants, literalists and agnostics, high church, low church, broad church, in all ways these terms can be defined. 'The Anglican synthesis is the affirmation of a paradoxical unity, a prophetic intuition that Catholicism and Protestantism'are not ultimately irreconcilable.' (p. 143)

The current spirit of Anglicanism is largely based upon Scripture, tradition and reason, with definitions of these three varying a great deal. The authority of Scripture is important, but this does not mean a literalist view. The authority of tradition, best summed up by adherence to the Book of Common Prayer's liturgical forms, is locally adaptable. Reason is used to interpret both the authority of Scripture and of tradition, but must be held in restraint by these as well. 'The spirit of Anglicanism ought in its rich resources to find the wisdom to retain its identity and yet to develop through constructive change to meet the demands of the fast-approaching world of the twenty-first century.' (p. 187)