Status Updates From The World of the Bible

And the harmony of the Holy Land vanishes, roundabout the eighth century. Well, easy come...

These archeologists say that during the Byzantine period in the Holy Land, Christians and Jews lived in harmony. We're talking about the medieval period, here. Religious harmony between these cousins was entirely possible, then, although at the time the Christians were in ascendancy after the reforms of the emperor Constantine. That is good to hear.

Tempted to reduce the rating on this book to one star for the completely unnecessary opposition to the eye-witness account in the Gospel of S. John of the trial of Christ. Trouble is, I actually like this silly book, generally. Two-stars it remains.

One thing I don't understand about books like this is how they can state with complete certainty that, say, the book of Daniel is a commentary on the Jewish wars against the Seleucid empire rather than a commentary on Jewish resistance to pagan oppression in Babylonia. Really? Even though Daniel contains older material?

Only halfway through and we're all past the King Ezekiah, and the exile and everything.

I really like this book for the picture it generates from the archeological evidence. Still two stars, though, because it assumes too much. Onward!

Interestingly, this book seems to be written for women. I didn't think biblical archeology could be targeted like that. Oh, and just here, where she begins with Genesis, the author feels it necessary to say that *some* scholars don't consider Abraham to be an historical figure.

Calling the new testament the 'Christian Bible,' when comparing it to the old testament as the 'Hebrew Bible,' and not mentioning the DRV at all in the two paragraphs which talk about the Tyndale translation as the progenitor of the KJV keeps you with a two-star review.

I think the best thing about archeological books such as this one is that they contain nice pictures. :D

So, the 'classic form of Christianity' was created by S. Paul, was it? For that wonderful piece of scholarship, this book begins with a two-star rating. Oh, please, impress me, book...