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Prophets of Love: The Unlikely Kinship of Leonard Cohen and the Apostle Paul
Leonard Cohen and the Apostle Paul might be imagined as brothers with wildly different characters but a strong family resemblance. Paul, the elder sibling, was awkward, abrasive, and zealous. Leonard, the successful younger brother, was a smooth-talking romantic, prone to addiction and depression. Paul died a martyr, not knowing his words would have any effect on the world. Leonard could see his canonization within his lifetime. Yet each became a prophet in his own time, and a poet for the ages.
In Prophets of Love Matthew Anderson traces surprising connections between two Jewish thinkers separated by millennia. He explores Leonard's and Paul’s mysticism, their Judaism, their fascination with Jesus, their countercultural perspectives on sex, their ideas about love, and how they each embodied being men. Anderson considers their ambiguous relationships with women, on whom they depended and from whom they often profited, as well as how their legacies continue to evolve and be re-interpreted. This book emphasizes that Paul was first and foremost a Jew, and never rejected his Judaism. At the same time, it sheds new light on the biblical worldviews and language underlying and inspiring every line of Cohen’s poetry.
Prophets of Love alters our views of both Leonard Cohen and the Apostle Paul, re-introducing us to two poetic prophets of divine and human love.
In Prophets of Love Matthew Anderson traces surprising connections between two Jewish thinkers separated by millennia. He explores Leonard's and Paul’s mysticism, their Judaism, their fascination with Jesus, their countercultural perspectives on sex, their ideas about love, and how they each embodied being men. Anderson considers their ambiguous relationships with women, on whom they depended and from whom they often profited, as well as how their legacies continue to evolve and be re-interpreted. This book emphasizes that Paul was first and foremost a Jew, and never rejected his Judaism. At the same time, it sheds new light on the biblical worldviews and language underlying and inspiring every line of Cohen’s poetry.
Prophets of Love alters our views of both Leonard Cohen and the Apostle Paul, re-introducing us to two poetic prophets of divine and human love.
- GenresNonfiction
181 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2023
1 person is currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Matthew R. Anderson
7 books3 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 17, 2024
Can a comparison of two individuals living two millennia apart, and as different as Paul the Apostle and Leonard Cohen, be anything more than superficial? And can anything fruitful be gained from such a comparison?
In this well-researched and delightful book by Mathew R. Anderson, a Pauline scholar and devoted admirer of the “bird on a wire,” the answer is a resounding “Yes.” In fact, Anderson succeeds not only in making what might be called “scholarly” work accessible, he makes it downright fun.
“Prophets of Love” consists of 11 chapters, each examining a particular theme, each full of surprising parallels and contrasts, each supporting the premise that there is, indeed, an “unlikely kinship” of Paul and Leonard. I particularly enjoyed the comparisons of the poetry of Cohen and the writings of the Apostle, and the way their words have been interpreted by their respective audiences.
Regardless of his or her familiarity with either man, the reader will find this unique book lively, informative, sometimes controversial, and at all times fascinating.
In this well-researched and delightful book by Mathew R. Anderson, a Pauline scholar and devoted admirer of the “bird on a wire,” the answer is a resounding “Yes.” In fact, Anderson succeeds not only in making what might be called “scholarly” work accessible, he makes it downright fun.
“Prophets of Love” consists of 11 chapters, each examining a particular theme, each full of surprising parallels and contrasts, each supporting the premise that there is, indeed, an “unlikely kinship” of Paul and Leonard. I particularly enjoyed the comparisons of the poetry of Cohen and the writings of the Apostle, and the way their words have been interpreted by their respective audiences.
Regardless of his or her familiarity with either man, the reader will find this unique book lively, informative, sometimes controversial, and at all times fascinating.
August 23, 2023
As an academic with expertise in the historical Paul, I can attest that this book represents the most up to date Paul scholarship. As a lifelong lover of Leonard Cohen, I can attest that there will be new gems and insights into his life and lyrics and their rootedness in the biblical worlds even for the avid aficionado. As a reader and writer myself, I can attest that although the content is cutting-edge academia, the writing is enjoyable, accessible, and entertaining. As a feminist and lover of justice, I can attest that the book escapes the pitfalls of the "Great Men" trope and looks honestly at foibles, at #MeToo, and at the problem of anti-Judaism in contemporary readings of Paul with even-handed and insightful nuance. One needn't be Christian, Jewish, a Cohen fan, or an academic to thoroughly enjoy and learn from this refreshing new work.
January 23, 2024
If anyone wants an intro to either Leonard Cohen or tthe Apostle Paul, this is a fun place to start.
I have been equally enamoured and annoyed by both these men, so I enjoyed this book, even if I thought some of the links were tenuous at best.
Raise a glass to those who inspire and annoy. Thanks Anderson.
I have been equally enamoured and annoyed by both these men, so I enjoyed this book, even if I thought some of the links were tenuous at best.
Raise a glass to those who inspire and annoy. Thanks Anderson.
August 15, 2023
An interesting read - and that coming from a woman who is totally irreligious (but a total Leonard Cohen fan).
Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for granting me access to an early digital review copy.
Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for granting me access to an early digital review copy.
July 9, 2024
NB: This is more a short personal reflection on the book than a review.
This was another book we read at Theology on Tap. In the beginning, we sometimes asked, why the comparison of these two men, but by the third chapter--things began to fit together for our group of non-Cohen fans. All of us were so glad that we had read it. It was quite illuminating and provoked much discussion.
As an individual, I approached Prophets of Love without much fondness for either Paul or Leonard. I could appreciate their writings, to some degree, but I did not have a fondness for either of them. I won't say the book made me the biggest fan of either, but it helped me value their contributions more than I had previously--especially Paul's.
I have always appreciated Leonard's poetry but not his singing and his live performances often made me feel physically uncomfortable. With Anderson's exploration of the life and the spirituality of Cohen, of his core Jewishness, his poetry has taken on a new and more profound meaning for me, that encourages me to explore it further.
When I read Anderson's comparison of Paul to Leonard I was surprised, because I came to believe that Paul was the greater respecter of women. I definitely need to explore this more. (Anderson provides excellent resources for exploring the tangential aspects of both of these individuals.) I also appreciated Anderson's comparison of them as men within their specific contexts, and as men of faith whose journeys were ongoing and evolving.
I would recommend this book to any fan of either Leonard or Paul. I would especially recommend it to anyone, who like me, approaches these two men with a skeptical view.
This was another book we read at Theology on Tap. In the beginning, we sometimes asked, why the comparison of these two men, but by the third chapter--things began to fit together for our group of non-Cohen fans. All of us were so glad that we had read it. It was quite illuminating and provoked much discussion.
As an individual, I approached Prophets of Love without much fondness for either Paul or Leonard. I could appreciate their writings, to some degree, but I did not have a fondness for either of them. I won't say the book made me the biggest fan of either, but it helped me value their contributions more than I had previously--especially Paul's.
I have always appreciated Leonard's poetry but not his singing and his live performances often made me feel physically uncomfortable. With Anderson's exploration of the life and the spirituality of Cohen, of his core Jewishness, his poetry has taken on a new and more profound meaning for me, that encourages me to explore it further.
When I read Anderson's comparison of Paul to Leonard I was surprised, because I came to believe that Paul was the greater respecter of women. I definitely need to explore this more. (Anderson provides excellent resources for exploring the tangential aspects of both of these individuals.) I also appreciated Anderson's comparison of them as men within their specific contexts, and as men of faith whose journeys were ongoing and evolving.
I would recommend this book to any fan of either Leonard or Paul. I would especially recommend it to anyone, who like me, approaches these two men with a skeptical view.
September 28, 2025
I learned a lot about Paul and found this comparison interesting and illuminating
January 3, 2025
Two people I would not think to compare but after reading this I found it very interesting all the things you could compare and contrast about the two. Leonard Cohen being a Jewish Canadian poet/singer songwriter, and the Apostle Paul being a very early follower of Jesus. This book analyzed a lot of major themes in Leonard’s poetry and the interest and love he felt for Jesus even though he was not a Christian. The book showed the similarities the two had in their writing and put Paul’s rhetoric next to Cohens poetry. The book was separated very well and gave a lot of good context especially on Paul as he is a Pauline scholar and a big fan of Leonard Cohen.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews