Brian McLaren is clearly a very nice man, BUT, 17 Nov 2008
he does talk some awful rubbish...

I got to the end of this book and all I could think was "what did all that mean?" What does this emerging movement actually believe?

That said, if I'd not read it I'd probably not have thought about it enough to decide what I really think about some of this stuff.

To be taken with a large-ish pinch of salt...

Not my choice, but interesting in places., 19 Oct 2008
I have been reading this book as a required text for a theology degree that I am studying. Although there are some interesting chapters, it is not a book I would have chosen to read or that I would choose to read again. I felt that in his attempt to be generous he was trying to sit on as many fences as possible so as not to offend anybody.

However, I found McLaren to be very likeable. His love for God and creation and his respect for his fellow man are very evident throughout the book. It seems he knows how to be gracious to all Christians regardless of their views.

Read it, 02 Mar 2008
This is a well written, enlightening and challenging read.

I don't agree with all that Brian says, then again he tells us that he probably won't agree with it all in a few years time! Refreshing honesty and openess to criticism!

An excellent vision of a Christian orthodoxy, 29 Feb 2008
I absolutely loved Brian McLaren's "A New Kind of Christian", a book that opened up a whole new world for me of possibilities of staying within the Christian faith, something on which I had almost given up. Rob Bell's "Velvet Elvis", in a different way, did the same. So I approached this next book by McLaren feeling exceptionally positive towards him and his writing.

I wasn't disappointed. However this book is very different than "A New Kind of Christian". Once you get past the amusingly-titled but a little wordy Chapter 0 McLaren goes on a tour through different denominations and styles within Christianity, highlighting the good points about them (as well as looking at the bad), showing what we can all learn from this part of the church, and taking those good parts in order to build them into a new 'generous' orthodoxy. It's a great idea and it's also good to read a book which is very positive about so many denominations.

Of course there are the negatives, and Brian says that he is from a particular part of the church and so perhaps he gives them a harder time (the conservative evangelical/fundamentalist wing). As this coincides very much with how I feel about that branch of Christianity that's no problem for me but I suppose readers from that tradition might find it uncomfortable reading at times. We're left in no doubt that McLaren is not a big fan of televangelists but he is a strong supporter of the green movement, that he is learning more to value the Roman catholic and Anglican ideas about liturgy and the mystical side of the church.

What works very well is that each of the different elements in the book (missional, evangelical, post/protestant, liberal/conservative, mystical/poetical, biblical etc) get their own chapter where he delves into that tradition/idea and often gives the history of the movement which was fascinating for me with many of these. He seems able to see the bigger picture with many of these denominations and, as usual in his style, he is positive about many things within them. It was good to read an upbeat book although there were also parts where, with Brian, I almost despaired. The chapter arrangement meant that I read this book over a couple of weeks, dipping into a chapter here and there, and it gave me time to mull over what he was saying and to think about the overall point.

I salute Brian McLaren for this excellent look at a generous orthodoxy (or at least working towards creating one), a church for our 21st century which learns from the mistakes of the past but also doesn't throw out the baby with the bathwater but picks up those good aspects of the traditions and incorporates them into our postmodern world. This was an excellent read, a book I am sure I will return to many times, and of course the author's humble writing style is, as always, appealing.

Laudable but overambitious, 20 Oct 2007
I very much `get' what Brian McLaren is trying to do with this book, and welcome it. It's a wonderfully postmodern attempt to pick up on all manner of strands of the Christian tradition and explain why and how it's possible to hold them all together. And sometimes, it works quite well. But there are frequent moments - and for me the chapters `Why I Am Biblical' and `Why I Am Fundamentalist/Calvinist' stood out in this respect - where the strain of keeping it all together was beginning to show. McLaren's definition of `biblical' looks narrow and unscholarly, and so the 'biblical' that he argues for preserving ends up seeming rather superficial. Maybe he was writing for too broad a constituency - it's certainly hard to imagine disillusioned fundamentalists/Calvinists and jaded liberals finding too much in here to agree on. But on the other hand, it's hard to begrudge McLaren the attempt to bring such different strands into conversation with each other - or deny that a work like this is sorely needed.

Brian McLaren is clearly a very nice man, BUT, 17 Nov 2008
he does talk some awful rubbish...

I got to the end of this book and all I could think was "what did all that mean?" What does this emerging movement actually believe?

That said, if I'd not read it I'd probably not have thought about it enough to decide what I really think about some of this stuff.

To be taken with a large-ish pinch of salt...

Not my choice, but interesting in places., 19 Oct 2008
I have been reading this book as a required text for a theology degree that I am studying. Although there are some interesting chapters, it is not a book I would have chosen to read or that I would choose to read again. I felt that in his attempt to be generous he was trying to sit on as many fences as possible so as not to offend anybody.

However, I found McLaren to be very likeable. His love for God and creation and his respect for his fellow man are very evident throughout the book. It seems he knows how to be gracious to all Christians regardless of their views.

Read it, 02 Mar 2008
This is a well written, enlightening and challenging read.

I don't agree with all that Brian says, then again he tells us that he probably won't agree with it all in a few years time! Refreshing honesty and openess to criticism!

An excellent vision of a Christian orthodoxy, 29 Feb 2008
I absolutely loved Brian McLaren's "A New Kind of Christian", a book that opened up a whole new world for me of possibilities of staying within the Christian faith, something on which I had almost given up. Rob Bell's "Velvet Elvis", in a different way, did the same. So I approached this next book by McLaren feeling exceptionally positive towards him and his writing.

I wasn't disappointed. However this book is very different than "A New Kind of Christian". Once you get past the amusingly-titled but a little wordy Chapter 0 McLaren goes on a tour through different denominations and styles within Christianity, highlighting the good points about them (as well as looking at the bad), showing what we can all learn from this part of the church, and taking those good parts in order to build them into a new 'generous' orthodoxy. It's a great idea and it's also good to read a book which is very positive about so many denominations.

Of course there are the negatives, and Brian says that he is from a particular part of the church and so perhaps he gives them a harder time (the conservative evangelical/fundamentalist wing). As this coincides very much with how I feel about that branch of Christianity that's no problem for me but I suppose readers from that tradition might find it uncomfortable reading at times. We're left in no doubt that McLaren is not a big fan of televangelists but he is a strong supporter of the green movement, that he is learning more to value the Roman catholic and Anglican ideas about liturgy and the mystical side of the church.

What works very well is that each of the different elements in the book (missional, evangelical, post/protestant, liberal/conservative, mystical/poetical, biblical etc) get their own chapter where he delves into that tradition/idea and often gives the history of the movement which was fascinating for me with many of these. He seems able to see the bigger picture with many of these denominations and, as usual in his style, he is positive about many things within them. It was good to read an upbeat book although there were also parts where, with Brian, I almost despaired. The chapter arrangement meant that I read this book over a couple of weeks, dipping into a chapter here and there, and it gave me time to mull over what he was saying and to think about the overall point.

I salute Brian McLaren for this excellent look at a generous orthodoxy (or at least working towards creating one), a church for our 21st century which learns from the mistakes of the past but also doesn't throw out the baby with the bathwater but picks up those good aspects of the traditions and incorporates them into our postmodern world. This was an excellent read, a book I am sure I will return to many times, and of course the author's humble writing style is, as always, appealing.

Laudable but overambitious, 20 Oct 2007
I very much `get' what Brian McLaren is trying to do with this book, and welcome it. It's a wonderfully postmodern attempt to pick up on all manner of strands of the Christian tradition and explain why and how it's possible to hold them all together. And sometimes, it works quite well. But there are frequent moments - and for me the chapters `Why I Am Biblical' and `Why I Am Fundamentalist/Calvinist' stood out in this respect - where the strain of keeping it all together was beginning to show. McLaren's definition of `biblical' looks narrow and unscholarly, and so the 'biblical' that he argues for preserving ends up seeming rather superficial. Maybe he was writing for too broad a constituency - it's certainly hard to imagine disillusioned fundamentalists/Calvinists and jaded liberals finding too much in here to agree on. But on the other hand, it's hard to begrudge McLaren the attempt to bring such different strands into conversation with each other - or deny that a work like this is sorely needed.

Inspiring and beautiful, 30 Mar 2007
This is an unusual book in that most books on angels and spirits are written by people who subscribe wholeheartedly to Spiritism or Spiritualism (whichever you prefer to call it) and declare their faith in an afterlife, a spirit world adn the presence of angels. This book is different because it was written by a sceptic as part of her PhD thesis on angel visions and experiences. What I liked about this was that the author never tries to get you to believe that everything in her book is real - she simply presents the stories and leaves it up to you to decide what the experiences were.
This book is the culmination of 4 years' work on ordinary people's experiences of angels. Members of the public were encouraged to send their stories to the author as part of her doctoral study. For the most part then, this book includes a wide selection of these angel stories.
Bearing in mind that this is based on a PhD thesis, the book starts in a fairly academic style with a thorough explanation of the research proposal and teh manner in which data was collected but it is far from boring and helps contextualise the stories that follow.
The stories themselves are broken down into various sections - for example: Angel Visions/Experiences at time of death (of loved ones); Angel Visions in the Blind; Angel Warnings etc etc and are told in the same words as were submitted (i.e. the author did not edit or change them to fit in with her work). I found some of the stories a bit eerie but at the same time, I found all of them exceptionally inspiring, beautiful and really comforting. It's a very nice book to settle down with at night after a hard day and know that whatever you go through in your life, whether it be good or bad or just plain trying, you are not alone and that someone is definitely looking after you. It's also a book that will make you think abuot your own life and perhaps get you thinking about the experiences that you have had, that you know really did happen, adn yet you can't explain...
For those people that don't like or are afraid of anything to do with mainstream religion, this book does not do that - it is totally impartial to any faith and simply presents the stories as they were submitted. It is entirely left to the reader to interpret them as they will.
Another bonus point is that the study was done in England and the stories are exclusively from British sources which I find refreshing - i have read so many books written by Americans on their experiences, I wanted something I could really relate to.
A fascinating read and one that you will come back to time and time again.

A great thought provoking read..., 28 Oct 2002
This book is fascinating! It hundreds of real-life stories about how people have been effected by Angels. So do they exist? Have we all got a guardian angel? After reading this, it seems possible.

This isn't a religious, self-help book, it's just a great read. So, If you want a book which will make think, get this one!

Brian McLaren is clearly a very nice man, BUT, 17 Nov 2008
he does talk some awful rubbish...

I got to the end of this book and all I could think was "what did all that mean?" What does this emerging movement actually believe?

That said, if I'd not read it I'd probably not have thought about it enough to decide what I really think about some of this stuff.

To be taken with a large-ish pinch of salt...

Not my choice, but interesting in places., 19 Oct 2008
I have been reading this book as a required text for a theology degree that I am studying. Although there are some interesting chapters, it is not a book I would have chosen to read or that I would choose to read again. I felt that in his attempt to be generous he was trying to sit on as many fences as possible so as not to offend anybody.

However, I found McLaren to be very likeable. His love for God and creation and his respect for his fellow man are very evident throughout the book. It seems he knows how to be gracious to all Christians regardless of their views.

Read it, 02 Mar 2008
This is a well written, enlightening and challenging read.

I don't agree with all that Brian says, then again he tells us that he probably won't agree with it all in a few years time! Refreshing honesty and openess to criticism!

An excellent vision of a Christian orthodoxy, 29 Feb 2008
I absolutely loved Brian McLaren's "A New Kind of Christian", a book that opened up a whole new world for me of possibilities of staying within the Christian faith, something on which I had almost given up. Rob Bell's "Velvet Elvis", in a different way, did the same. So I approached this next book by McLaren feeling exceptionally positive towards him and his writing.

I wasn't disappointed. However this book is very different than "A New Kind of Christian". Once you get past the amusingly-titled but a little wordy Chapter 0 McLaren goes on a tour through different denominations and styles within Christianity, highlighting the good points about them (as well as looking at the bad), showing what we can all learn from this part of the church, and taking those good parts in order to build them into a new 'generous' orthodoxy. It's a great idea and it's also good to read a book which is very positive about so many denominations.

Of course there are the negatives, and Brian says that he is from a particular part of the church and so perhaps he gives them a harder time (the conservative evangelical/fundamentalist wing). As this coincides very much with how I feel about that branch of Christianity that's no problem for me but I suppose readers from that tradition might find it uncomfortable reading at times. We're left in no doubt that McLaren is not a big fan of televangelists but he is a strong supporter of the green movement, that he is learning more to value the Roman catholic and Anglican ideas about liturgy and the mystical side of the church.

What works very well is that each of the different elements in the book (missional, evangelical, post/protestant, liberal/conservative, mystical/poetical, biblical etc) get their own chapter where he delves into that tradition/idea and often gives the history of the movement which was fascinating for me with many of these. He seems able to see the bigger picture with many of these denominations and, as usual in his style, he is positive about many things within them. It was good to read an upbeat book although there were also parts where, with Brian, I almost despaired. The chapter arrangement meant that I read this book over a couple of weeks, dipping into a chapter here and there, and it gave me time to mull over what he was saying and to think about the overall point.

I salute Brian McLaren for this excellent look at a generous orthodoxy (or at least working towards creating one), a church for our 21st century which learns from the mistakes of the past but also doesn't throw out the baby with the bathwater but picks up those good aspects of the traditions and incorporates them into our postmodern world. This was an excellent read, a book I am sure I will return to many times, and of course the author's humble writing style is, as always, appealing.

Laudable but overambitious, 20 Oct 2007
I very much `get' what Brian McLaren is trying to do with this book, and welcome it. It's a wonderfully postmodern attempt to pick up on all manner of strands of the Christian tradition and explain why and how it's possible to hold them all together. And sometimes, it works quite well. But there are frequent moments - and for me the chapters `Why I Am Biblical' and `Why I Am Fundamentalist/Calvinist' stood out in this respect - where the strain of keeping it all together was beginning to show. McLaren's definition of `biblical' looks narrow and unscholarly, and so the 'biblical' that he argues for preserving ends up seeming rather superficial. Maybe he was writing for too broad a constituency - it's certainly hard to imagine disillusioned fundamentalists/Calvinists and jaded liberals finding too much in here to agree on. But on the other hand, it's hard to begrudge McLaren the attempt to bring such different strands into conversation with each other - or deny that a work like this is sorely needed.

Inspiring and beautiful, 30 Mar 2007
This is an unusual book in that most books on angels and spirits are written by people who subscribe wholeheartedly to Spiritism or Spiritualism (whichever you prefer to call it) and declare their faith in an afterlife, a spirit world adn the presence of angels. This book is different because it was written by a sceptic as part of her PhD thesis on angel visions and experiences. What I liked about this was that the author never tries to get you to believe that everything in her book is real - she simply presents the stories and leaves it up to you to decide what the experiences were.
This book is the culmination of 4 years' work on ordinary people's experiences of angels. Members of the public were encouraged to send their stories to the author as part of her doctoral study. For the most part then, this book includes a wide selection of these angel stories.
Bearing in mind that this is based on a PhD thesis, the book starts in a fairly academic style with a thorough explanation of the research proposal and teh manner in which data was collected but it is far from boring and helps contextualise the stories that follow.
The stories themselves are broken down into various sections - for example: Angel Visions/Experiences at time of death (of loved ones); Angel Visions in the Blind; Angel Warnings etc etc and are told in the same words as were submitted (i.e. the author did not edit or change them to fit in with her work). I found some of the stories a bit eerie but at the same time, I found all of them exceptionally inspiring, beautiful and really comforting. It's a very nice book to settle down with at night after a hard day and know that whatever you go through in your life, whether it be good or bad or just plain trying, you are not alone and that someone is definitely looking after you. It's also a book that will make you think abuot your own life and perhaps get you thinking about the experiences that you have had, that you know really did happen, adn yet you can't explain...
For those people that don't like or are afraid of anything to do with mainstream religion, this book does not do that - it is totally impartial to any faith and simply presents the stories as they were submitted. It is entirely left to the reader to interpret them as they will.
Another bonus point is that the study was done in England and the stories are exclusively from British sources which I find refreshing - i have read so many books written by Americans on their experiences, I wanted something I could really relate to.
A fascinating read and one that you will come back to time and time again.

A great thought provoking read..., 28 Oct 2002
This book is fascinating! It hundreds of real-life stories about how people have been effected by Angels. So do they exist? Have we all got a guardian angel? After reading this, it seems possible.

This isn't a religious, self-help book, it's just a great read. So, If you want a book which will make think, get this one!

I FOUND MY PATH FROM THIS GREAT BOOK, 05 Sep 2008
If your new to paganism, and not sure what path to choose, then this is the book to start you on your way. It takes you through each chapter, eplaining the different paths you can take, some chapters are a bit short, but they do explain clearly and informativly the different paths.

The author clearly wrote this for the newbies in mind, the best part is the reference section at the end, which details the books, websites etc.. So you can make up your own mind on what path seems more attractive to you, also there is a really good chapter on magic and it's uses.

This really is a superb book, and it's a shame that a lot of authers don't write in this style.

Excellent introduction for the beginner, 06 Aug 2007
This little book provides an excellent and very readable introduction to Earth-centred religions for those who have very little prior knowledge. It doesn't go into much depth regarding any particular path, but that's not really its purpose - what it does provide is a good grounding in the 'vocabulary' and broad history of the 'major' pagan traditions named in the title, and a few of the less widely-practised paths as well. I particularly liked the author's approach to practical exercises - unlike some 'introductory' texts, which assume that the reader is already ready to embark on a pagan path and provide more of a 'how-to' approach, the exercises in this book are much simpler, more accessible and intended to get the reader comfortable with the idea of broadening his or her own spiritual horizons, e.g. visit a place of worship of a religion that you're not familiar with. A list of contacts for various pagan organisations is provided at the end of the book, which gives the reader plenty of scope for taking the 'next steps' in discovering his/her own path. Also, this book is written by a UK author and the contact list contains a lot of UK-based organisations, which is good for a UK readership.

In summary - if you're already some way along your own path and want some more in-depth information, this probably isn't the book for you. If you're just starting out, or simply looking for general information on paganism, then you can't go far wrong with this one.

Just didn't work for me, 11 Mar 2007
Seemed dry and boring. I've considered myself Pagan for many years, mainly because I feel a strong connection with the high level ethos. I'm comfortable with my level of knowledge and the abstract and the feelings they promote for me. I bought this book because I was browsing and saw the very good reviews. Perhaps I'm just not interested enough, but Paganism is so individually interpreted that perhaps the high level is all there is. Once one goes below that it becomes a bit of a mish mash of individual interpretations and beliefs, many of which come across as being a bit childish and far fetched and, so when explained seriously, the whole seems to lack any degree of credibility.

Brilliant first read into Paganism, 17 Jan 2007
I was quite intrigued by Earth-based religions, but wanted to find out more without the books being too heavy-going, or on the other hand too frilly (as I have found some to be, particularly American books).
Peter Jennings writes clearly and informatively, explaining the basics of a number of pagan religions without much bias between one or the other. It is more like a detailed introduction to the relative subjects, which is exactly what I was looking for.
If you are looking for enough information to begin practising a pagan religion, then this book is not for you as it provides more of a background and overview of the subject.
One particular thing I need to mention is his Reference/Recommended Reading sections at the back, which is an EXCELLENT idea. I have a list of books I will be buying as a result of reading this book, and I just hope they are written with the same intelligence and neutrality.

Excellent guide once you wish to find the right path for you, 26 Mar 2006
Recently learning that paganism is the worlds fastest growing religion I had to find out more, therefore with only the most elementary knowledge was looking for a book starting from the very basics.

Where Pete Jennings excels is in his wide ranging and detailed descriptions of the various paths open to modern pagans. It is true this book does include a guide to what is paganism but this is only an overview, and in my opinion not the best part of the book. I found this basic knowledge in the excellent WICCA (Scott Cunningham) and The Wicca Bible (Ann-Marie Gallagher).

I feel this is a book for someone that has acquired a sound basic knowledge of the subject, decides they wish to go further, and needs guidance how to go about it.

"Pagan Paths" is therefore essential reading but not a one stop guide.

Brian McLaren is clearly a very nice man, BUT, 17 Nov 2008
he does talk some awful rubbish...

I got to the end of this book and all I could think was "what did all that mean?" What does this emerging movement actually believe?

That said, if I'd not read it I'd probably not have thought about it enough to decide what I really think about some of this stuff.

To be taken with a large-ish pinch of salt...

Not my choice, but interesting in places., 19 Oct 2008
I have been reading this book as a required text for a theology degree that I am studying. Although there are some interesting chapters, it is not a book I would have chosen to read or that I would choose to read again. I felt that in his attempt to be generous he was trying to sit on as many fences as possible so as not to offend anybody.

However, I found McLaren to be very likeable. His love for God and creation and his respect for his fellow man are very evident throughout the book. It seems he knows how to be gracious to all Christians regardless of their views.

Read it, 02 Mar 2008
This is a well written, enlightening and challenging read.

I don't agree with all that Brian says, then again he tells us that he probably won't agree with it all in a few years time! Refreshing honesty and openess to criticism!

An excellent vision of a Christian orthodoxy, 29 Feb 2008
I absolutely loved Brian McLaren's "A New Kind of Christian", a book that opened up a whole new world for me of possibilities of staying within the Christian faith, something on which I had almost given up. Rob Bell's "Velvet Elvis", in a different way, did the same. So I approached this next book by McLaren feeling exceptionally positive towards him and his writing.

I wasn't disappointed. However this book is very different than "A New Kind of Christian". Once you get past the amusingly-titled but a little wordy Chapter 0 McLaren goes on a tour through different denominations and styles within Christianity, highlighting the good points about them (as well as looking at the bad), showing what we can all learn from this part of the church, and taking those good parts in order to build them into a new 'generous' orthodoxy. It's a great idea and it's also good to read a book which is very positive about so many denominations.

Of course there are the negatives, and Brian says that he is from a particular part of the church and so perhaps he gives them a harder time (the conservative evangelical/fundamentalist wing). As this coincides very much with how I feel about that branch of Christianity that's no problem for me but I suppose readers from that tradition might find it uncomfortable reading at times. We're left in no doubt that McLaren is not a big fan of televangelists but he is a strong supporter of the green movement, that he is learning more to value the Roman catholic and Anglican ideas about liturgy and the mystical side of the church.

What works very well is that each of the different elements in the book (missional, evangelical, post/protestant, liberal/conservative, mystical/poetical, biblical etc) get their own chapter where he delves into that tradition/idea and often gives the history of the movement which was fascinating for me with many of these. He seems able to see the bigger picture with many of these denominations and, as usual in his style, he is positive about many things within them. It was good to read an upbeat book although there were also parts where, with Brian, I almost despaired. The chapter arrangement meant that I read this book over a couple of weeks, dipping into a chapter here and there, and it gave me time to mull over what he was saying and to think about the overall point.

I salute Brian McLaren for this excellent look at a generous orthodoxy (or at least working towards creating one), a church for our 21st century which learns from the mistakes of the past but also doesn't throw out the baby with the bathwater but picks up those good aspects of the traditions and incorporates them into our postmodern world. This was an excellent read, a book I am sure I will return to many times, and of course the author's humble writing style is, as always, appealing.

Laudable but overambitious, 20 Oct 2007
I very much `get' what Brian McLaren is trying to do with this book, and welcome it. It's a wonderfully postmodern attempt to pick up on all manner of strands of the Christian tradition and explain why and how it's possible to hold them all together. And sometimes, it works quite well. But there are frequent moments - and for me the chapters `Why I Am Biblical' and `Why I Am Fundamentalist/Calvinist' stood out in this respect - where the strain of keeping it all together was beginning to show. McLaren's definition of `biblical' looks narrow and unscholarly, and so the 'biblical' that he argues for preserving ends up seeming rather superficial. Maybe he was writing for too broad a constituency - it's certainly hard to imagine disillusioned fundamentalists/Calvinists and jaded liberals finding too much in here to agree on. But on the other hand, it's hard to begrudge McLaren the attempt to bring such different strands into conversation with each other - or deny that a work like this is sorely needed.

Inspiring and beautiful, 30 Mar 2007
This is an unusual book in that most books on angels and spirits are written by people who subscribe wholeheartedly to Spiritism or Spiritualism (whichever you prefer to call it) and declare their faith in an afterlife, a spirit world adn the presence of angels. This book is different because it was written by a sceptic as part of her PhD thesis on angel visions and experiences. What I liked about this was that the author never tries to get you to believe that everything in her book is real - she simply presents the stories and leaves it up to you to decide what the experiences were.
This book is the culmination of 4 years' work on ordinary people's experiences of angels. Members of the public were encouraged to send their stories to the author as part of her doctoral study. For the most part then, this book includes a wide selection of these angel stories.
Bearing in mind that this is based on a PhD thesis, the book starts in a fairly academic style with a thorough explanation of the research proposal and teh manner in which data was collected but it is far from boring and helps contextualise the stories that follow.
The stories themselves are broken down into various sections - for example: Angel Visions/Experiences at time of death (of loved ones); Angel Visions in the Blind; Angel Warnings etc etc and are told in the same words as were submitted (i.e. the author did not edit or change them to fit in with her work). I found some of the stories a bit eerie but at the same time, I found all of them exceptionally inspiring, beautiful and really comforting. It's a very nice book to settle down with at night after a hard day and know that whatever you go through in your life, whether it be good or bad or just plain trying, you are not alone and that someone is definitely looking after you. It's also a book that will make you think abuot your own life and perhaps get you thinking about the experiences that you have had, that you know really did happen, adn yet you can't explain...
For those people that don't like or are afraid of anything to do with mainstream religion, this book does not do that - it is totally impartial to any faith and simply presents the stories as they were submitted. It is entirely left to the reader to interpret them as they will.
Another bonus point is that the study was done in England and the stories are exclusively from British sources which I find refreshing - i have read so many books written by Americans on their experiences, I wanted something I could really relate to.
A fascinating read and one that you will come back to time and time again.

A great thought provoking read..., 28 Oct 2002
This book is fascinating! It hundreds of real-life stories about how people have been effected by Angels. So do they exist? Have we all got a guardian angel? After reading this, it seems possible.

This isn't a religious, self-help book, it's just a great read. So, If you want a book which will make think, get this one!

I FOUND MY PATH FROM THIS GREAT BOOK, 05 Sep 2008
If your new to paganism, and not sure what path to choose, then this is the book to start you on your way. It takes you through each chapter, eplaining the different paths you can take, some chapters are a bit short, but they do explain clearly and informativly the different paths.

The author clearly wrote this for the newbies in mind, the best part is the reference section at the end, which details the books, websites etc.. So you can make up your own mind on what path seems more attractive to you, also there is a really good chapter on magic and it's uses.

This really is a superb book, and it's a shame that a lot of authers don't write in this style.

Excellent introduction for the beginner, 06 Aug 2007
This little book provides an excellent and very readable introduction to Earth-centred religions for those who have very little prior knowledge. It doesn't go into much depth regarding any particular path, but that's not really its purpose - what it does provide is a good grounding in the 'vocabulary' and broad history of the 'major' pagan traditions named in the title, and a few of the less widely-practised paths as well. I particularly liked the author's approach to practical exercises - unlike some 'introductory' texts, which assume that the reader is already ready to embark on a pagan path and provide more of a 'how-to' approach, the exercises in this book are much simpler, more accessible and intended to get the reader comfortable with the idea of broadening his or her own spiritual horizons, e.g. visit a place of worship of a religion that you're not familiar with. A list of contacts for various pagan organisations is provided at the end of the book, which gives the reader plenty of scope for taking the 'next steps' in discovering his/her own path. Also, this book is written by a UK author and the contact list contains a lot of UK-based organisations, which is good for a UK readership.

In summary - if you're already some way along your own path and want some more in-depth information, this probably isn't the book for you. If you're just starting out, or simply looking for general information on paganism, then you can't go far wrong with this one.

Just didn't work for me, 11 Mar 2007
Seemed dry and boring. I've considered myself Pagan for many years, mainly because I feel a strong connection with the high level ethos. I'm comfortable with my level of knowledge and the abstract and the feelings they promote for me. I bought this book because I was browsing and saw the very good reviews. Perhaps I'm just not interested enough, but Paganism is so individually interpreted that perhaps the high level is all there is. Once one goes below that it becomes a bit of a mish mash of individual interpretations and beliefs, many of which come across as being a bit childish and far fetched and, so when explained seriously, the whole seems to lack any degree of credibility.

Brilliant first read into Paganism, 17 Jan 2007
I was quite intrigued by Earth-based religions, but wanted to find out more without the books being too heavy-going, or on the other hand too frilly (as I have found some to be, particularly American books).
Peter Jennings writes clearly and informatively, explaining the basics of a number of pagan religions without much bias between one or the other. It is more like a detailed introduction to the relative subjects, which is exactly what I was looking for.
If you are looking for enough information to begin practising a pagan religion, then this book is not for you as it provides more of a background and overview of the subject.
One particular thing I need to mention is his Reference/Recommended Reading sections at the back, which is an EXCELLENT idea. I have a list of books I will be buying as a result of reading this book, and I just hope they are written with the same intelligence and neutrality.

Excellent guide once you wish to find the right path for you, 26 Mar 2006
Recently learning that paganism is the worlds fastest growing religion I had to find out more, therefore with only the most elementary knowledge was looking for a book starting from the very basics.

Where Pete Jennings excels is in his wide ranging and detailed descriptions of the various paths open to modern pagans. It is true this book does include a guide to what is paganism but this is only an overview, and in my opinion not the best part of the book. I found this basic knowledge in the excellent WICCA (Scott Cunningham) and The Wicca Bible (Ann-Marie Gallagher).

I feel this is a book for someone that has acquired a sound basic knowledge of the subject, decides they wish to go further, and needs guidance how to go about it.

"Pagan Paths" is therefore essential reading but not a one stop guide.

every one should have one, 02 Mar 2008
I keep my book in my hand bag and dip into it when I need some inspiration or reassurance, it is deeply profound but simple to understand. I have given copies to friends who do the same.
Thank you Taro, Nam myoho renge kyo.

Simple yet profound, 05 May 2002
The wise maxims found in this collection sometimes seem like common sense (which is not so common), and it's so important to be reminded of them. Reading a page or two from this book each day helps me feel grounded and more hopeful. It helps me be more confident and happy.

Greatly encouraging book, 09 Mar 2002
Open Your Mind, Open Your Life is a simple yet thoughtful guide. Not just another daybook, it's practical and uplifting without the preaching. Makes a great gift. I keep one copy at home and one copy at work, and I enjoy reading from them every day.

Wonderful Little Book -- Truly Inspirational, 20 Jan 2002
I've read many inspirational books and collections of wisdom, and "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life" is my favourite. I feel better, more confident and hopeful, after reading from this little treasury. It's filled with hundreds of simple yet profound thoughts, all of which serve to enhance one's outlook on life. I enthusiastically recommend "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life" to everyone.

I adore this book, 03 Dec 2001
After reading from this outstanding book I always feel happier, stronger, more in control. I keep a copy on my bedstand and read a few pages every morning and night. I also keep another copy at work and read it when I'm feeling stress. I've ordered copies of it for everyone on my Holiday list this year. "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life" is the most valuable gift I can imagine giving anyone for such a small price. I'd rate this book 10 stars if I could.

Brian McLaren is clearly a very nice man, BUT, 17 Nov 2008
he does talk some awful rubbish...

I got to the end of this book and all I could think was "what did all that mean?" What does this emerging movement actually believe?

That said, if I'd not read it I'd probably not have thought about it enough to decide what I really think about some of this stuff.

To be taken with a large-ish pinch of salt...

Not my choice, but interesting in places., 19 Oct 2008
I have been reading this book as a required text for a theology degree that I am studying. Although there are some interesting chapters, it is not a book I would have chosen to read or that I would choose to read again. I felt that in his attempt to be generous he was trying to sit on as many fences as possible so as not to offend anybody.

However, I found McLaren to be very likeable. His love for God and creation and his respect for his fellow man are very evident throughout the book. It seems he knows how to be gracious to all Christians regardless of their views.

Read it, 02 Mar 2008
This is a well written, enlightening and challenging read.

I don't agree with all that Brian says, then again he tells us that he probably won't agree with it all in a few years time! Refreshing honesty and openess to criticism!

An excellent vision of a Christian orthodoxy, 29 Feb 2008
I absolutely loved Brian McLaren's "A New Kind of Christian", a book that opened up a whole new world for me of possibilities of staying within the Christian faith, something on which I had almost given up. Rob Bell's "Velvet Elvis", in a different way, did the same. So I approached this next book by McLaren feeling exceptionally positive towards him and his writing.

I wasn't disappointed. However this book is very different than "A New Kind of Christian". Once you get past the amusingly-titled but a little wordy Chapter 0 McLaren goes on a tour through different denominations and styles within Christianity, highlighting the good points about them (as well as looking at the bad), showing what we can all learn from this part of the church, and taking those good parts in order to build them into a new 'generous' orthodoxy. It's a great idea and it's also good to read a book which is very positive about so many denominations.

Of course there are the negatives, and Brian says that he is from a particular part of the church and so perhaps he gives them a harder time (the conservative evangelical/fundamentalist wing). As this coincides very much with how I feel about that branch of Christianity that's no problem for me but I suppose readers from that tradition might find it uncomfortable reading at times. We're left in no doubt that McLaren is not a big fan of televangelists but he is a strong supporter of the green movement, that he is learning more to value the Roman catholic and Anglican ideas about liturgy and the mystical side of the church.

What works very well is that each of the different elements in the book (missional, evangelical, post/protestant, liberal/conservative, mystical/poetical, biblical etc) get their own chapter where he delves into that tradition/idea and often gives the history of the movement which was fascinating for me with many of these. He seems able to see the bigger picture with many of these denominations and, as usual in his style, he is positive about many things within them. It was good to read an upbeat book although there were also parts where, with Brian, I almost despaired. The chapter arrangement meant that I read this book over a couple of weeks, dipping into a chapter here and there, and it gave me time to mull over what he was saying and to think about the overall point.

I salute Brian McLaren for this excellent look at a generous orthodoxy (or at least working towards creating one), a church for our 21st century which learns from the mistakes of the past but also doesn't throw out the baby with the bathwater but picks up those good aspects of the traditions and incorporates them into our postmodern world. This was an excellent read, a book I am sure I will return to many times, and of course the author's humble writing style is, as always, appealing.

Laudable but overambitious, 20 Oct 2007
I very much `get' what Brian McLaren is trying to do with this book, and welcome it. It's a wonderfully postmodern attempt to pick up on all manner of strands of the Christian tradition and explain why and how it's possible to hold them all together. And sometimes, it works quite well. But there are frequent moments - and for me the chapters `Why I Am Biblical' and `Why I Am Fundamentalist/Calvinist' stood out in this respect - where the strain of keeping it all together was beginning to show. McLaren's definition of `biblical' looks narrow and unscholarly, and so the 'biblical' that he argues for preserving ends up seeming rather superficial. Maybe he was writing for too broad a constituency - it's certainly hard to imagine disillusioned fundamentalists/Calvinists and jaded liberals finding too much in here to agree on. But on the other hand, it's hard to begrudge McLaren the attempt to bring such different strands into conversation with each other - or deny that a work like this is sorely needed.

Inspiring and beautiful, 30 Mar 2007
This is an unusual book in that most books on angels and spirits are written by people who subscribe wholeheartedly to Spiritism or Spiritualism (whichever you prefer to call it) and declare their faith in an afterlife, a spirit world adn the presence of angels. This book is different because it was written by a sceptic as part of her PhD thesis on angel visions and experiences. What I liked about this was that the author never tries to get you to believe that everything in her book is real - she simply presents the stories and leaves it up to you to decide what the experiences were.
This book is the culmination of 4 years' work on ordinary people's experiences of angels. Members of the public were encouraged to send their stories to the author as part of her doctoral study. For the most part then, this book includes a wide selection of these angel stories.
Bearing in mind that this is based on a PhD thesis, the book starts in a fairly academic style with a thorough explanation of the research proposal and teh manner in which data was collected but it is far from boring and helps contextualise the stories that follow.
The stories themselves are broken down into various sections - for example: Angel Visions/Experiences at time of death (of loved ones); Angel Visions in the Blind; Angel Warnings etc etc and are told in the same words as were submitted (i.e. the author did not edit or change them to fit in with her work). I found some of the stories a bit eerie but at the same time, I found all of them exceptionally inspiring, beautiful and really comforting. It's a very nice book to settle down with at night after a hard day and know that whatever you go through in your life, whether it be good or bad or just plain trying, you are not alone and that someone is definitely looking after you. It's also a book that will make you think abuot your own life and perhaps get you thinking about the experiences that you have had, that you know really did happen, adn yet you can't explain...
For those people that don't like or are afraid of anything to do with mainstream religion, this book does not do that - it is totally impartial to any faith and simply presents the stories as they were submitted. It is entirely left to the reader to interpret them as they will.
Another bonus point is that the study was done in England and the stories are exclusively from British sources which I find refreshing - i have read so many books written by Americans on their experiences, I wanted something I could really relate to.
A fascinating read and one that you will come back to time and time again.

A great thought provoking read..., 28 Oct 2002
This book is fascinating! It hundreds of real-life stories about how people have been effected by Angels. So do they exist? Have we all got a guardian angel? After reading this, it seems possible.

This isn't a religious, self-help book, it's just a great read. So, If you want a book which will make think, get this one!

I FOUND MY PATH FROM THIS GREAT BOOK, 05 Sep 2008
If your new to paganism, and not sure what path to choose, then this is the book to start you on your way. It takes you through each chapter, eplaining the different paths you can take, some chapters are a bit short, but they do explain clearly and informativly the different paths.

The author clearly wrote this for the newbies in mind, the best part is the reference section at the end, which details the books, websites etc.. So you can make up your own mind on what path seems more attractive to you, also there is a really good chapter on magic and it's uses.

This really is a superb book, and it's a shame that a lot of authers don't write in this style.

Excellent introduction for the beginner, 06 Aug 2007
This little book provides an excellent and very readable introduction to Earth-centred religions for those who have very little prior knowledge. It doesn't go into much depth regarding any particular path, but that's not really its purpose - what it does provide is a good grounding in the 'vocabulary' and broad history of the 'major' pagan traditions named in the title, and a few of the less widely-practised paths as well. I particularly liked the author's approach to practical exercises - unlike some 'introductory' texts, which assume that the reader is already ready to embark on a pagan path and provide more of a 'how-to' approach, the exercises in this book are much simpler, more accessible and intended to get the reader comfortable with the idea of broadening his or her own spiritual horizons, e.g. visit a place of worship of a religion that you're not familiar with. A list of contacts for various pagan organisations is provided at the end of the book, which gives the reader plenty of scope for taking the 'next steps' in discovering his/her own path. Also, this book is written by a UK author and the contact list contains a lot of UK-based organisations, which is good for a UK readership.

In summary - if you're already some way along your own path and want some more in-depth information, this probably isn't the book for you. If you're just starting out, or simply looking for general information on paganism, then you can't go far wrong with this one.

Just didn't work for me, 11 Mar 2007
Seemed dry and boring. I've considered myself Pagan for many years, mainly because I feel a strong connection with the high level ethos. I'm comfortable with my level of knowledge and the abstract and the feelings they promote for me. I bought this book because I was browsing and saw the very good reviews. Perhaps I'm just not interested enough, but Paganism is so individually interpreted that perhaps the high level is all there is. Once one goes below that it becomes a bit of a mish mash of individual interpretations and beliefs, many of which come across as being a bit childish and far fetched and, so when explained seriously, the whole seems to lack any degree of credibility.

Brilliant first read into Paganism, 17 Jan 2007
I was quite intrigued by Earth-based religions, but wanted to find out more without the books being too heavy-going, or on the other hand too frilly (as I have found some to be, particularly American books).
Peter Jennings writes clearly and informatively, explaining the basics of a number of pagan religions without much bias between one or the other. It is more like a detailed introduction to the relative subjects, which is exactly what I was looking for.
If you are looking for enough information to begin practising a pagan religion, then this book is not for you as it provides more of a background and overview of the subject.
One particular thing I need to mention is his Reference/Recommended Reading sections at the back, which is an EXCELLENT idea. I have a list of books I will be buying as a result of reading this book, and I just hope they are written with the same intelligence and neutrality.

Excellent guide once you wish to find the right path for you, 26 Mar 2006
Recently learning that paganism is the worlds fastest growing religion I had to find out more, therefore with only the most elementary knowledge was looking for a book starting from the very basics.

Where Pete Jennings excels is in his wide ranging and detailed descriptions of the various paths open to modern pagans. It is true this book does include a guide to what is paganism but this is only an overview, and in my opinion not the best part of the book. I found this basic knowledge in the excellent WICCA (Scott Cunningham) and The Wicca Bible (Ann-Marie Gallagher).

I feel this is a book for someone that has acquired a sound basic knowledge of the subject, decides they wish to go further, and needs guidance how to go about it.

"Pagan Paths" is therefore essential reading but not a one stop guide.

every one should have one, 02 Mar 2008
I keep my book in my hand bag and dip into it when I need some inspiration or reassurance, it is deeply profound but simple to understand. I have given copies to friends who do the same.
Thank you Taro, Nam myoho renge kyo.

Simple yet profound, 05 May 2002
The wise maxims found in this collection sometimes seem like common sense (which is not so common), and it's so important to be reminded of them. Reading a page or two from this book each day helps me feel grounded and more hopeful. It helps me be more confident and happy.

Greatly encouraging book, 09 Mar 2002
Open Your Mind, Open Your Life is a simple yet thoughtful guide. Not just another daybook, it's practical and uplifting without the preaching. Makes a great gift. I keep one copy at home and one copy at work, and I enjoy reading from them every day.

Wonderful Little Book -- Truly Inspirational, 20 Jan 2002
I've read many inspirational books and collections of wisdom, and "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life" is my favourite. I feel better, more confident and hopeful, after reading from this little treasury. It's filled with hundreds of simple yet profound thoughts, all of which serve to enhance one's outlook on life. I enthusiastically recommend "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life" to everyone.

I adore this book, 03 Dec 2001
After reading from this outstanding book I always feel happier, stronger, more in control. I keep a copy on my bedstand and read a few pages every morning and night. I also keep another copy at work and read it when I'm feeling stress. I've ordered copies of it for everyone on my Holiday list this year. "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life" is the most valuable gift I can imagine giving anyone for such a small price. I'd rate this book 10 stars if I could.

Interesting and Informative, 24 Oct 2007
This book was a great relief to find. Tackling an essay on world religions I needed books that were intelligently written but concise, and believe me, they're not that easy to find. This fills the bill exactly. It gives what I imagine is a brief overview of a complex religion without being patronising to that religion or dumbing down too much for the reader. It's a good mix of history, spread of the faith and the nuts and bolts of that faith in practice and mind set. It's by no means definitive, and freely acknowledges it, but as a place to start study it's perfect.

Accurate but insipid, 26 Oct 2006
Nesbitt's book has all the positive qualities one associates with the VSI series: it is clear, well-presented, readable and accurate. Just the sort of book Sikhs might think about giving to their non-Sikh friends and colleagues. There's a bit of theology, a touch of culture; politics makes an appearance, as does sociology. All the boxes seem to have been ticked.

But there's the rub: reading it feels like a box-ticking exercise. Nowhere does the author try to capture the allure of Sikhism. Why would anyone want to be a Sikh? What is it about the faith that its believers find so attractive? What does Sikhi feel like from the inside?

Of course the author can't answer those questions - she is not a Sikh. But she can ask them, both in her capacity as an ethnographer and, as she puts it, an intellectual questioner. One for the second edition perhaps?

An Excellent Introduction to the Sikh Religion, 09 Aug 2006
This book is titled "A Very Short Introduction to Sikhism" yet manages to cover all of the main points about Sikhism in an interesting and readable manner. A great strength is its contemporary feel, and its up-to-date references ensure that it becomes more than just another book about religion. Dr Nesbitt demonstrates her detailed knowledge about Sikhism describing the evolution of Sikhism from Guru Nanak Dev Ji to the modern day, making this book extremely readable by describing the `story' of Sikhism, with each chapter building on information presented in the previous one. I can recommend this book to anyone who requires a concise yet lively and well informed text on the Sikh Religion & Sikh History. A very welcome addition to the bookshelf of anyone who is interested in Religion in general, and Sikhism in particular.

Brian McLaren is clearly a very nice man, BUT, 17 Nov 2008
he does talk some awful rubbish...

I got to the end of this book and all I could think was "what did all that mean?" What does this emerging movement actually believe?

That said, if I'd not read it I'd probably not have thought about it enough to decide what I really think about some of this stuff.

To be taken with a large-ish pinch of salt...

Not my choice, but interesting in places., 19 Oct 2008
I have been reading this book as a required text for a theology degree that I am studying. Although there are some interesting chapters, it is not a book I would have chosen to read or that I would choose to read again. I felt that in his attempt to be generous he was trying to sit on as many fences as possible so as not to offend anybody.

However, I found McLaren to be very likeable. His love for God and creation and his respect for his fellow man are very evident throughout the book. It seems he knows how to be gracious to all Christians regardless of their views.

Read it, 02 Mar 2008
This is a well written, enlightening and challenging read.

I don't agree with all that Brian says, then again he tells us that he probably won't agree with it all in a few years time! Refreshing honesty and openess to criticism!

An excellent vision of a Christian orthodoxy, 29 Feb 2008
I absolutely loved Brian McLaren's "A New Kind of Christian", a book that opened up a whole new world for me of possibilities of staying within the Christian faith, something on which I had almost given up. Rob Bell's "Velvet Elvis", in a different way, did the same. So I approached this next book by McLaren feeling exceptionally positive towards him and his writing.

I wasn't disappointed. However this book is very different than "A New Kind of Christian". Once you get past the amusingly-titled but a little wordy Chapter 0 McLaren goes on a tour through different denominations and styles within Christianity, highlighting the good points about them (as well as looking at the bad), showing what we can all learn from this part of the church, and taking those good parts in order to build them into a new 'generous' orthodoxy. It's a great idea and it's also good to read a book which is very positive about so many denominations.

Of course there are the negatives, and Brian says that he is from a particular part of the church and so perhaps he gives them a harder time (the conservative evangelical/fundamentalist wing). As this coincides very much with how I feel about that branch of Christianity that's no problem for me but I suppose readers from that tradition might find it uncomfortable reading at times. We're left in no doubt that McLaren is not a big fan of televangelists but he is a strong supporter of the green movement, that he is learning more to value the Roman catholic and Anglican ideas about liturgy and the mystical side of the church.

What works very well is that each of the different elements in the book (missional, evangelical, post/protestant, liberal/conservative, mystical/poetical, biblical etc) get their own chapter where he delves into that tradition/idea and often gives the history of the movement which was fascinating for me with many of these. He seems able to see the bigger picture with many of these denominations and, as usual in his style, he is positive about many things within them. It was good to read an upbeat book although there were also parts where, with Brian, I almost despaired. The chapter arrangement meant that I read this book over a couple of weeks, dipping into a chapter here and there, and it gave me time to mull over what he was saying and to think about the overall point.

I salute Brian McLaren for this excellent look at a generous orthodoxy (or at least working towards creating one), a church for our 21st century which learns from the mistakes of the past but also doesn't throw out the baby with the bathwater but picks up those good aspects of the traditions and incorporates them into our postmodern world. This was an excellent read, a book I am sure I will return to many times, and of course the author's humble writing style is, as always, appealing.

Laudable but overambitious, 20 Oct 2007
I very much `get' what Brian McLaren is trying to do with this book, and welcome it. It's a wonderfully postmodern attempt to pick up on all manner of strands of the Christian tradition and explain why and how it's possible to hold them all together. And sometimes, it works quite well. But there are frequent moments - and for me the chapters `Why I Am Biblical' and `Why I Am Fundamentalist/Calvinist' stood out in this respect - where the strain of keeping it all together was beginning to show. McLaren's definition of `biblical' looks narrow and unscholarly, and so the 'biblical' that he argues for preserving ends up seeming rather superficial. Maybe he was writing for too broad a constituency - it's certainly hard to imagine disillusioned fundamentalists/Calvinists and jaded liberals finding too much in here to agree on. But on the other hand, it's hard to begrudge McLaren the attempt to bring such different strands into conversation with each other - or deny that a work like this is sorely needed.

Inspiring and beautiful, 30 Mar 2007
This is an unusual book in that most books on angels and spirits are written by people who subscribe wholeheartedly to Spiritism or Spiritualism (whichever you prefer to call it) and declare their faith in an afterlife, a spirit world adn the presence of angels. This book is different because it was written by a sceptic as part of her PhD thesis on angel visions and experiences. What I liked about this was that the author never tries to get you to believe that everything in her book is real - she simply presents the stories and leaves it up to you to decide what the experiences were.
This book is the culmination of 4 years' work on ordinary people's experiences of angels. Members of the public were encouraged to send their stories to the author as part of her doctoral study. For the most part then, this book includes a wide selection of these angel stories.
Bearing in mind that this is based on a PhD thesis, the book starts in a fairly academic style with a thorough explanation of the research proposal and teh manner in which data was collected but it is far from boring and helps contextualise the stories that follow.
The stories themselves are broken down into various sections - for example: Angel Visions/Experiences at time of death (of loved ones); Angel Visions in the Blind; Angel Warnings etc etc and are told in the same words as were submitted (i.e. the author did not edit or change them to fit in with her work). I found some of the stories a bit eerie but at the same time, I found all of them exceptionally inspiring, beautiful and really comforting. It's a very nice book to settle down with at night after a hard day and know that whatever you go through in your life, whether it be good or bad or just plain trying, you are not alone and that someone is definitely looking after you. It's also a book that will make you think abuot your own life and perhaps get you thinking about the experiences that you have had, that you know really did happen, adn yet you can't explain...
For those people that don't like or are afraid of anything to do with mainstream religion, this book does not do that - it is totally impartial to any faith and simply presents the stories as they were submitted. It is entirely left to the reader to interpret them as they will.
Another bonus point is that the study was done in England and the stories are exclusively from British sources which I find refreshing - i have read so many books written by Americans on their experiences, I wanted something I could really relate to.
A fascinating read and one that you will come back to time and time again.

A great thought provoking read..., 28 Oct 2002
This book is fascinating! It hundreds of real-life stories about how people have been effected by Angels. So do they exist? Have we all got a guardian angel? After reading this, it seems possible.

This isn't a religious, self-help book, it's just a great read. So, If you want a book which will make think, get this one!

I FOUND MY PATH FROM THIS GREAT BOOK, 05 Sep 2008
If your new to paganism, and not sure what path to choose, then this is the book to start you on your way. It takes you through each chapter, eplaining the different paths you can take, some chapters are a bit short, but they do explain clearly and informativly the different paths.

The author clearly wrote this for the newbies in mind, the best part is the reference section at the end, which details the books, websites etc.. So you can make up your own mind on what path seems more attractive to you, also there is a really good chapter on magic and it's uses.

This really is a superb book, and it's a shame that a lot of authers don't write in this style.

Excellent introduction for the beginner, 06 Aug 2007
This little book provides an excellent and very readable introduction to Earth-centred religions for those who have very little prior knowledge. It doesn't go into much depth regarding any particular path, but that's not really its purpose - what it does provide is a good grounding in the 'vocabulary' and broad history of the 'major' pagan traditions named in the title, and a few of the less widely-practised paths as well. I particularly liked the author's approach to practical exercises - unlike some 'introductory' texts, which assume that the reader is already ready to embark on a pagan path and provide more of a 'how-to' approach, the exercises in this book are much simpler, more accessible and intended to get the reader comfortable with the idea of broadening his or her own spiritual horizons, e.g. visit a place of worship of a religion that you're not familiar with. A list of contacts for various pagan organisations is provided at the end of the book, which gives the reader plenty of scope for taking the 'next steps' in discovering his/her own path. Also, this book is written by a UK author and the contact list contains a lot of UK-based organisations, which is good for a UK readership.

In summary - if you're already some way along your own path and want some more in-depth information, this probably isn't the book for you. If you're just starting out, or simply looking for general information on paganism, then you can't go far wrong with this one.

Just didn't work for me, 11 Mar 2007
Seemed dry and boring. I've considered myself Pagan for many years, mainly because I feel a strong connection with the high level ethos. I'm comfortable with my level of knowledge and the abstract and the feelings they promote for me. I bought this book because I was browsing and saw the very good reviews. Perhaps I'm just not interested enough, but Paganism is so individually interpreted that perhaps the high level is all there is. Once one goes below that it becomes a bit of a mish mash of individual interpretations and beliefs, many of which come across as being a bit childish and far fetched and, so when explained seriously, the whole seems to lack any degree of credibility.

Brilliant first read into Paganism, 17 Jan 2007
I was quite intrigued by Earth-based religions, but wanted to find out more without the books being too heavy-going, or on the other hand too frilly (as I have found some to be, particularly American books).
Peter Jennings writes clearly and informatively, explaining the basics of a number of pagan religions without much bias between one or the other. It is more like a detailed introduction to the relative subjects, which is exactly what I was looking for.
If you are looking for enough information to begin practising a pagan religion, then this book is not for you as it provides more of a background and overview of the subject.
One particular thing I need to mention is his Reference/Recommended Reading sections at the back, which is an EXCELLENT idea. I have a list of books I will be buying as a result of reading this book, and I just hope they are written with the same intelligence and neutrality.

Excellent guide once you wish to find the right path for you, 26 Mar 2006
Recently learning that paganism is the worlds fastest growing religion I had to find out more, therefore with only the most elementary knowledge was looking for a book starting from the very basics.

Where Pete Jennings excels is in his wide ranging and detailed descriptions of the various paths open to modern pagans. It is true this book does include a guide to what is paganism but this is only an overview, and in my opinion not the best part of the book. I found this basic knowledge in the excellent WICCA (Scott Cunningham) and The Wicca Bible (Ann-Marie Gallagher).

I feel this is a book for someone that has acquired a sound basic knowledge of the subject, decides they wish to go further, and needs guidance how to go about it.

"Pagan Paths" is therefore essential reading but not a one stop guide.

every one should have one, 02 Mar 2008
I keep my book in my hand bag and dip into it when I need some inspiration or reassurance, it is deeply profound but simple to understand. I have given copies to friends who do the same.
Thank you Taro, Nam myoho renge kyo.

Simple yet profound, 05 May 2002
The wise maxims found in this collection sometimes seem like common sense (which is not so common), and it's so important to be reminded of them. Reading a page or two from this book each day helps me feel grounded and more hopeful. It helps me be more confident and happy.

Greatly encouraging book, 09 Mar 2002
Open Your Mind, Open Your Life is a simple yet thoughtful guide. Not just another daybook, it's practical and uplifting without the preaching. Makes a great gift. I keep one copy at home and one copy at work, and I enjoy reading from them every day.

Wonderful Little Book -- Truly Inspirational, 20 Jan 2002
I've read many inspirational books and collections of wisdom, and "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life" is my favourite. I feel better, more confident and hopeful, after reading from this little treasury. It's filled with hundreds of simple yet profound thoughts, all of which serve to enhance one's outlook on life. I enthusiastically recommend "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life" to everyone.

I adore this book, 03 Dec 2001
After reading from this outstanding book I always feel happier, stronger, more in control. I keep a copy on my bedstand and read a few pages every morning and night. I also keep another copy at work and read it when I'm feeling stress. I've ordered copies of it for everyone on my Holiday list this year. "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life" is the most valuable gift I can imagine giving anyone for such a small price. I'd rate this book 10 stars if I could.

Interesting and Informative, 24 Oct 2007
This book was a great relief to find. Tackling an essay on world religions I needed books that were intelligently written but concise, and believe me, they're not that easy to find. This fills the bill exactly. It gives what I imagine is a brief overview of a complex religion without being patronising to that religion or dumbing down too much for the reader. It's a good mix of history, spread of the faith and the nuts and bolts of that faith in practice and mind set. It's by no means definitive, and freely acknowledges it, but as a place to start study it's perfect.

Accurate but insipid, 26 Oct 2006
Nesbitt's book has all the positive qualities one associates with the VSI series: it is clear, well-presented, readable and accurate. Just the sort of book Sikhs might think about giving to their non-Sikh friends and colleagues. There's a bit of theology, a touch of culture; politics makes an appearance, as does sociology. All the boxes seem to have been ticked.

But there's the rub: reading it feels like a box-ticking exercise. Nowhere does the author try to capture the allure of Sikhism. Why would anyone want to be a Sikh? What is it about the faith that its believers find so attractive? What does Sikhi feel like from the inside?

Of course the author can't answer those questions - she is not a Sikh. But she can ask them, both in her capacity as an ethnographer and, as she puts it, an intellectual questioner. One for the second edition perhaps?

An Excellent Introduction to the Sikh Religion, 09 Aug 2006
This book is titled "A Very Short Introduction to Sikhism" yet manages to cover all of the main points about Sikhism in an interesting and readable manner. A great strength is its contemporary feel, and its up-to-date references ensure that it becomes more than just another book about religion. Dr Nesbitt demonstrates her detailed knowledge about Sikhism describing the evolution of Sikhism from Guru Nanak Dev Ji to the modern day, making this book extremely readable by describing the `story' of Sikhism, with each chapter building on information presented in the previous one. I can recommend this book to anyone who requires a concise yet lively and well informed text on the Sikh Religion & Sikh History. A very welcome addition to the bookshelf of anyone who is interested in Religion in general, and Sikhism in particular.

men in cuneiform, 13 Jul 2006
This, though billed as an edition for the general reader, really isn't. The texts, instead of being worked up into a continuous narrative as in some other versions, are presented exactly as they appear in the original sources: disjointed, repetitive, incomplete. Sadly, the Epic of Gilgamesh is particularly affected by this. Thus whatever the merits of the translation, which I'm not qualified to judge, this is not something you can just sit and read as entertainment. Since it is avowedly not a scholarly edition either, it's hard to see who it's going to please.

An ancient collection of epics, 24 Feb 2003
Mesopotamian mythology - where to begin? Well I've searched for a while and this one seems to be the most complete all round offering. The best thing about this book is that it focuses solely on the myths, leaving out any dry theoretical rabble as to what the origins and meanings might be. Here we are given the roots of eastern religion itself in its utmost original form.

Two different versions of the epic of Gilgamesh, Ishtar's descent to the underworld, the creation myth, the flood and numerous others are included. Also a glossary of gods, places and key terms I found a very useful inclusion.

All in all make for an epic read that kept me turning the pages long into the night. The dictation is quite intense and impressively visual for something that was written about 6000 years ago. If you're interested in ancient religion then this should sate you hunger for a direct untampered with translation. Of course there are occasionaly fragments missing in the stories from damage to the tablets but that shouldn't put you off.

I doubt there is any better book on the subject.

Brian McLaren is clearly a very nice man, BUT, 17 Nov 2008
he does talk some awful rubbish...

I got to the end of this book and all I could think was "what did all that mean?" What does this emerging movement actually believe?

That said, if I'd not read it I'd probably not have thought about it enough to decide what I really think about some of this stuff.

To be taken with a large-ish pinch of salt...

Not my choice, but interesting in places., 19 Oct 2008
I have been reading this book as a required text for a theology degree that I am studying. Although there are some interesting chapters, it is not a book I would have chosen to read or that I would choose to read again. I felt that in his attempt to be generous he was trying to sit on as many fences as possible so as not to offend anybody.

However, I found McLaren to be very likeable. His love for God and creation and his respect for his fellow man are very evident throughout the book. It seems he knows how to be gracious to all Christians regardless of their views.

Read it, 02 Mar 2008
This is a well written, enlightening and challenging read.

I don't agree with all that Brian says, then again he tells us that he probably won't agree with it all in a few years time! Refreshing honesty and openess to criticism!

An excellent vision of a Christian orthodoxy, 29 Feb 2008
I absolutely loved Brian McLaren's "A New Kind of Christian", a book that opened up a whole new world for me of possibilities of staying within the Christian faith, something on which I had almost given up. Rob Bell's "Velvet Elvis", in a different way, did the same. So I approached this next book by McLaren feeling exceptionally positive towards him and his writing.

I wasn't disappointed. However this book is very different than "A New Kind of Christian". Once you get past the amusingly-titled but a little wordy Chapter 0 McLaren goes on a tour through different denominations and styles within Christianity, highlighting the good points about them (as well as looking at the bad), showing what we can all learn from this part of the church, and taking those good parts in order to build them into a new 'generous' orthodoxy. It's a great idea and it's also good to read a book which is very positive about so many denominations.

Of course there are the negatives, and Brian says that he is from a particular part of the church and so perhaps he gives them a harder time (the conservative evangelical/fundamentalist wing). As this coincides very much with how I feel about that branch of Christianity that's no problem for me but I suppose readers from that tradition might find it uncomfortable reading at times. We're left in no doubt that McLaren is not a big fan of televangelists but he is a strong supporter of the green movement, that he is learning more to value the Roman catholic and Anglican ideas about liturgy and the mystical side of the church.

What works very well is that each of the different elements in the book (missional, evangelical, post/protestant, liberal/conservative, mystical/poetical, biblical etc) get their own chapter where he delves into that tradition/idea and often gives the history of the movement which was fascinating for me with many of these. He seems able to see the bigger picture with many of these denominations and, as usual in his style, he is positive about many things within them. It was good to read an upbeat book although there were also parts where, with Brian, I almost despaired. The chapter arrangement meant that I read this book over a couple of weeks, dipping into a chapter here and there, and it gave me time to mull over what he was saying and to think about the overall point.

I salute Brian McLaren for this excellent look at a generous orthodoxy (or at least working towards creating one), a church for our 21st century which learns from the mistakes of the past but also doesn't throw out the baby with the bathwater but picks up those good aspects of the traditions and incorporates them into our postmodern world. This was an excellent read, a book I am sure I will return to many times, and of course the author's humble writing style is, as always, appealing.

Laudable but overambitious, 20 Oct 2007
I very much `get' what Brian McLaren is trying to do with this book, and welcome it. It's a wonderfully postmodern attempt to pick up on all manner of strands of the Christian tradition and explain why and how it's possible to hold them all together. And sometimes, it works quite well. But there are frequent moments - and for me the chapters `Why I Am Biblical' and `Why I Am Fundamentalist/Calvinist' stood out in this respect - where the strain of keeping it all together was beginning to show. McLaren's definition of `biblical' looks narrow and unscholarly, and so the 'biblical' that he argues for preserving ends up seeming rather superficial. Maybe he was writing for too broad a constituency - it's certainly hard to imagine disillusioned fundamentalists/Calvinists and jaded liberals finding too much in here to agree on. But on the other hand, it's hard to begrudge McLaren the attempt to bring such different strands into conversation with each other - or deny that a work like this is sorely needed.

Inspiring and beautiful, 30 Mar 2007
This is an unusual book in that most books on angels and spirits are written by people who subscribe wholeheartedly to Spiritism or Spiritualism (whichever you prefer to call it) and declare their faith in an afterlife, a spirit world adn the presence of angels. This book is different because it was written by a sceptic as part of her PhD thesis on angel visions and experiences. What I liked about this was that the author never tries to get you to believe that everything in her book is real - she simply presents the stories and leaves it up to you to decide what the experiences were.
This book is the culmination of 4 years' work on ordinary people's experiences of angels. Members of the public were encouraged to send their stories to the author as part of her doctoral study. For the most part then, this book includes a wide selection of these angel stories.
Bearing in mind that this is based on a PhD thesis, the book starts in a fairly academic style with a thorough explanation of the research proposal and teh manner in which data was collected but it is far from boring and helps contextualise the stories that follow.
The stories themselves are broken down into various sections - for example: Angel Visions/Experiences at time of death (of loved ones); Angel Visions in the Blind; Angel Warnings etc etc and are told in the same words as were submitted (i.e. the author did not edit or change them to fit in with her work). I found some of the stories a bit eerie but at the same time, I found all of them exceptionally inspiring, beautiful and really comforting. It's a very nice book to settle down with at night after a hard day and know that whatever you go through in your life, whether it be good or bad or just plain trying, you are not alone and that someone is definitely looking after you. It's also a book that will make you think abuot your own life and perhaps get you thinking about the experiences that you have had, that you know really did happen, adn yet you can't explain...
For those people that don't like or are afraid of anything to do with mainstream religion, this book does not do that - it is totally impartial to any faith and simply presents the stories as they were submitted. It is entirely left to the reader to interpret them as they will.
Another bonus point is that the study was done in England and the stories are exclusively from British sources which I find refreshing - i have read so many books written by Americans on their experiences, I wanted something I could really relate to.
A fascinating read and one that you will come back to time and time again.

A great thought provoking read..., 28 Oct 2002
This book is fascinating! It hundreds of real-life stories about how people have been effected by Angels. So do they exist? Have we all got a guardian angel? After reading this, it seems possible.

This isn't a religious, self-help book, it's just a great read. So, If you want a book which will make think, get this one!

I FOUND MY PATH FROM THIS GREAT BOOK, 05 Sep 2008
If your new to paganism, and not sure what path to choose, then this is the book to start you on your way. It takes you through each chapter, eplaining the different paths you can take, some chapters are a bit short, but they do explain clearly and informativly the different paths.

The author clearly wrote this for the newbies in mind, the best part is the reference section at the end, which details the books, websites etc.. So you can make up your own mind on what path seems more attractive to you, also there is a really good chapter on magic and it's uses.

This really is a superb book, and it's a shame that a lot of authers don't write in this style.

Excellent introduction for the beginner, 06 Aug 2007
This little book provides an excellent and very readable introduction to Earth-centred religions for those who have very little prior knowledge. It doesn't go into much depth regarding any particular path, but that's not really its purpose - what it does provide is a good grounding in the 'vocabulary' and broad history of the 'major' pagan traditions named in the title, and a few of the less widely-practised paths as well. I particularly liked the author's approach to practical exercises - unlike some 'introductory' texts, which assume that the reader is already ready to embark on a pagan path and provide more of a 'how-to' approach, the exercises in this book are much simpler, more accessible and intended to get the reader comfortable with the idea of broadening his or her own spiritual horizons, e.g. visit a place of worship of a religion that you're not familiar with. A list of contacts for various pagan organisations is provided at the end of the book, which gives the reader plenty of scope for taking the 'next steps' in discovering his/her own path. Also, this book is written by a UK author and the contact list contains a lot of UK-based organisations, which is good for a UK readership.

In summary - if you're already some way along your own path and want some more in-depth information, this probably isn't the book for you. If you're just starting out, or simply looking for general information on paganism, then you can't go far wrong with this one.

Just didn't work for me, 11 Mar 2007
Seemed dry and boring. I've considered myself Pagan for many years, mainly because I feel a strong connection with the high level ethos. I'm comfortable with my level of knowledge and the abstract and the feelings they promote for me. I bought this book because I was browsing and saw the very good reviews. Perhaps I'm just not interested enough, but Paganism is so individually interpreted that perhaps the high level is all there is. Once one goes below that it becomes a bit of a mish mash of individual interpretations and beliefs, many of which come across as being a bit childish and far fetched and, so when explained seriously, the whole seems to lack any degree of credibility.

Brilliant first read into Paganism, 17 Jan 2007
I was quite intrigued by Earth-based religions, but wanted to find out more without the books being too heavy-going, or on the other hand too frilly (as I have found some to be, particularly American books).
Peter Jennings writes clearly and informatively, explaining the basics of a number of pagan religions without much bias between one or the other. It is more like a detailed introduction to the relative subjects, which is exactly what I was looking for.
If you are looking for enough information to begin practising a pagan religion, then this book is not for you as it provides more of a background and overview of the subject.
One particular thing I need to mention is his Reference/Recommended Reading sections at the back, which is an EXCELLENT idea. I have a list of books I will be buying as a result of reading this book, and I just hope they are written with the same intelligence and neutrality.

Excellent guide once you wish to find the right path for you, 26 Mar 2006
Recently learning that paganism is the worlds fastest growing religion I had to find out more, therefore with only the most elementary knowledge was looking for a book starting from the very basics.

Where Pete Jennings excels is in his wide ranging and detail