For the first time in 2000 years..., 28 Sep 2003
Geza Vermes' book, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English, is a worthy capstone to a long and distinguished scroll career. Vermes entire career, from his student days to this present work, has been concentrated largely on the Dead Sea Scrolls and related topics. His doctorate in 1953 was completed with a dissertation on the historical framework of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is difficult to find any scholar with as complete a knowledge of the scrolls as has Vermes; it is impossible to find one who knows them better.

This book was released in 1997, 50 years from the time the first Arab shepherd climbed into a cave in search of a wandering animal and instead fell upon the first of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Following the 'revolution' of 1991 (to use Vermes words), everyone interested could have unfettered access to the Scrolls, and yet, as inaccessible as they had been previously due to physical restriction, they remained just as inaccessible due to the problem of language and translation.

'In addition to the English rendering of the Hebrew and Aramaic texts found in the eleven Qumran caves, two inscribed potsherds (ostraca) retrieved from the Qumran site and two Qumran-type documents discovered in the fortress of Masada, and brief introductory notes to each text, this volume also provides an up-to-date general introduction, outlining the history of fifty years of Scroll research and sketching the organisation, history and religious message of the Qumran Community.'

This is the latest volume of a series: when Vermes first published an edition in 1962 (then 15 years after the discovery of the first scrolls), the book had 262 pages; the current edition has 648. The introduction deals with a brief sketch of the history of research (including a bit on the controversies, such as not allowing Jewish scholars to work on these Jewish texts, the close-guarding and restrictive access of the scrolls by the scholars); further issues in the introduction address current research, including questions of dating, provenance, and perhaps, most importantly, the meaning and significance of the Qumran texts.

Vermes puts together a three-part essay on his view (as well as a little on alternative views) of who was the community at Qumran, the history of that community, and the religious ideas of the community.

This is where we get into the text of the Scrolls in earnest. Vermes begins with The Community Rule a large document that listed the requirements and a penal code. This is best known as the Manual of Discipline. Composition may have begun about 100 BCE, and several fragmentary remains exist of copies of the manual.

'There are, to my knowledge, no writings in ancient Jewish sources parallel to the Community Rule, but a similar type of literature flourished amogn Christians between the second and fourth centuries, the so-called 'Church Orders' represented by works such as the Didache, the Didascalia, the Apostolic Constitution.'

From the Rules and variants, including the now-infamous MMT text, which provoked international lawsuits for violating the 'copyright' exerted by one Scroll scholar on its contents, Vermes proceeds to examine Hymns and Poems; Calendars, Liturgies and Prayers; Apocalyptic Works (which have the greatest appeal to many imminent eschatologically-inclined sects today); Wisdom Literature; Bible translations, commentaries, and apocryphal works; and Miscellanea, including objects such as the Copper Scroll (a rare form, not on parchment, which reads like an accountant's register of treasure), and lists, including the List of False Prophets.

For anyone interested in the Dead Sea Scrolls in any serious way, this is an essential book. With various 'complete' scroll editions and collections being released, this edition, produced by one who has devoted his life to scroll studies, remains one of the best, most complete and clearly translated.

The one drawback, which will only affect those whose interest extends to the study of Roman-period Hebrew and Aramaic, is that there is no photographic imagery or recreation in Hebrew/Aramaic script to show the actual scroll text so that one might make a personal study of the accuracy of the translation. Thus, this text works best for that purpose in conjunction with another translation, or with the very-expensive scroll photographic plate sets now available.

But, for most any use from general interest to scholarship, this volume will serve the reader well.

For the first time in 2000 years..., 28 Sep 2003
Geza Vermes' book, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English, is a worthy capstone to a long and distinguished scroll career. Vermes entire career, from his student days to this present work, has been concentrated largely on the Dead Sea Scrolls and related topics. His doctorate in 1953 was completed with a dissertation on the historical framework of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is difficult to find any scholar with as complete a knowledge of the scrolls as has Vermes; it is impossible to find one who knows them better.

This book was released in 1997, 50 years from the time the first Arab shepherd climbed into a cave in search of a wandering animal and instead fell upon the first of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Following the 'revolution' of 1991 (to use Vermes words), everyone interested could have unfettered access to the Scrolls, and yet, as inaccessible as they had been previously due to physical restriction, they remained just as inaccessible due to the problem of language and translation.

'In addition to the English rendering of the Hebrew and Aramaic texts found in the eleven Qumran caves, two inscribed potsherds (ostraca) retrieved from the Qumran site and two Qumran-type documents discovered in the fortress of Masada, and brief introductory notes to each text, this volume also provides an up-to-date general introduction, outlining the history of fifty years of Scroll research and sketching the organisation, history and religious message of the Qumran Community.'

This is the latest volume of a series: when Vermes first published an edition in 1962 (then 15 years after the discovery of the first scrolls), the book had 262 pages; the current edition has 648. The introduction deals with a brief sketch of the history of research (including a bit on the controversies, such as not allowing Jewish scholars to work on these Jewish texts, the close-guarding and restrictive access of the scrolls by the scholars); further issues in the introduction address current research, including questions of dating, provenance, and perhaps, most importantly, the meaning and significance of the Qumran texts.

Vermes puts together a three-part essay on his view (as well as a little on alternative views) of who was the community at Qumran, the history of that community, and the religious ideas of the community.

This is where we get into the text of the Scrolls in earnest. Vermes begins with The Community Rule a large document that listed the requirements and a penal code. This is best known as the Manual of Discipline. Composition may have begun about 100 BCE, and several fragmentary remains exist of copies of the manual.

'There are, to my knowledge, no writings in ancient Jewish sources parallel to the Community Rule, but a similar type of literature flourished amogn Christians between the second and fourth centuries, the so-called 'Church Orders' represented by works such as the Didache, the Didascalia, the Apostolic Constitution.'

From the Rules and variants, including the now-infamous MMT text, which provoked international lawsuits for violating the 'copyright' exerted by one Scroll scholar on its contents, Vermes proceeds to examine Hymns and Poems; Calendars, Liturgies and Prayers; Apocalyptic Works (which have the greatest appeal to many imminent eschatologically-inclined sects today); Wisdom Literature; Bible translations, commentaries, and apocryphal works; and Miscellanea, including objects such as the Copper Scroll (a rare form, not on parchment, which reads like an accountant's register of treasure), and lists, including the List of False Prophets.

For anyone interested in the Dead Sea Scrolls in any serious way, this is an essential book. With various 'complete' scroll editions and collections being released, this edition, produced by one who has devoted his life to scroll studies, remains one of the best, most complete and clearly translated.

The one drawback, which will only affect those whose interest extends to the study of Roman-period Hebrew and Aramaic, is that there is no photographic imagery or recreation in Hebrew/Aramaic script to show the actual scroll text so that one might make a personal study of the accuracy of the translation. Thus, this text works best for that purpose in conjunction with another translation, or with the very-expensive scroll photographic plate sets now available.

But, for most any use from general interest to scholarship, this volume will serve the reader well.

Incisive, enlightening and well before it's time., 03 Sep 2008
This was one of my sources for an essay I wrote on how witchcraft, wise men and divination etc were tolerated more in Britain - even more so in Wales - after the Reformation, while in Catholic Europe, thousands were executed for practicing the so-called "dark arts."
When Catholicism disappeared in Britain, so did all its 'magic' (the rites, ceremonies and blessings that had replaced old pagan charms and offerings). Overnight, people lost their protection from those evil spirits out there, and turned to witches' and wise men's charms and spells. You could say it was a mini boom time for wise men and witches! And these gifted people were no fakes either. Being excellent herbalists and healers, they're magic was trusted, and people had faith in their spells - which made them work too. It was no wonder that people began to believe they could also protect crops from bad spirits that caused storms and drought. Their whole livelihoods depended on this magic.
A masterly work, this book is incisive, enlightening, and well before its time.


A Controversial Masterpiece., 30 Nov 2005
This is unquestionably one of the great works of history written in Englsh in the 20th century. It is hard, over thirty years later, to conceive of just how radical and imaginative this book appeared when it was first published. It not only transformed our understanding of English religious history, but also helped to permanently change our approach to the past. I would encourage prospective buyers not to pay too much attention to the negative comments in some of other reviews: the fact that this book still inspires controversy and debate a whole generation after its first printing is testimony to its greatness.

A Book that is good on what it covers, 05 Jan 2005
This book is a classic. It should be read by all serious students of the esoteric and all with a genuine interest in the spiritual history of Western Europe.

The book provides a great deal of detail on the superstitions and quack medicine of the 16th and 17th centuries in Britain. It gives wonderful detail, and some lovely anecdotes, concerning the horrors of 16th and 17th century medicine, and the apothecaries that offered a cheaper, and no less effective service to the poor.

After a general overview of the historical trend there is an in depth study of Astrology, as practised at the time.

Where the book fails, and it fails badly, is that it gives the impression that magic was for the ignorant only. Very little space, about two pages, are devoted to the work of Frances Yates, work I do not think Thomas was keen to understand, but keen to dismiss. The overall result is that I feel Thomas wishes to dismiss magic as old-fashioned mumbo-jumbo, indulged in by the poor and the ignorant in desperate times, and so tells the story of superstition rather than magic.

It is a book that provides a great overview of the social climate of the time, but works with a deliberately narrow definition of magic, a definition that is never properly expounded or discussed, and deals very poorly with hermetic, gnostic and masonic trends, and so does not deal with what the average modern lay-thinker is interested in at all.

Shallow but informative, 05 Feb 2002
This book comes highly recommended and is indeed a milestone in the merging of sociology and history in the late sixties. It is however, badly in need of revision. Thomas's book has been rightly criticised for an unduly shallow sociological approach to religious and magical phenomena for the period covered. With little or no genuine interpretative inquiry from the author, the book rapidly descends into 'list-making' under generic headings. As such, it fasincates with its archeological unearthing of details but ultimately bores this reader with its undue emphasis on repetition. For a stimulating, critically robust and sophisticated approach to particular instances of 'witchcraft', please read Carlo Ginzburg's ECSTASIES.

More then History., 07 Sep 2001
Keith Thomas's Religion and the Decline of Magic was the first of my books for summer reading, and I doubt that any novel that I choose will be half as entertaining or any text as informative. By the conclusion I felt that I was completing an odessey throughout the early modern era with a sympathy and understanding of a world far different then ours in some respects, yet, as Thomas succinctly points out in the conclusion, profoundly similar. No other history book has granted me a deeper sense of understanding about human drives for stability and for explaination in all things. This is a book that grants insight and understanding far beyond its proclaimed subject matter, with positive and sweeping consequences for the objective thinker

For the first time in 2000 years..., 28 Sep 2003
Geza Vermes' book, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English, is a worthy capstone to a long and distinguished scroll career. Vermes entire career, from his student days to this present work, has been concentrated largely on the Dead Sea Scrolls and related topics. His doctorate in 1953 was completed with a dissertation on the historical framework of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is difficult to find any scholar with as complete a knowledge of the scrolls as has Vermes; it is impossible to find one who knows them better.

This book was released in 1997, 50 years from the time the first Arab shepherd climbed into a cave in search of a wandering animal and instead fell upon the first of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Following the 'revolution' of 1991 (to use Vermes words), everyone interested could have unfettered access to the Scrolls, and yet, as inaccessible as they had been previously due to physical restriction, they remained just as inaccessible due to the problem of language and translation.

'In addition to the English rendering of the Hebrew and Aramaic texts found in the eleven Qumran caves, two inscribed potsherds (ostraca) retrieved from the Qumran site and two Qumran-type documents discovered in the fortress of Masada, and brief introductory notes to each text, this volume also provides an up-to-date general introduction, outlining the history of fifty years of Scroll research and sketching the organisation, history and religious message of the Qumran Community.'

This is the latest volume of a series: when Vermes first published an edition in 1962 (then 15 years after the discovery of the first scrolls), the book had 262 pages; the current edition has 648. The introduction deals with a brief sketch of the history of research (including a bit on the controversies, such as not allowing Jewish scholars to work on these Jewish texts, the close-guarding and restrictive access of the scrolls by the scholars); further issues in the introduction address current research, including questions of dating, provenance, and perhaps, most importantly, the meaning and significance of the Qumran texts.

Vermes puts together a three-part essay on his view (as well as a little on alternative views) of who was the community at Qumran, the history of that community, and the religious ideas of the community.

This is where we get into the text of the Scrolls in earnest. Vermes begins with The Community Rule a large document that listed the requirements and a penal code. This is best known as the Manual of Discipline. Composition may have begun about 100 BCE, and several fragmentary remains exist of copies of the manual.

'There are, to my knowledge, no writings in ancient Jewish sources parallel to the Community Rule, but a similar type of literature flourished amogn Christians between the second and fourth centuries, the so-called 'Church Orders' represented by works such as the Didache, the Didascalia, the Apostolic Constitution.'

From the Rules and variants, including the now-infamous MMT text, which provoked international lawsuits for violating the 'copyright' exerted by one Scroll scholar on its contents, Vermes proceeds to examine Hymns and Poems; Calendars, Liturgies and Prayers; Apocalyptic Works (which have the greatest appeal to many imminent eschatologically-inclined sects today); Wisdom Literature; Bible translations, commentaries, and apocryphal works; and Miscellanea, including objects such as the Copper Scroll (a rare form, not on parchment, which reads like an accountant's register of treasure), and lists, including the List of False Prophets.

For anyone interested in the Dead Sea Scrolls in any serious way, this is an essential book. With various 'complete' scroll editions and collections being released, this edition, produced by one who has devoted his life to scroll studies, remains one of the best, most complete and clearly translated.

The one drawback, which will only affect those whose interest extends to the study of Roman-period Hebrew and Aramaic, is that there is no photographic imagery or recreation in Hebrew/Aramaic script to show the actual scroll text so that one might make a personal study of the accuracy of the translation. Thus, this text works best for that purpose in conjunction with another translation, or with the very-expensive scroll photographic plate sets now available.

But, for most any use from general interest to scholarship, this volume will serve the reader well.

Incisive, enlightening and well before it's time., 03 Sep 2008
This was one of my sources for an essay I wrote on how witchcraft, wise men and divination etc were tolerated more in Britain - even more so in Wales - after the Reformation, while in Catholic Europe, thousands were executed for practicing the so-called "dark arts."
When Catholicism disappeared in Britain, so did all its 'magic' (the rites, ceremonies and blessings that had replaced old pagan charms and offerings). Overnight, people lost their protection from those evil spirits out there, and turned to witches' and wise men's charms and spells. You could say it was a mini boom time for wise men and witches! And these gifted people were no fakes either. Being excellent herbalists and healers, they're magic was trusted, and people had faith in their spells - which made them work too. It was no wonder that people began to believe they could also protect crops from bad spirits that caused storms and drought. Their whole livelihoods depended on this magic.
A masterly work, this book is incisive, enlightening, and well before its time.


A Controversial Masterpiece., 30 Nov 2005
This is unquestionably one of the great works of history written in Englsh in the 20th century. It is hard, over thirty years later, to conceive of just how radical and imaginative this book appeared when it was first published. It not only transformed our understanding of English religious history, but also helped to permanently change our approach to the past. I would encourage prospective buyers not to pay too much attention to the negative comments in some of other reviews: the fact that this book still inspires controversy and debate a whole generation after its first printing is testimony to its greatness.

A Book that is good on what it covers, 05 Jan 2005
This book is a classic. It should be read by all serious students of the esoteric and all with a genuine interest in the spiritual history of Western Europe.

The book provides a great deal of detail on the superstitions and quack medicine of the 16th and 17th centuries in Britain. It gives wonderful detail, and some lovely anecdotes, concerning the horrors of 16th and 17th century medicine, and the apothecaries that offered a cheaper, and no less effective service to the poor.

After a general overview of the historical trend there is an in depth study of Astrology, as practised at the time.

Where the book fails, and it fails badly, is that it gives the impression that magic was for the ignorant only. Very little space, about two pages, are devoted to the work of Frances Yates, work I do not think Thomas was keen to understand, but keen to dismiss. The overall result is that I feel Thomas wishes to dismiss magic as old-fashioned mumbo-jumbo, indulged in by the poor and the ignorant in desperate times, and so tells the story of superstition rather than magic.

It is a book that provides a great overview of the social climate of the time, but works with a deliberately narrow definition of magic, a definition that is never properly expounded or discussed, and deals very poorly with hermetic, gnostic and masonic trends, and so does not deal with what the average modern lay-thinker is interested in at all.

Shallow but informative, 05 Feb 2002
This book comes highly recommended and is indeed a milestone in the merging of sociology and history in the late sixties. It is however, badly in need of revision. Thomas's book has been rightly criticised for an unduly shallow sociological approach to religious and magical phenomena for the period covered. With little or no genuine interpretative inquiry from the author, the book rapidly descends into 'list-making' under generic headings. As such, it fasincates with its archeological unearthing of details but ultimately bores this reader with its undue emphasis on repetition. For a stimulating, critically robust and sophisticated approach to particular instances of 'witchcraft', please read Carlo Ginzburg's ECSTASIES.

More then History., 07 Sep 2001
Keith Thomas's Religion and the Decline of Magic was the first of my books for summer reading, and I doubt that any novel that I choose will be half as entertaining or any text as informative. By the conclusion I felt that I was completing an odessey throughout the early modern era with a sympathy and understanding of a world far different then ours in some respects, yet, as Thomas succinctly points out in the conclusion, profoundly similar. No other history book has granted me a deeper sense of understanding about human drives for stability and for explaination in all things. This is a book that grants insight and understanding far beyond its proclaimed subject matter, with positive and sweeping consequences for the objective thinker

Brings the Psalms to life!, 27 Mar 2000
I have always found a study of the Psalms extremely difficult, but this book really brings a full, open meaning to them. It opens - up the Psalms from those so often 'chanted' according to the Psalter and which become dirges. Brueggemann really explains them and had allowed me to use them in my personal offices.

For the first time in 2000 years..., 28 Sep 2003
Geza Vermes' book, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English, is a worthy capstone to a long and distinguished scroll career. Vermes entire career, from his student days to this present work, has been concentrated largely on the Dead Sea Scrolls and related topics. His doctorate in 1953 was completed with a dissertation on the historical framework of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is difficult to find any scholar with as complete a knowledge of the scrolls as has Vermes; it is impossible to find one who knows them better.

This book was released in 1997, 50 years from the time the first Arab shepherd climbed into a cave in search of a wandering animal and instead fell upon the first of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Following the 'revolution' of 1991 (to use Vermes words), everyone interested could have unfettered access to the Scrolls, and yet, as inaccessible as they had been previously due to physical restriction, they remained just as inaccessible due to the problem of language and translation.

'In addition to the English rendering of the Hebrew and Aramaic texts found in the eleven Qumran caves, two inscribed potsherds (ostraca) retrieved from the Qumran site and two Qumran-type documents discovered in the fortress of Masada, and brief introductory notes to each text, this volume also provides an up-to-date general introduction, outlining the history of fifty years of Scroll research and sketching the organisation, history and religious message of the Qumran Community.'

This is the latest volume of a series: when Vermes first published an edition in 1962 (then 15 years after the discovery of the first scrolls), the book had 262 pages; the current edition has 648. The introduction deals with a brief sketch of the history of research (including a bit on the controversies, such as not allowing Jewish scholars to work on these Jewish texts, the close-guarding and restrictive access of the scrolls by the scholars); further issues in the introduction address current research, including questions of dating, provenance, and perhaps, most importantly, the meaning and significance of the Qumran texts.

Vermes puts together a three-part essay on his view (as well as a little on alternative views) of who was the community at Qumran, the history of that community, and the religious ideas of the community.

This is where we get into the text of the Scrolls in earnest. Vermes begins with The Community Rule a large document that listed the requirements and a penal code. This is best known as the Manual of Discipline. Composition may have begun about 100 BCE, and several fragmentary remains exist of copies of the manual.

'There are, to my knowledge, no writings in ancient Jewish sources parallel to the Community Rule, but a similar type of literature flourished amogn Christians between the second and fourth centuries, the so-called 'Church Orders' represented by works such as the Didache, the Didascalia, the Apostolic Constitution.'

From the Rules and variants, including the now-infamous MMT text, which provoked international lawsuits for violating the 'copyright' exerted by one Scroll scholar on its contents, Vermes proceeds to examine Hymns and Poems; Calendars, Liturgies and Prayers; Apocalyptic Works (which have the greatest appeal to many imminent eschatologically-inclined sects today); Wisdom Literature; Bible translations, commentaries, and apocryphal works; and Miscellanea, including objects such as the Copper Scroll (a rare form, not on parchment, which reads like an accountant's register of treasure), and lists, including the List of False Prophets.

For anyone interested in the Dead Sea Scrolls in any serious way, this is an essential book. With various 'complete' scroll editions and collections being released, this edition, produced by one who has devoted his life to scroll studies, remains one of the best, most complete and clearly translated.

The one drawback, which will only affect those whose interest extends to the study of Roman-period Hebrew and Aramaic, is that there is no photographic imagery or recreation in Hebrew/Aramaic script to show the actual scroll text so that one might make a personal study of the accuracy of the translation. Thus, this text works best for that purpose in conjunction with another translation, or with the very-expensive scroll photographic plate sets now available.

But, for most any use from general interest to scholarship, this volume will serve the reader well.

Incisive, enlightening and well before it's time., 03 Sep 2008
This was one of my sources for an essay I wrote on how witchcraft, wise men and divination etc were tolerated more in Britain - even more so in Wales - after the Reformation, while in Catholic Europe, thousands were executed for practicing the so-called "dark arts."
When Catholicism disappeared in Britain, so did all its 'magic' (the rites, ceremonies and blessings that had replaced old pagan charms and offerings). Overnight, people lost their protection from those evil spirits out there, and turned to witches' and wise men's charms and spells. You could say it was a mini boom time for wise men and witches! And these gifted people were no fakes either. Being excellent herbalists and healers, they're magic was trusted, and people had faith in their spells - which made them work too. It was no wonder that people began to believe they could also protect crops from bad spirits that caused storms and drought. Their whole livelihoods depended on this magic.
A masterly work, this book is incisive, enlightening, and well before its time.


A Controversial Masterpiece., 30 Nov 2005
This is unquestionably one of the great works of history written in Englsh in the 20th century. It is hard, over thirty years later, to conceive of just how radical and imaginative this book appeared when it was first published. It not only transformed our understanding of English religious history, but also helped to permanently change our approach to the past. I would encourage prospective buyers not to pay too much attention to the negative comments in some of other reviews: the fact that this book still inspires controversy and debate a whole generation after its first printing is testimony to its greatness.

A Book that is good on what it covers, 05 Jan 2005
This book is a classic. It should be read by all serious students of the esoteric and all with a genuine interest in the spiritual history of Western Europe.

The book provides a great deal of detail on the superstitions and quack medicine of the 16th and 17th centuries in Britain. It gives wonderful detail, and some lovely anecdotes, concerning the horrors of 16th and 17th century medicine, and the apothecaries that offered a cheaper, and no less effective service to the poor.

After a general overview of the historical trend there is an in depth study of Astrology, as practised at the time.

Where the book fails, and it fails badly, is that it gives the impression that magic was for the ignorant only. Very little space, about two pages, are devoted to the work of Frances Yates, work I do not think Thomas was keen to understand, but keen to dismiss. The overall result is that I feel Thomas wishes to dismiss magic as old-fashioned mumbo-jumbo, indulged in by the poor and the ignorant in desperate times, and so tells the story of superstition rather than magic.

It is a book that provides a great overview of the social climate of the time, but works with a deliberately narrow definition of magic, a definition that is never properly expounded or discussed, and deals very poorly with hermetic, gnostic and masonic trends, and so does not deal with what the average modern lay-thinker is interested in at all.

Shallow but informative, 05 Feb 2002
This book comes highly recommended and is indeed a milestone in the merging of sociology and history in the late sixties. It is however, badly in need of revision. Thomas's book has been rightly criticised for an unduly shallow sociological approach to religious and magical phenomena for the period covered. With little or no genuine interpretative inquiry from the author, the book rapidly descends into 'list-making' under generic headings. As such, it fasincates with its archeological unearthing of details but ultimately bores this reader with its undue emphasis on repetition. For a stimulating, critically robust and sophisticated approach to particular instances of 'witchcraft', please read Carlo Ginzburg's ECSTASIES.

More then History., 07 Sep 2001
Keith Thomas's Religion and the Decline of Magic was the first of my books for summer reading, and I doubt that any novel that I choose will be half as entertaining or any text as informative. By the conclusion I felt that I was completing an odessey throughout the early modern era with a sympathy and understanding of a world far different then ours in some respects, yet, as Thomas succinctly points out in the conclusion, profoundly similar. No other history book has granted me a deeper sense of understanding about human drives for stability and for explaination in all things. This is a book that grants insight and understanding far beyond its proclaimed subject matter, with positive and sweeping consequences for the objective thinker

Brings the Psalms to life!, 27 Mar 2000
I have always found a study of the Psalms extremely difficult, but this book really brings a full, open meaning to them. It opens - up the Psalms from those so often 'chanted' according to the Psalter and which become dirges. Brueggemann really explains them and had allowed me to use them in my personal offices.

A fascinating book, easy to get lost in, 11 Oct 2007
On the whole this is very interesting stuff but it is a bit patchy. It's clearly a collection of shorter works with a common theme (the chapter on Moses was written for a book associated with the Prince of Egypt movie and it's the weakest piece of writing here). But where it works this book really flys. The chapters on Job and the Old testament prophets are fascinating and a really gripping read. And whilst it may not be a perfect book Yancey does do an excellent job at getting across his enthusiasm for reading the Old Testament, despite all it's flaws that make it difficult for modern audiences to get into. His enthusiasm certainly rubbed off on me. I would recommend this book to anybody who is interested in the Bible but finds the Old Testament heavy going at times. The abridged audio book is also worth seeking out, but be warned it does skip some of the best bits.

Another Yancey Classic., 12 Dec 2006
The Old Testament can at times be off-putting and seemingly inaccessible for even the most avid reader. Then of course there are the "difficult bits" that the modern reader can find at best confusing and at worst offensive. Philip Yancey's book helps the reader to understand more of the background to the Old Testament and shows us how it is relelvant and very helpful for Christians today. As someone who has to teach and preach the Bible, I have found this book very important and encouraging. I highly recommend it.

A Christian Facing up to the Old Testament, 17 Jul 2005
The author of the book is clearly a devout Christian who has been brought up as a Christian, in a Christian family. However most Christians are likely to find this book challenging as it faces up to the old testament...the Bible Jesus read.
First under the spotlight is the book of Job, which seriously questions the whole foundation of our relationship with God. Could we still have faith in God even if we suffered terrible loss and injury? What are the terms and conditions of our faith; are we really prepared to accept God on God's terms?
Next a look at God through the eyes of Moses in Deuteronmony. Followed by the difficult Psalms, written by those who felt abandoned by God. Finally a look at Ecclesiastes and the Prophets.
I have never met a Christian able to properly admit to let alone address the difficult questons raised by the Old Testament. Therefore this is quite a remarkable book. An excellent and worthwhile read which will surely be an inspiration to many people in their search for a deeper understanding of God.

A Must Read!, 15 May 2002
Yancey has attempted to answer some of the questions that other writers had avoided. He was honest - but witty in giving a fresh appeal to the Old Testament. As I am very sure that most Christians can identify with his past struggles and doubts and questions, I am also certain that many will welcome his insightful explainations. His book opens with "Is the Old Testament Worth The Effort?" I am glad to say that by the end of the book, you will answer with a resounding yes!

Worth a Read, 08 Aug 2000
This book is usefull because it answers many of the questions that spring to mind when trying to read the old testemant and dosn't avoid asking why. At the same time Yancey reminds us of a personal God who is interested in us and DOES care. Woth a read.

For the first time in 2000 years..., 28 Sep 2003
Geza Vermes' book, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English, is a worthy capstone to a long and distinguished scroll career. Vermes entire career, from his student days to this present work, has been concentrated largely on the Dead Sea Scrolls and related topics. His doctorate in 1953 was completed with a dissertation on the historical framework of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is difficult to find any scholar with as complete a knowledge of the scrolls as has Vermes; it is impossible to find one who knows them better.

This book was released in 1997, 50 years from the time the first Arab shepherd climbed into a cave in search of a wandering animal and instead fell upon the first of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Following the 'revolution' of 1991 (to use Vermes words), everyone interested could have unfettered access to the Scrolls, and yet, as inaccessible as they had been previously due to physical restriction, they remained just as inaccessible due to the problem of language and translation.

'In addition to the English rendering of the Hebrew and Aramaic texts found in the eleven Qumran caves, two inscribed potsherds (ostraca) retrieved from the Qumran site and two Qumran-type documents discovered in the fortress of Masada, and brief introductory notes to each text, this volume also provides an up-to-date general introduction, outlining the history of fifty years of Scroll research and sketching the organisation, history and religious message of the Qumran Community.'

This is the latest volume of a series: when Vermes first published an edition in 1962 (then 15 years after the discovery of the first scrolls), the book had 262 pages; the current edition has 648. The introduction deals with a brief sketch of the history of research (including a bit on the controversies, such as not allowing Jewish scholars to work on these Jewish texts, the close-guarding and restrictive access of the scrolls by the scholars); further issues in the introduction address current research, including questions of dating, provenance, and perhaps, most importantly, the meaning and significance of the Qumran texts.

Vermes puts together a three-part essay on his view (as well as a little on alternative views) of who was the community at Qumran, the history of that community, and the religious ideas of the community.

This is where we get into the text of the Scrolls in earnest. Vermes begins with The Community Rule a large document that listed the requirements and a penal code. This is best known as the Manual of Discipline. Composition may have begun about 100 BCE, and several fragmentary remains exist of copies of the manual.

'There are, to my knowledge, no writings in ancient Jewish sources parallel to the Community Rule, but a similar type of literature flourished amogn Christians between the second and fourth centuries, the so-called 'Church Orders' represented by works such as the Didache, the Didascalia, the Apostolic Constitution.'

From the Rules and variants, including the now-infamous MMT text, which provoked international lawsuits for violating the 'copyright' exerted by one Scroll scholar on its contents, Vermes proceeds to examine Hymns and Poems; Calendars, Liturgies and Prayers; Apocalyptic Works (which have the greatest appeal to many imminent eschatologically-inclined sects today); Wisdom Literature; Bible translations, commentaries, and apocryphal works; and Miscellanea, including objects such as the Copper Scroll (a rare form, not on parchment, which reads like an accountant's register of treasure), and lists, including the List of False Prophets.

For anyone interested in the Dead Sea Scrolls in any serious way, this is an essential book. With various 'complete' scroll editions and collections being released, this edition, produced by one who has devoted his life to scroll studies, remains one of the best, most complete and clearly translated.

The one drawback, which will only affect those whose interest extends to the study of Roman-period Hebrew and Aramaic, is that there is no photographic imagery or recreation in Hebrew/Aramaic script to show the actual scroll text so that one might make a personal study of the accuracy of the translation. Thus, this text works best for that purpose in conjunction with another translation, or with the very-expensive scroll photographic plate sets now available.

But, for most any use from general interest to scholarship, this volume will serve the reader well.

Incisive, enlightening and well before it's time., 03 Sep 2008
This was one of my sources for an essay I wrote on how witchcraft, wise men and divination etc were tolerated more in Britain - even more so in Wales - after the Reformation, while in Catholic Europe, thousands were executed for practicing the so-called "dark arts."
When Catholicism disappeared in Britain, so did all its 'magic' (the rites, ceremonies and blessings that had replaced old pagan charms and offerings). Overnight, people lost their protection from those evil spirits out there, and turned to witches' and wise men's charms and spells. You could say it was a mini boom time for wise men and witches! And these gifted people were no fakes either. Being excellent herbalists and healers, they're magic was trusted, and people had faith in their spells - which made them work too. It was no wonder that people began to believe they could also protect crops from bad spirits that caused storms and drought. Their whole livelihoods depended on this magic.
A masterly work, this book is incisive, enlightening, and well before its time.


A Controversial Masterpiece., 30 Nov 2005
This is unquestionably one of the great works of history written in Englsh in the 20th century. It is hard, over thirty years later, to conceive of just how radical and imaginative this book appeared when it was first published. It not only transformed our understanding of English religious history, but also helped to permanently change our approach to the past. I would encourage prospective buyers not to pay too much attention to the negative comments in some of other reviews: the fact that this book still inspires controversy and debate a whole generation after its first printing is testimony to its greatness.

A Book that is good on what it covers, 05 Jan 2005
This book is a classic. It should be read by all serious students of the esoteric and all with a genuine interest in the spiritual history of Western Europe.

The book provides a great deal of detail on the superstitions and quack medicine of the 16th and 17th centuries in Britain. It gives wonderful detail, and some lovely anecdotes, concerning the horrors of 16th and 17th century medicine, and the apothecaries that offered a cheaper, and no less effective service to the poor.

After a general overview of the historical trend there is an in depth study of Astrology, as practised at the time.

Where the book fails, and it fails badly, is that it gives the impression that magic was for the ignorant only. Very little space, about two pages, are devoted to the work of Frances Yates, work I do not think Thomas was keen to understand, but keen to dismiss. The overall result is that I feel Thomas wishes to dismiss magic as old-fashioned mumbo-jumbo, indulged in by the poor and the ignorant in desperate times, and so tells the story of superstition rather than magic.

It is a book that provides a great overview of the social climate of the time, but works with a deliberately narrow definition of magic, a definition that is never properly expounded or discussed, and deals very poorly with hermetic, gnostic and masonic trends, and so does not deal with what the average modern lay-thinker is interested in at all.

Shallow but informative, 05 Feb 2002
This book comes highly recommended and is indeed a milestone in the merging of sociology and history in the late sixties. It is however, badly in need of revision. Thomas's book has been rightly criticised for an unduly shallow sociological approach to religious and magical phenomena for the period covered. With little or no genuine interpretative inquiry from the author, the book rapidly descends into 'list-making' under generic headings. As such, it fasincates with its archeological unearthing of details but ultimately bores this reader with its undue emphasis on repetition. For a stimulating, critically robust and sophisticated approach to particular instances of 'witchcraft', please read Carlo Ginzburg's ECSTASIES.

More then History., 07 Sep 2001
Keith Thomas's Religion and the Decline of Magic was the first of my books for summer reading, and I doubt that any novel that I choose will be half as entertaining or any text as informative. By the conclusion I felt that I was completing an odessey throughout the early modern era with a sympathy and understanding of a world far different then ours in some respects, yet, as Thomas succinctly points out in the conclusion, profoundly similar. No other history book has granted me a deeper sense of understanding about human drives for stability and for explaination in all things. This is a book that grants insight and understanding far beyond its proclaimed subject matter, with positive and sweeping consequences for the objective thinker

Brings the Psalms to life!, 27 Mar 2000
I have always found a study of the Psalms extremely difficult, but this book really brings a full, open meaning to them. It opens - up the Psalms from those so often 'chanted' according to the Psalter and which become dirges. Brueggemann really explains them and had allowed me to use them in my personal offices.

A fascinating book, easy to get lost in, 11 Oct 2007
On the whole this is very interesting stuff but it is a bit patchy. It's clearly a collection of shorter works with a common theme (the chapter on Moses was written for a book associated with the Prince of Egypt movie and it's the weakest piece of writing here). But where it works this book really flys. The chapters on Job and the Old testament prophets are fascinating and a really gripping read. And whilst it may not be a perfect book Yancey does do an excellent job at getting across his enthusiasm for reading the Old Testament, despite all it's flaws that make it difficult for modern audiences to get into. His enthusiasm certainly rubbed off on me. I would recommend this book to anybody who is interested in the Bible but finds the Old Testament heavy going at times. The abridged audio book is also worth seeking out, but be warned it does skip some of the best bits.

Another Yancey Classic., 12 Dec 2006
The Old Testament can at times be off-putting and seemingly inaccessible for even the most avid reader. Then of course there are the "difficult bits" that the modern reader can find at best confusing and at worst offensive. Philip Yancey's book helps the reader to understand more of the background to the Old Testament and shows us how it is relelvant and very helpful for Christians today. As someone who has to teach and preach the Bible, I have found this book very important and encouraging. I highly recommend it.

A Christian Facing up to the Old Testament, 17 Jul 2005
The author of the book is clearly a devout Christian who has been brought up as a Christian, in a Christian family. However most Christians are likely to find this book challenging as it faces up to the old testament...the Bible Jesus read.
First under the spotlight is the book of Job, which seriously questions the whole foundation of our relationship with God. Could we still have faith in God even if we suffered terrible loss and injury? What are the terms and conditions of our faith; are we really prepared to accept God on God's terms?
Next a look at God through the eyes of Moses in Deuteronmony. Followed by the difficult Psalms, written by those who felt abandoned by God. Finally a look at Ecclesiastes and the Prophets.
I have never met a Christian able to properly admit to let alone address the difficult questons raised by the Old Testament. Therefore this is quite a remarkable book. An excellent and worthwhile read which will surely be an inspiration to many people in their search for a deeper understanding of God.

A Must Read!, 15 May 2002
Yancey has attempted to answer some of the questions that other writers had avoided. He was honest - but witty in giving a fresh appeal to the Old Testament. As I am very sure that most Christians can identify with his past struggles and doubts and questions, I am also certain that many will welcome his insightful explainations. His book opens with "Is the Old Testament Worth The Effort?" I am glad to say that by the end of the book, you will answer with a resounding yes!

Worth a Read, 08 Aug 2000
This book is usefull because it answers many of the questions that spring to mind when trying to read the old testemant and dosn't avoid asking why. At the same time Yancey reminds us of a personal God who is interested in us and DOES care. Woth a read.

The Proof is in the Pudding, 02 Nov 2008
I read this book 2 years ago, and I can honestly say that is began a journey of infinite Light in my life... it opened doors I did not know existed, and every element of my life has trully been transformed...

I can only speak on personal experience, and I will not tell people to read this, but all I can say is that the proof is in the pudding...

Try these tools, and I can almost guarentee your life will change...

Tool for spiritual growth - Hands-on!, 11 Jul 2008
My view on this book is that if you are honest and really serious about finding real fullfilment in your heart and in your life, independently from your finantial, or emotional, or psichological situation which are minor considerations in terms of happiness, this is the place to start looking. The concepts in it are not new to me at all, but the way it is explained and presented, makes it easy for you to learn what you don't know or validate what you know.

Of Course it is not only important as a book. It is also a navigation tool, if you internalize the teachings and put them to practice in a consistent way. You don't need to be jewish, or any other religion to enjoy and appreciate this book. I was born catholic, but became agnostic by conviction later on in life, and the teachings are made for JUST any person under the sun.





powerful!, 20 Feb 2008
I have read a lot of books about spirituality.This one is very different, very practical and I have found here the answers I were looking for, it is really a powerful book, I highly recommend it!

disillusionment, 15 Jan 2008
As Nd Hiett "silversable062" said, I bought this book expecting some detailed information about the beliefs of the Kabbalists, and in particular the Tree of Life, which is what I've been told the whole belief structure is based upon.
Unfortunately I found it hard to even begin to enjoy reading this, and barely gained any new information at all regarding their metaphysical beliefs. The low standard of writing made it difficult to read; which I know is because it is aimed at everybody, but there was little need for the endless scenarios page after page to drive a point that could have been made in one sentence. Oh, and most of the time, these scenarios didn't even make coherent sense!.. Well, not to me anyway (although I was looking for information rather than enlightenment, so that could have been my downfall).

waste of money, 03 Mar 2007
i bought this book with the hope that i'd have an insight into kabbalah, instead i got a protentious collections of writings which are far from profound and have an over use of exclamation marks. this book contains more of a doorway into a cult rather than the occult.
an easy warning on the quality of this book is to see that such people as madonna have commented on how great the text is, this further backs my hate for the woman. if you want a profound text pick up any book with the dali lama or anything on by Idries Shah.

in short this book is awful, so much that i binned it. only buy if you enjoy commercial thinking, or love madonna.

For the first time in 2000 years..., 28 Sep 2003
Geza Vermes' book, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English, is a worthy capstone to a long and distinguished scroll career. Vermes entire career, from his student days to this present work, has been concentrated largely on the Dead Sea Scrolls and related topics. His doctorate in 1953 was completed with a dissertation on the historical framework of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is difficult to find any scholar with as complete a knowledge of the scrolls as has Vermes; it is impossible to find one who knows them better.

This book was released in 1997, 50 years from the time the first Arab shepherd climbed into a cave in search of a wandering animal and instead fell upon the first of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Following the 'revolution' of 1991 (to use Vermes words), everyone interested could have unfettered access to the Scrolls, and yet, as inaccessible as they had been previously due to physical restriction, they remained just as inaccessible due to the problem of language and translation.

'In addition to the English rendering of the Hebrew and Aramaic texts found in the eleven Qumran caves, two inscribed potsherds (ostraca) retrieved from the Qumran site and two Qumran-type documents discovered in the fortress of Masada, and brief introductory notes to each text, this volume also provides an up-to-date general introduction, outlining the history of fifty years of Scroll research and sketching the organisation, history and religious message of the Qumran Community.'

This is the latest volume of a series: when Vermes first published an edition in 1962 (then 15 years after the discovery of the first scrolls), the book had 262 pages; the current edition has 648. The introduction deals with a brief sketch of the history of research (including a bit on the controversies, such as not allowing Jewish scholars to work on these Jewish texts, the close-guarding and restrictive access of the scrolls by the scholars); further issues in the introduction address current research, including questions of dating, provenance, and perhaps, most importantly, the meaning and significance of the Qumran texts.

Vermes puts together a three-part essay on his view (as well as a little on alternative views) of who was the community at Qumran, the history of that community, and the religious ideas of the community.

This is where we get into the text of the Scrolls in earnest. Vermes begins with The Community Rule a large document that listed the requirements and a penal code. This is best known as the Manual of Discipline. Composition may have begun about 100 BCE, and several fragmentary remains exist of copies of the manual.

'There are, to my knowledge, no writings in ancient Jewish sources parallel to the Community Rule, but a similar type of literature flourished amogn Christians between the second and fourth centuries, the so-called 'Church Orders' represented by works such as the Didache, the Didascalia, the Apostolic Constitution.'

From the Rules and variants, including the now-infamous MMT text, which provoked international lawsuits for violating the 'copyright' exerted by one Scroll scholar on its contents, Vermes proceeds to examine Hymns and Poems; Calendars, Liturgies and Prayers; Apocalyptic Works (which have the greatest appeal to many imminent eschatologically-inclined sects today); Wisdom Literature; Bible translations, commentaries, and apocryphal works; and Miscellanea, including objects such as the Copper Scroll (a rare form, not on parchment, which reads like an accountant's register of treasure), and lists, including the List of False Prophets.

For anyone interested in the Dead Sea Scrolls in any serious way, this is an essential book. With various 'complete' scroll editions and collections being released, this edition, produced by one who has devoted his life to scroll studies, remains one of the best, most complete and clearly translated.

The one drawback, which will only affect those whose interest extends to the study of Roman-period Hebrew and Aramaic, is that there is no photographic imagery or recreation in Hebrew/Aramaic script to show the actual scroll text so that one might make a personal study of the accuracy of the translation. Thus, this text works best for that purpose in conjunction with another translation, or with the very-expensive scroll photographic plate sets now available.

But, for most any use from general interest to scholarship, this volume will serve the reader well.

Incisive, enlightening and well before it's time., 03 Sep 2008
This was one of my sources for an essay I wrote on how witchcraft, wise men and divination etc were tolerated more in Britain - even more so in Wales - after the Reformation, while in Catholic Europe, thousands were executed for practicing the so-called "dark arts."
When Catholicism disappeared in Britain, so did all its 'magic' (the rites, ceremonies and blessings that had replaced old pagan charms and offerings). Overnight, people lost their protection from those evil spirits out there, and turned to witches' and wise men's charms and spells. You could say it was a mini boom time for wise men and witches! And these gifted people were no fakes either. Being excellent herbalists and healers, they're magic was trusted, and people had faith in their spells - which made them work too. It was no wonder that people began to believe they could also protect crops from bad spirits that caused storms and drought. Their whole livelihoods depended on this magic.
A masterly work, this book is incisive, enlightening, and well before its time.


A Controversial Masterpiece., 30 Nov 2005
This is unquestionably one of the great works of history written in Englsh in the 20th century. It is hard, over thirty years later, to conceive of just how radical and imaginative this book appeared when it was first published. It not only transformed our understanding of English religious history, but also helped to permanently change our approach to the past. I would encourage prospective buyers not to pay too much attention to the negative comments in some of other reviews: the fact that this book still inspires controversy and debate a whole generation after its first printing is testimony to its greatness.

A Book that is good on what it covers, 05 Jan 2005
This book is a classic. It should be read by all serious students of the esoteric and all with a genuine interest in the spiritual history of Western Europe.

The book provides a great deal of detail on the superstitions and quack medicine of the 16th and 17th centuries in Britain. It gives wonderful detail, and some lovely anecdotes, concerning the horrors of 16th and 17th century medicine, and the apothecaries that offered a cheaper, and no less effective service to the poor.

After a general overview of the historical trend there is an in depth study of Astrology, as practised at the time.

Where the book fails, and it fails badly, is that it gives the impression that magic was for the ignorant only. Very little space, about two pages, are devoted to the work of Frances Yates, work I do not think Thomas was keen to understand, but keen to dismiss. The overall result is that I feel Thomas wishes to dismiss magic as old-fashioned mumbo-jumbo, indulged in by the poor and the ignorant in desperate times, and so tells the story of superstition rather than magic.

It is a book that provides a great overview of the social climate of the time, but works with a deliberately narrow definition of magic, a definition that is never properly expounded or discussed, and deals very poorly with hermetic, gnostic and masonic trends, and so does not deal with what the average modern lay-thinker is interested in at all.

Shallow but informative, 05 Feb 2002
This book comes highly recommended and is indeed a milestone in the merging of sociology and history in the late sixties. It is however, badly in need of revision. Thomas's book has been rightly criticised for an unduly shallow sociological approach to religious and magical phenomena for the period covered. With little or no genuine interpretative inquiry from the author, the book rapidly descends into 'list-making' under generic headings. As such, it fasincates with its archeological unearthing of details but ultimately bores this reader with its undue emphasis on repetition. For a stimulating, critically robust and sophisticated approach to particular instances of 'witchcraft', please read Carlo Ginzburg's ECSTASIES.

More then History., 07 Sep 2001
Keith Thomas's Religion and the Decline of Magic was the first of my books for summer reading, and I doubt that any novel that I choose will be half as entertaining or any text as informative. By the conclusion I felt that I was completing an odessey throughout the early modern era with a sympathy and understanding of a world far different then ours in some respects, yet, as Thomas succinctly points out in the conclusion, profoundly similar. No other history book has granted me a deeper sense of understanding about human drives for stability and for explaination in all things. This is a book that grants insight and understanding far beyond its proclaimed subject matter, with positive and sweeping consequences for the objective thinker

Brings the Psalms to life!, 27 Mar 2000
I have always found a study of the Psalms extremely difficult, but this book really brings a full, open meaning to them. It opens - up the Psalms from those so often 'chanted' according to the Psalter and which become dirges. Brueggemann really explains them and had allowed me to use them in my personal offices.

A fascinating book, easy to get lost in, 11 Oct 2007
On the whole this is very interesting stuff but it is a bit patchy. It's clearly a collection of shorter works with a common theme (the chapter on Moses was written for a book associated with the Prince of Egypt movie and it's the weakest piece of writing here). But where it works this book really flys. The chapters on Job and the Old testament prophets are fascinating and a really gripping read. And whilst it may not be a perfect book Yancey does do an excellent job at getting across his enthusiasm for reading the Old Testament, despite all it's flaws that make it difficult for modern audiences to get into. His enthusiasm certainly rubbed off on me. I would recommend this book to anybody who is interested in the Bible but finds the Old Testament heavy going at times. The abridged audio book is also worth seeking out, but be warned it does skip some of the best bits.

Another Yancey Classic., 12 Dec 2006
The Old Testament can at times be off-putting and seemingly inaccessible for even the most avid reader. Then of course there are the "difficult bits" that the modern reader can find at best confusing and at worst offensive. Philip Yancey's book helps the reader to understand more of the background to the Old Testament and shows us how it is relelvant and very helpful for Christians today. As someone who has to teach and preach the Bible, I have found this book very important and encouraging. I highly recommend it.

A Christian Facing up to the Old Testament, 17 Jul 2005
The author of the book is clearly a devout Christian who has been brought up as a Christian, in a Christian family. However most Christians are likely to find this book challenging as it faces up to the old testament...the Bible Jesus read.
First under the spotlight is the book of Job, which seriously questions the whole foundation of our relationship with God. Could we still have faith in God even if we suffered terrible loss and injury? What are the terms and conditions of our faith; are we really prepared to accept God on God's terms?
Next a look at God through the eyes of Moses in Deuteronmony. Followed by the difficult Psalms, written by those who felt abandoned by God. Finally a look at Ecclesiastes and the Prophets.
I have never met a Christian able to properly admit to let alone address the difficult questons raised by the Old Testament. Therefore this is quite a remarkable book. An excellent and worthwhile read which will surely be an inspiration to many people in their search for a deeper understanding of God.

A Must Read!, 15 May 2002
Yancey has attempted to answer some of the questions that other writers had avoided. He was honest - but witty in giving a fresh appeal to the Old Testament. As I am very sure that most Christians can identify with his past struggles and doubts and questions, I am also certain that many will welcome his insightful explainations. His book opens with "Is the Old Testament Worth The Effort?" I am glad to say that by the end of the book, you will answer with a resounding yes!

Worth a Read, 08 Aug 2000
This book is usefull because it answers many of the questions that spring to mind when trying to read the old testemant and dosn't avoid asking why. At the same time Yancey reminds us of a personal God who is interested in us and DOES care. Woth a read.

The Proof is in the Pudding, 02 Nov 2008
I read this book 2 years ago, and I can honestly say that is began a journey of infinite Light in my life... it opened doors I did not know existed, and every element of my life has trully been transformed...

I can only speak on personal experience, and I will not tell people to read this, but all I can say is that the proof is in the pudding...

Try these tools, and I can almost guarentee your life will change...

Tool for spiritual growth - Hands-on!, 11 Jul 2008
My view on this book is that if you are honest and really serious about finding real fullfilment in your heart and in your life, independently from your finantial, or emotional, or psichological situation which are minor considerations in terms of happiness, this is the place to start looking. The concepts in it are not new to me at all, but the way it is explained and presented, makes it easy for you to learn what you don't know or validate what you know.

Of Course it is not only important as a book. It is also a navigation tool, if you internalize the teachings and put them to practice in a consistent way. You don't need to be jewish, or any other religion to enjoy and appreciate this book. I was born catholic, but became agnostic by conviction later on in life, and the teachings are made for JUST any person under the sun.





powerful!, 20 Feb 2008
I have read a lot of books about spirituality.This one is very different, very practical and I have found here the answers I were looking for, it is really a powerful book, I highly recommend it!

disillusionment, 15 Jan 2008
As Nd Hiett "silversable062" said, I bought this book expecting some detailed information about the beliefs of the Kabbalists, and in particular the Tree of Life, which is what I've been told the whole belief structure is based upon.
Unfortunately I found it hard to even begin to enjoy reading this, and barely gained any new information at all regarding their metaphysical beliefs. The low standard of writing made it difficult to read; which I know is because it is aimed at everybody, but there was little need for the endless scenarios page after page to drive a point that could have been made in one sentence. Oh, and most of the time, these scenarios didn't even make coherent sense!.. Well, not to me anyway (although I was looking for information rather than enlightenment, so that could have been my downfall).

waste of money, 03 Mar 2007
i bought this book with the hope that i'd have an insight into kabbalah, instead i got a protentious collections of writings which are far from profound and have an over use of exclamation marks. this book contains more of a doorway into a cult rather than the occult.
an easy warning on the quality of this book is to see that such people as madonna have commented on how great the text is, this further backs my hate for the woman. if you want a profound text pick up any book with the dali lama or anything on by Idries Shah.

in short this book is awful, so much that i binned it. only buy if you enjoy commercial thinking, or love madonna.

Not only a great translation but a fascinating book, 27 Oct 2008
I have gone through three different editions of the JPS translation of the Hebrew Bible. My first copy, the standard edition, was just too big and unwieldy, plus I wanted the original Hebrew text. I then got a copy of the Student edition with parallel text, but the format is so small that I, who have always had great eyesight, found it almost impossible to read the Hebrew text (especially the vowel markings). Finally I buckled and got myself a copy of the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (for the original text), and also this.

It's not just a good, plain, clear translation. It's also a fascinating encyclopedia of early Judaism. The commentaries are a miracle of compressing thousands of years of commentary into a very small space. The introductory essays to each book are also great, and there are over two hundred pages of supplementary essays at the end of the book, covering everything from the history of Biblical interpretation to "The Bible in Israeli life".

This is quite simply one of the greatest works of popular scholarship that the OUP has produced. I am an atheist who is interested in the Bible partly because of its intrinsic power and beauty as a piece of writing but also because of its enormous influence on the world we live in. This edition ought to be on the shelves of any literate person. Now, if they could just do the same for the Christian Bible...

Good but i was expecting more, 05 Aug 2008
It is a very good to understand the OT from Jewish view, but it favour of the modern theories over the traditional ones, and sometime it has an anti Christian attitude.

I am a Christian, but I still find it very useful.


The Jewish Study Bible: Featuring the Jewish Publication Soc, 07 Apr 2006
I own and read the following versions of the Old & New Testament: CEV, JPS, GNT, KJV, NKJV, NIV, NLT, & TNIV, but there is something really beautiful about the JPS that I keep coming back to it. The commentaries are really interesting, and I believe they tend to be more accurate and insightful in comparison with the NIV & NKJV study bibles. If you lean towards a fundamental approach to the reading of the bible the commentaries may not sit well with you. At the end of the book is a number of very interesting essays written by academics on rabbinical and biblical interpretation.

In the beginning..., 07 Jan 2006
The Tanakh, an edition of the Holy Scriptures of Judaism, put out by the Jewish Publication Society (JPS), now has a study-bible edition, which is incredibly helpful for scripture study.

The word Tanakh consists of the first letters of the words denoting the three sections of the text: the Torah (the Law), consisting of the first five books; the Nevi'im (the Prophets), which includes major and minor prophets, as well as some of the history books; and the Kethuvim (the Writings), which consists of poetry, wisdom literature, stories and eschatological literature, and some further history books.

The Tanakh is not simply a new translation of the Christian Old Testament. Indeed, most Christian readers would be surprised at the differences inherent in the Tanakh. For one thing, the ordering of the books in the Tanakh is different from the order in the Christian Old Testament. The intent behind the differing order demonstrates one of the key differences in focus of Judaism and Christianity. The ordering of the Old Testament, with the minor prophets, and their call to repentance and future deliverance of the people of Israel by God, is anticipatory of the Messianic age, and hence provide a 'run-up' to the New Testament. Obviously, Judaism does not have the same focus toward Jesus. Thus, the conclusion of the Tanakh leads to the return from exile, the restoration of the people of Israel to the land of promise, and the return of the worship of God to the appointed place, the Temple.

Also, the chapter/verse division is somewhat different. This can be seen in side-by-side comparison with other English Bible translations, but also becomes apparent in comparison with other Jewish editions.

The editors state that English translations usually list thirty-nine books of the Bible. Meanwhile, Hebrew Bibles classically have presented twenty-four books -- counting the following groups as one book each: the two part of Samuel; the two parts of Kings; the Twelve ('Minor') Prophets; Ezra and Nehemiah; and the two parts of Chronicles. Some aspects of our book design presume the thirty-nine-book division: the tables, book openings, and chapter numbers. But we ended only the conventional twenty-four books with a closing prayer and with the sum total of verses.

The Tanakh was originally translated and published in three sections, corresponding to the three divisions of the text. Begun in 1955, The Torah was completed in 1962; then there was a wait until The Nevi'im was released in 1978, and The Kethuvim in 1982. This edition of the Tanakh is the compilation of these efforts by JPS, with revisions, especially of the 1962 Torah translation.

This edition has as its intended readership the scholar or the general reader; it is not set up for liturgical use -- as the preface states: 'It meets only the traditional rabbinic standards (halakhah) for formatting a study Bible, which are less stringent than those for ritual texts.'

The introduction to the JPS Tanakh is quite frank about the difficulties that arise in working with ancient manuscripts. In a section entitled The Unbroken Chain of Uncertainty, the editors address the problem of which documentation and corrective (the masorah, which gives rise to the name masoretic text, meaning, authoritative and 'marked') is used, given the variances that arise in ancient manuscripts with fairly equal claim of authority. Drawing on the MCW (Michigan-Claremont-Westminster) electronic BHS (Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia), JPS has a text nearly identical with the Leningrad Codex (a 1000-year old volume of the text, the oldest nearly complete volume known). In using this documentation, JPS editors have also done the following in making the text accessible and authoritative:

- added chapter and verse numbers, all of which were added much later
- redivided the Psalms to 150 (the Codex has divisions into 149)
- inserted markings to show codex paragraphing as well as possible scribal errors
- filling in cross-references

These notes deal with textual anomalies, and are written in such a manner than a glossary helps decipher them.

This is a rewarding volume for anyone who seeks to tap into the power of the Hebrew scriptures.

Jewish Study Bible Excellent Choice, 25 Jun 2005
This Jesish Study Bible is accessable to all and with its many articles on the development of the Hebrew scriptures and how the Bible is used in both the Jewish and Christian traditions and has develped over the years, it is a must for any student of the scriptures.

The commentary sets the text into its original setting and brings it to life with both source criticism and historical analysis. The text is rich and alive and easy to follow and something that I have found to be of great value as a student of the Hebrew scriptures in their original context. Many Jewish scholars have contributed to the work, and you will be surprised at how the pages give deep meaning to even the hardest of Old Testament sayings, making them as valuable for today as they were 3000 years ago.

There are differences in the order of the books, with the Torah being first and the prophets being brought together at the end of the text. However, it still includes the Writings and the histories and the Psalms and all of the other books that we are familiar with, but with perhaps a more meaningful and spiritual feeling as the words of the Lord spring of the pages into the lives of today's reader.

For the first time in 2000 years..., 28 Sep 2003
Geza Vermes' book, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English, is a worthy capstone to a long and distinguished scroll career. Vermes entire career, from his student days to this present work, has been concentrated largely on the Dead Sea Scrolls and related topics. His doctorate in 1953 was completed with a dissertation on the historical framework of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is difficult to find any scholar with as complete a knowledge of the scrolls as has Vermes; it is impossible to find one who knows them better.

This book was released in 1997, 50 years from the time the first Arab shepherd climbed into a cave in search of a wandering animal and instead fell upon the first of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Following the 'revolution' of 1991 (to use Vermes words), everyone interested could have unfettered access to the Scrolls, and yet, as inaccessible as they had been previously due to physical restriction, they remained just as inaccessible due to the problem of language and translation.

'In addition to the English rendering of the Hebrew and Aramaic texts found in the eleven Qumran caves, two inscribed potsherds (ostraca) retrieved from the Qumran site and two Qumran-type documents discovered in the fortress of Masada, and brief introductory notes to each text, this volume also provides an up-to-date general introduction, outlining the history of fifty years of Scroll research and sketching the organisation, history and religious message of the Qumran Community.'

This is the latest volume of a series: when Vermes first published an edition in 1962 (then 15 years after the discovery of the first scrolls), the book had 262 pages; the current edition has 648. The introduction deals with a brief sketch of the history of research (including a bit on the controversies, such as not allowing Jewish scholars to work on these Jewish texts, the close-guarding and restrictive access of the scrolls by the scholars); further issues in the introduction address current research, including questions of dating, provenance, and perhaps, most importantly, the meaning and significance of the Qumran texts.

Vermes puts together a three-part essay on his view (as well as a little on alternative views) of who was the community at Qumran, the history of that community, and the religious ideas of the community.

This is where we get into the text of the Scrolls in earnest. Vermes begins with The Community Rule a large document that listed the requirements and a penal code. This is best known as the Manual of Discipline. Composition may have begun about 100 BCE, and several fragmentary remains exist of copies of the manual.

'There are, to my knowledge, no writings in ancient Jewish sources parallel to the Community Rule, but a similar type of literature flourished amogn Christians between the second and fourth centuries, the so-called 'Church Orders' represented by works such as the Didache, the Didascalia, the Apostolic Constitution.'

From the Rules and variants, including the now-infamous MMT text, which provoked international lawsuits for violating the 'copyright' exerted by one Scroll scholar on its contents, Vermes proceeds to examine Hymns and Poems; Calendars, Liturgies and Prayers; Apocalyptic Works (which have the greatest appeal to many imminent eschatologically-inclined sects today); Wisdom Literature; Bible translations, commentaries, and apocryphal works; and Miscellanea, including objects such as the Copper Scroll (a rare form, not on parchment, which reads like an accountant's register of treasure), and lists, including the List of False Prophets.

For anyone interested in the Dead Sea Scrolls in any serious way, this is an essential book. With various 'complete' scroll editions and collections being released, this edition, produced by one who has devoted his life to scroll studies, remains one of the best, most complete and clearly translated.

The one drawback, which will only affect those whose interest extends to the study of Roman-period Hebrew and Aramaic, is that there is no photographic imagery or recreation in Hebrew/Aramaic script to show the actual scroll text so that one might make a personal study of the accuracy of the translation. Thus, this text works best for that purpose in conjunction with another translation, or with the very-expensive scroll photographic plate sets now available.

But, for most any use from general interest to scholarship, this volume will serve the reader well.

Incisive, enlightening and well before it's time., 03 Sep 2008
This was one of my sources for an essay I wrote on how witchcraft, wise men and divination etc were tolerated more in Britain - even more so in Wales - after the Reformation, while in Catholic Europe, thousands were executed for practicing the so-called "dark arts."
When Catholicism disappeared in Britain, so did all its 'magic' (the rites, ceremonies and blessings that had replaced old pagan charms and offerings). Overnight, people lost their protection from those evil spirits out there, and turned to witches' and wise men's charms and spells. You could say it was a mini boom time for wise men and witches! And these gifted people were no fakes either. Being excellent herbalists and healers, they're magic was trusted, and people had faith in their spells - which made them work too. It was no wonder that people began to believe they could also protect crops from bad spirits that caused storms and drought. Their whole livelihoods depended on this magic.
A masterly work, this book is incisive, enlightening, and well before its time.


A Controversial Masterpiece., 30 Nov 2005
This is unquestionably one of the great works of history written in Englsh in the 20th century. It is hard, over thirty years later, to conceive of just how radical and imaginative this book appeared when it was first published. It not only transformed our understanding of English religious history, but also helped to permanently change our approach to the past. I would encourage prospective buyers not to pay too much attention to the negative comments in some of other reviews: the fact that this book still inspires controversy and debate a whole generation after its first printing is testimony to its greatness.

A Book that is good on what it covers, 05 Jan 2005
This book is a classic. It should be read by all serious students of the esoteric and all with a genuine interest in the spiritual history of Western Europe.

The book provides a great deal of detail on the superstitions and quack medicine of the 16th and 17th centuries in Britain. It gives wonderful detail, and some lovely anecdotes, concerning the horrors of 16th and 17th century medicine, and the apothecaries that offered a cheaper, and no less effective service to the poor.

After a general overview of the historical trend there is an in depth study of Astrology, as practised at the time.

Where the book fails, and it fails badly, is that it gives the impression that magic was for the ignorant only. Very little space, about two pages, are devoted to the work of Frances Yates, work I do not think Thomas was keen to understand, but keen to dismiss. The overall result is that I feel Thomas wishes to dismiss magic as old-fashioned mumbo-jumbo, indulged in by the poor and the ignorant in desperate times, and so tells the story of superstition rather than magic.

It is a book that provides a great overview of the social climate of the time, but works with a deliberately narrow definition of magic, a definition that is never properly expounded or discussed, and deals very poorly with hermetic, gnostic and masonic trends, and so does not deal with what the average modern lay-thinker is interested in at all.

Shallow but informative, 05 Feb 2002
This book comes highly recommended and is indeed a milestone in the merging of sociology and history in the late sixties. It is however, badly in need of revision. Thomas's book has been rightly criticised for an unduly shallow sociological approach to religious and magical phenomena for the period covered. With little or no genuine interpretative inquiry from the author, the book rapidly descends into 'list-making' under generic headings. As such, it fasincates with its archeological unearthing of details but ultimately bores this reader with its undue emphasis on repetition. For a stimulating, critically robust and sophisticated approach to particular instances of 'witchcraft', please read Carlo Ginzburg's ECSTASIES.

More then History., 07 Sep 2001
Keith Thomas's Religion and the Decline of Magic was the first of my books for summer reading, and I doubt that any novel that I choose will be half as entertaining or any text as informative. By the conclusion I felt that I was completing an odessey throughout the early modern era with a sympathy and understanding of a world far different then ours in some respects, yet, as Thomas succinctly points out in the conclusion, profoundly similar. No other history book has granted me a deeper sense of understanding about human drives for stability and for explaination in all things. This is a book that grants insight and understanding far beyond its proclaimed subject matter, with positive and sweeping consequences for the objective thinker

Brings the Psalms to life!, 27 Mar 2000
I have always found a study of the Psalms extremely difficult, but this book really brings a full, open meaning to them. It opens - up the Psalms from those so often 'chanted' according to the Psalter and which become dirges. Brueggemann really explains them and had allowed me to use them in my personal offices.

A fascinating book, easy to get lost in, 11 Oct 2007
On the whole this is very interesting stuff but it is a bit patchy. It's clearly a collection of shorter works with a common theme (the chapter on Moses was written for a book associated with the Prince of Egypt movie and it's the weakest piece of writing here). But where it works this book really flys. The chapters on Job and the Old testament prophets are fascinating and a really gripping read. And whilst it may not be a perfect book Yancey does do an excellent job at getting across his enthusiasm for reading the Old Testament, despite all it's flaws that make it difficult for modern audiences to get into. His enthusiasm certainly rubbed off on me. I would recommend this book to anybody who is interested in the Bible but finds the Old Testament heavy going at times. The abridged audio book is also worth seeking out, but be warned it does skip some of the best bits.

Another Yancey Classic., 12 Dec 2006
The Old Testament can at times be off-putting and seemingly inaccessible for even the most avid reader. Then of course there are the "difficult bits" that the modern reader can find at best confusing and at worst offensive. Philip Yancey's book helps the reader to understand more of the background to the Old Testament and shows us how it is relelvant and very helpful for Christians today. As someone who has to teach and preach the Bible, I have found this book very important and encouraging. I highly recommend it.

A Christian Facing up to the Old Testament, 17 Jul 2005
The author of the book is clearly a devout Christian who has been brought up as a Christian, in a Christian family. However most Christians are likely to find this book challenging as it faces up to the old testament...the Bible Jesus read.
First under the spotlight is the book of Job, which seriously questions the whole foundation of our relationship with God. Could we still have faith in God even if we suffered terrible loss and injury? What are the terms and conditions of our faith; are we really prepared to accept God on God's terms?
Next a look at God through the eyes of Moses in Deuteronmony. Followed by the difficult Psalms, written by those who felt abandoned by God. Finally a look at Ecclesiastes and the Prophets.
I have never met a Christian able to properly admit to let alone address the difficult questons raised by the Old Testament. Therefore this is quite a remarkable book. An excellent and worthwhile read which will surely be an inspiration to many people in their search for a deeper understanding of God.

A Must Read!, 15 May 2002
Yancey has attempted to answer some of the questions that other writers had avoided. He was honest - but witty in giving a fresh appeal to the Old Testament. As I am very sure that most Christians can identify with his past struggles and doubts and questions, I am also certain that many will welcome his insightful explainations. His book opens with "Is the Old Testament Worth The Effort?" I am glad to say that by the end of the book, you will answer with a resounding yes!

Worth a Read, 08 Aug 2000
This book is usefull because it answers many of the questions that spring to mind when trying to read the old testemant and dosn't avoid asking why. At the same time Yancey reminds us of a personal God who is interested in us and DOES care. Woth a read.

The Proof is in the Pudding, 02 Nov 2008
I read this book 2 years ago, and I can honestly say that is began a journey of infinite Light in my life... it opened doors I did not know existed, and every element of my life has trully been transformed...

I can only speak on personal experience, and I will not tell people to read this, but all I can say is that the proof is in the pudding...

Try these tools, and I can almost guarentee your life will change...

Tool for spiritual growth - Hands-on!, 11 Jul 2008
My view on this book is that if you are honest and really serious about finding real fullfilment in your heart and in your life, independently from your finantial, or emotional, or psichological situation which are minor considerations in terms of happiness, this is the place to start looking. The concepts in it are not new to me at all, but the way it is explained and presented, makes it easy for you to learn what you don't know or validate what you know.

Of Course it is not only important as a book. It is also a navigation tool, if you internalize the teachings and put them to practice in a consistent way. You don't need to be jewish, or any other religion to enjoy and appreciate this book. I was born catholic, but became agnostic by conviction later on in life, and the teachings are made for JUST any person under the sun.





powerful!, 20 Feb 2008
I have read a lot of books about spirituality.This one is very different, very practical and I have found here the answers I were looking for, it is really a powerful book, I highly recommend it!

disillusionment, 15 Jan 2008
As Nd Hiett "silversable062" said, I bought this book expecting some detailed information about the beliefs of the Kabbalists, and in p