A History of Israel and the Holy Land

edited by Michael Avi-Yonah

Continuum, £30

First edition in 1967, an epoch making year. Its new edition is expanded to take the story into the 21st century.

The fact that Michael Avi-Yonah's name remains on the title is a tribute to a scholar who died as long ago as 1974 but whose work has stood the test of time. I used an earlier edition of this book in teaching when its overview reached more or less to the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948.

The new edition reviews and updates social, economic and political developments; it records the wars and the peace process as far as Oslo, its final words recording the Pope's historic visit in March 2000.

It remains a magisterial work offering the reader the span of "all recorded history" but, starting as it does with the material cultures of the Lower Palaeolithic Age, it pushes the story of life in that little piece of geography to a million years ago! Its detail of the last 5,000 years is, however, plenty to live with. It will remain the best introduction to the subject for another 30 years. The illustrations are truly excellent, the writers have developed a light touch and it is the sort of book that you can take to bed, read a chapter, put it down and not fear nightmares.

Dying in the Land of Promise

by Donald E Wagner

Melisende, £12.50

Not bedside reading is a volume dedicated to a hunger and thirst for justice and peace in Israel/ Palestine.

The first third of the book charts the history of indigenous Christianity in Israel/ Palestine. The bulk of the book records the injustice and catastrophe, which is perceived to have befallen the Palestinian Christian cause. Heaven knows, Palestinian Arab Christians are in double jeopardy.

They feel threatened by the Israelis but as great a threat emanates from a resurgent Islam which sees Arab self-definition as Muslim. We have to have hearts big enough to love all.

While the volume claims to challenge the traditional assumptions behind the mainstream media, much depends on one's choice of "main stream media'.

This volume is written to emphasise the perception of Palestinian Christians that the media are biased against them. Others who are sensitive to a different propaganda will find this to be the usual one-sided litany of complaint. It is written for those who are already convinced. I fear will convert nobody.

The Rev Peter Jennings is a minister in the Cambridge circuit.

By kind permission of the Methodist Recorder

Ancient Israel's Faith and History

by George Mendenhall

Westminster John Knox Press, £20

A different and intriguing approach is to be found in this volume is a, sadly posthumous labour of love in which Mendenhall's family did much of the transcription and artwork for an editor to organise and prepare for the printed page. Mendenhall is little known Europe but this book should serve as a warm introduction to someone who enthused students with a love of the Hebrew Scriptures over decades.

The span of the volume follows Abraham to the Jesus reformation. It can be read alongside the better known traditional "Histories of Israel" and "theologies of the Old Testament" and offers genuinely novel insights to question some traditionally held views.

On the history of the Hebrews seen against other ancient Near Eastern cultures and their writings compared, the layout, the paragraph presentations, and the boxed notes make the volume particularly easy to follow.

This new study of secularism belongs to a series of books that seeks to examine the big questions facing both believers and non-believers alike.

Edward Norman, Chancellor York Minster, sets out to explore the forces at work in the decline of organised Christian religion. Its main thesis is simple - the heart of the problem lies in the way that the Church has allowed secular humanism to set its central agenda for life and work.

In many ways his concerns will resonate with those who recognise the need for change in order to face the demands of mission in the 21st Century. But at the same time fear that the reform process owes too much too secular thought and not enough to the traditional values of the Kingdom.

Succinct chapters include an examination of the nature of modem humanism with its relativism and 'touchy-feely' dependence on experience.

He wrestles with the challenge of pluralism, made more complex for the Church by the increasing ignorance of Church members concerning their own faith. And by the way in which our attempts to 'do' mission lead to a collusion with the plausible half-truths of popular spirituality, themselves being recast by secularism.

He explores the nature of truth, and how the ancient message is being obscured by modern priorities relating mostly to material welfare but ignoring the need to deal with sin and seek inward renewal. Social decencies have removed the need to do business with God. This, he says, leads to a spiritual barbarity that is all application, but no real substance.

In a section on the role of cathedrals, he notes how the reverence for heritage is taking the place of historic orthodoxy, although I am left uncertain as to whether he is advocating the surrender of such national monuments to the state, or urging their reclamation by the Church. In another section he contrasts the understanding of the Church as the redeemed community with efforts to create transformed communities outside of the Church, efforts that are muddled by individualistic, consumerist agendas

Norman makes no apology that his perspective is that of a traditional Anglican. There is a hankering after ordered and traditional worship, and a desire for the Church of England to take seriously its responsibilities as the State Church. In pursuit of this argument, Free Church dissenters are partly blamed for the secularisation of Britain.

Our concern for religious liberty has apparently weakened the influence of the church in society, and, under the banner of tolerance, has given secular humanists the opportunity to supplant the influence and value of Establishment.

Initially I was excited by the arguments of the book, but then found myself frustrated by its determined Anglican perspective. On further reflection I have come to the view that very important questions are being raised here which cannot be ignored by Christians of any tradition who are serious about their engagement with post-modem society

The Revd Brian Nicholls is a regional minister (team leader), with the Heart of England Baptist Association.

By kind permission of the Baptist times

The Message. - The Bible in Contemporary Language

by Eugene Peterson

NavPress, £29.99 ISBN. 1-57683-289-9

EUGENE Peterson's paraphrase of the New Testament made an immediate and deep impact when it was first published in 1993. Since then, section by section, portions of the Old Testament have been appearing at regular intervals. Now, with the completion of the historical books, the entire Bible is available.

The genius of Message lies in two things. First of all, Peterson is a true wordsmith. He writes with Power, almost turning prose into poetry Secondly, he is a pastor with a desire to get People into the Bible and to get the Bible into People. His paraphrase pulls no Punches.

One either likes or loathes his elevated style. Naturally, all the usual warnings about the dangers of Paraphrases being interpretative must be sounded. The Message should not replace a more reliable translation, but as a way of refreshing one's interest in Bible reading and of glimpsing something of the impact it must have made on its first readers, it can't be beaten.

Peterson's paraphrase is enhanced by being set in a single column format, free from distracting verse numbers, footnotes and marginal references, On occasions a little too much liberty is taken with the text and there are anachronisms that make tile intelligent reader look twice.

Not with standing some minor criticism, this is a fine piece of work, combining scholarship of head with passion of heart.

The Message is also available on CD-ROM from Sunrise Software at the same price as the Printed version.

The Revd David Dewey is minister Of Sutcliff Baptist Church, 0lney, Bucks.

By kind permission of the Baptist times

Meltdown -- Making Sense of A Culture in Crisis

by Marcus Honeysett

IVP, £6.99 ISBN. 0-85111-492-X

MY heart sank through to the bottom of my boots when I picked up this book to read. Hoping for some insightful commentary on the place in which we find ourselves in the post 9/11 Western world, I was faced merely with yet another ground floor introduction to post-modernism. I was not impressed.

However, first impressions were wrong yet again. Honeysett is the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF) team leader in London and has himself studied theatre and post-modern culture.

Meltdown began life as a guide for students to help them understand the intellectual and cultural forces at work in the academic world into which they were being initiated.

Split into two halves, the first part of the book is a series of five case studies that each in turn introduce the reader to one of the main strands of post-modern theory and the issues it raises. These are then followed by a summary of the underlying argument of a leading theorist and an accompanying Christian response.

In one case study, Mike, a Christian TV producer is confronted by the challenge of whose 'truth' he is peddling in his programmes and how he is using it to oppress others. In another, Sophie's training as a student nurse leads her into confusion on issues of sexuality as she is required to shed her inhibitions. In this way the theories of Foucault, Derrida, Benjamin, Butler and Baudrillard are creatively and helpfully introduced. Each of the case studies and their supporting material is supplemented by a series of well thought out questions which enable the reader to helpfully engage with the Issues that have been raised. The questions continue throughout the book

Honeysett writes on the premise that what the universities and media teach today we all have to live with tomorrow In part two he further explores the influences of the post-modernity with particular reference to the universities and television.

He asks what the moral consequences might be as these influences seep into our culture and churches.

Meltdown is well written, accessible and engaging, not particularly easy qualities to achieve with this subject matter. While it is clearly written in the context of contemporary university life, if you or your into culture you could go a long way to better book.

It could be a helpful resource too for those thoughtful young Christians in your youth fellowship who about to spread their wings and leave for College.

However, Meltdown is neither a light nor a comfortable read. In fact it could be something of a wake-up call.

It is a disturbing revelation to discover that the way you view the world around you is more powerfully shaped by the invisible influences of contemporary post-modem culture than it is the Christian values and ethics You always thought were at the centre of your life.

The Revd Dr Roger Standing is Regional Minister / Team Leader for the Southern Counties Baptist Association.

By kind permission of the Baptist times