Finally, proof that I do more that post cartoons on my blog-the book I wrote as part of my postdoctoral research in the Milltown Institute and which was funded by the Irish Jesuits (no longer can I confuse people by saying I’m a Jesuit postdoctoral student. Yes women can get funding too....). Publishing your first book is weird. I can’t think of any academic terminology that better sums the experience up, so I’m going to stick with “weird” for the time being. Having your work out there for people to read and comment on without you sitting over their shoulder explaining yourself has to be one of the most terrifying things I’ve ever done (and I’ve tried to teach sexual ethics to the fifth years). I was ridiculously lucky to get a contract with Continuum (who are now owned by Bloomsbury, so I can legitimately say that myself and J.K. Rowling share the same publisher) who were very patient with all my spelling mistakes and my naive idea that it was a good call to publish something with English, Classical Arabic, Hebrew and Greek in it. English all the way in the next one I swear...
So give a kid a break and buy a copy for friends, family, co-workers....the dog...just once they don’t actually read it. If you want a copy for review (nice things only!) please feel free to email me or Continuum. The preview is available on Google Books and the blurb below
This book offers a welcome solution to the growing need for a common language in interfaith dialogue; particularly between the three Abrahamic faiths in our modern pluralistic society. The book suggests that the names given to God in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and the Qur’an, could be the very foundations and building blocks for a common language between the Jewish, Christian and Islamic faiths. On both a formal interfaith level, as well as between everyday followers of each doctrine, this book facilitates a more fruitful and universal understanding and respect of each sacred text; exploring both the commonalities and differences between each theology and their individual receptions.
In a practical application of the methodologies of comparative theology, Maire Byrne shows that the titles, names and epithets given to God in the sacred texts of Judaism, Christianity and Islam contribute towards similar images of God in each case, and elucidates the importance of this for providing a viable starting point for interfaith dialogue.
Lordie, I've come over all American on my self-promotion, next thing will be business cards ;)
At the IBA recently, there was a bit of a mad scramble to pick up books to review for PIBA (Proceedings of the IBA) and I got to choose between a large (it made Raymond E. Brown's work look like a pamphlet) hardback on something obscure on a Gospel or a pink suede Bible. Can you guess what I chose to write my 1000 words on? I now have a shiny new Bible to add to my collection-which I spoke about recently to my sixth year class. Well at least now I know how to make their jaws hang open....how can you not be cool with a bible collection? Though if by collection you mean a few hundred packed in boxes and piled in various different shelves and corners then I am your curator :)
The Fire Bible: Student Edition (FBSE) is a study bible, designed specifically for university students. The FBSE is based on the original notes in the Full Life Study Bible which was revised as the Life in the Spirit Study Bible and is published in this English edition by Hendrickson and Life Publishers. It is marketed as being the “first true Pentecostal Bible for students” which “ignites a generation in the Word of God”.
While most Christian denominations have several editions and translations of the Bible that are deemed to be “official” or that are recommended for use in Liturgy or private study, there are very few Pentecostal Bibles in existence. The Full Life Study Bible was started in the early 1980s as an individual missionary project by the late missionary Don Stamps (1938-1991). While serving in Brazil, he recognized a great need among pastors and lay workers for a study Bible written from a Pentecostal perspective. The Full Life Study Bible was written for those who would study the text in depth and made the assumption that the reader had some previous biblical knowledge. This edition is now out of print as the Life in Spirit Study Bible was published by Zondervan. This edition had very few changes from the original version. The FBSE reviewed here was published in April 2010 by Hendrickson and Life Publishers and is based on the New International Version of the Bible. The notes and format of the Full Life Study Bible have been edited with students in mind. If the two editions are compared, the FBSE is at pains to explain theological terms clearly and fully. No assumption is made of any prior knowledge of the Bible or Pentecostal theology. The language level is deliberately aimed at high school students and those in college or university. However, it is very different to Bibles that are normally written for teenagers and young adults, such as the Teen Study Bible (Zondervan, 1999) which is written in language that is directly aimed at “hip and cool” teenagers.
The style of the FBSE stays away from a more devotional format and instead tracks what the editors see as twenty major theological themes throughout the biblical text. Each book of the Bible is given a thorough introduction. For example, with the book of Psalms, there is an outline of the book with notes on the divisions, including authorship, the predominant Divine Name, frequent topics in the text and the resemblance to the Pentateuch. The background to the text is given in some detail, including a good introduction to the technicalities of the Hebrew poetry within the text. The purpose of the psalms is discussed, though here the commentary does some disservice to a Jewish understanding of the Psalms, describing them as “Holy Spirit-inspired prayers and praises”. The introduction surveys the 150 psalms with a focus on the different genres of psalms and notes the special features of the poetry, in the style of “need to know facts”. Each introduction to a book from the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament has a section on “New Testament Fulfillment”, in this case focusing on the prophetic psalms and how the psalms are used in the New Testament. There is also a section on dividing up the psalms to read them in conjunction with the rest of the Old Testament in one year, with 44 days given to the psalms. Ample space is allocated for note and personal reflections on the text. The biblical text (NIV) is given at the top of the page with roughly half the page given over to notes and commentary on the text. Various terms in the text are explained in notes and there is commentary on each verse.
The FBSE is marked as a key resource for Campus Missionaries, who are Christian students who accept responsibility to preach the Pentecostal message of “forgiveness and new life through faith in Jesus” and at various stages in the commentary on biblical texts, a link is given to where the text is useful in one of the five commitments of Campus mission (Serve, Give, Pray, Live and Love).
There are over eighty “key issue” articles such as “Creation”, “Divine Healing”, “Assurance to Salvation” and “Food Sacrificed to Idols”. There are 45 easy-to-read charts, illustrations and maps and clearly laid out indexes (both subject and themes). There is a concordance for finding biblical verse more easily by looking up key words. The detailed glossary (p 2265) provides practical definitions to terms used in the bible itself and in the study notes. In keeping with the focus on making the text accessible to a younger audience, twelve key themes are marked out throughout the text using symbols (e.g. a dove for “Baptized in/Filled with the Holy spirit”, and a bolt of lightning for “victory over Satan and demons”. One of the most useful and indeed fun lists is a chart of weights and measures that are used in the Bible (p 1953), converted into modern American and metric equivalents.
The FBSE is also well made, with good quality paper and a solid binding that will withstand the rigours of daily study and use. The font is small (7 font) though the style, layout and heavy black font means that it is not as difficult to read as some versions The cover is sturdy and well designed for the target audience, though all may not find the pink and grey suede soft cover (flexisoft) of my review copy to their taste, a variety of colours are available.
Just got an email to say my latest review for the Review of Biblical Literature has been published online. It's of Sacred Tropes: Tanakh, New Testament, and Qur'an As Literature and Culture, edited by Roberta Sabbath and costing a mere $241 on Amazon at the moment.
The Faddan More Psalter, a remarkable 1,200-year-old manuscript found in a north Tipperary bog four years ago, has provided astonishing evidence of links between the early Christian Church in Ireland and the Middle Eastern Coptic Church.
As a painstaking conservation process came to its conclusion, tiny fragments of papyrus were discovered in the lining of the Egyptian-style leather binding of the manuscript, which was unearthed by Eddie Fogarty in a mechanical digger in the townland of Faddan More, not far from Birr, in July 2006.
The discovery of Egyptian papyrus represents the first tangible connection between early Irish Christianity and the Middle-Eastern Coptic Church and has confounded some of the accepted theories about the history of early Christianity in Ireland.
Four years ago the find was heralded by Dr Pat Wallace, director of Ireland's National Museum, as "the most important day in the history of the museum since 1868 when the Ardagh Chalice came in".
The four-year conservation process has strengthened that view.
"It was a miraculous thing that the manuscript survived at all. It was found by Mr Fogarty who was cutting turf.
"It was also remarkable that Mr Fogarty and the family he was working for, the Leonards of Riverstown, were familiar with the work of the National Museum and knew exactly what to do to protect a manuscript found in wet bog.
"They immediately covered it with wet turf and this was absolutely vital in preserving the manuscript. If they hadn't done that it would have been obliterated in a few hours in the sunshine," Dr Wallace told the Sunday Independent.
The fragmented illuminated vellum manuscript encased in an unusual leather binding is a book of psalms dating back to the late Eighth Century but its origins remain a mystery.
One suggestion is that the Psalter was dumped in the bog along with a crumpled leather bag and an animal pelt to hide the book, both of which were well preserved.
The manuscript sat upright in the bog for over 1,000 years suggesting it may have been thrust into the soaking wet ground as the holder fled.
There was an ancient monastery in Birr but no links to that site were discovered during the conservation process, which was filmed over the last four years by Crossing the Line Films. The film will be shown on Tuesday on RTE One at 10.15pm.
The documentary follows leading Irish book conservator John Gillis as he set about preserving and conserving this unique find.
The Eighth Century manuscript will go on public display for the first time at the National Museum next year and will form the centrepiece of a permanent exhibition.
Dr Wallace said the psalter was so rare and important it now ranks among the top 10 of the thousands of objects in the national collection.
He said the work by senior conservator, John Gillis, 49, who is on secondment from Trinity College was of international importance.
"His achievement has been quite remarkable."
See the National Museum info on the Psalter with progress report
Picture I took in the Museum of Berlin-books are stuck to the floor and videos are shown of Nazis burning books they disagreed with. I didn't even like walking over them on the floor...
Even though I’m loathe to give Rev Terry Jones (this link is to is "church' site and has been difficult to access recenty due to heavy traffic) any more publicity, my crossness has driven me to blogging about his demand that we (as apparently right minded Christians ought to) burn copies of the Qur’an on the anniversary of the September 11th bombings, as some sort of message to Islamic extremists.
US president Barack Obama today warned that a Florida pastor's plan to burn copies of the Koran is being used as an al-Qaeda recruitment tool and he urged the minister to reconsider the decision.
"This is a recruitment bonanza for al-Qaeda," Mr Obama said in an interview with ABC's Good Morning America program.
"You could have serious violence in places like Pakistan or Afghanistan. This could increase the recruitment of individuals who would be willing to blow themselves up in American cities or European cities," he said.
Former British prime minister Tony Blair also issued a plea to the evangelist not to go ahead with his plan to burn copies of the Koran on September 11th.
Mr Blair added his voice to those of the White House, the Vatican, the commander of international forces in Afghanistan General David Petraeus and film star Angelina Jolie, who all urged pastor Terry Jones to call off his protest.
But the pastor, who leads a tiny Florida church, insisted he would stage “International Burn-a-Koran Day” on Saturday, despite receiving more than 100 death threats.
Sky News reported that Anjem Choudary, former leader of the banned Islamist organisation Islam4UK, is calling on radical Muslim groups around the world to burn American flags outside US embassies in retaliation.
The pastor’s supporters have been mailing copies of the Islamic holy book, which Muslims believe should be treated with the utmost respect, to put on the bonfire at his Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville to mark the ninth anniversary of the September 11th attacks. The church has less than 50 members.
“Instead of us backing down, maybe it’s time to stand up," the pastor said. "Maybe it’s time to send a message to radical Islam that we will not tolerate their behaviour.”
In a statement, Mr Blair, who founded a Faith Foundation after leaving office to promote understanding between the world’s religions, said he "deplore" the act of burning the Koran.
“It is disrespectful, wrong and will be widely condemned by people of all faiths and none. In no way does this represent the view of any sensible person in the West or any other part of the world," he said. “Those who wish to cause religious conflict are small in number but often manage to dominate the headlines.
“You do not have to be a Muslim to share a sense of deep concern at such a disrespectful way to treat the Holy Book of Islam.
“Rather than burn the Koran, I would encourage people to read it.”
Now loathe as I am to agree with much of what Tony Blair has to say on matters of keeping people getting along with each other, he does have a point here. So on Saturday I shall make a point of reading as much as I can of the Qur’an. And hopefully lots of people will do the same. Sacred texts are sacred for a reason and special to a particular group of people. I love reading and studying the Qur’an as I’ve always been fascinated with Arabic (I learned basic Classical Arabic to read the original text). I also love the text itself as it uses a beautiful and poetic language which you can even see and hear in and English translation. I also love how when reading it, lots of the images and language remind me of biblical passages I’ve read-we’re not that much different! I’ve also found that by studying the theology in the Qur’an, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of my own, Christian theology and how we understand “our” God.
A Muslim mate of mine listens to his Qur’an on his IPhone on the way to work. I have an app on my phone that recites the different suras (chapters) so there’s no excuse! Have a look at the Yusuf Ali translation on Google Books and for more info have a look at Qur’an Explorer. The National Geographic has an excellent article on the Qur’an as a book of peace.
I went to the US for a holiday during the summer. It wasn't the most biblically focused trip (though I’m sure if I'd looked hard enough I'd have found some) but I did pick up a great book in Borders (oh how I miss thee) in San Francisco, The Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose.
The subtitle of the book is “A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University” so how could I turn it down? The book tells the story of how the Roose, the author of the book a semester out from college in Brown University (described as “a notch or two above Sodom and Gomorrah” to attend the evangelical equivalent of Notre Dame or Brigham Young, Liberty University, the largest Christian fundamentalist university in the United States. Roose was a cradle Quaker and was less hardliner anti-religion than I thought he would be at the start of his quest (I thought the whole book would be “Look at the Jesus Freaks” and I could take solace in the fact I wasn’t THAT much of a Jesus Freak. Being OT and all) Roose prepares well for attending university (it's Revelation, not Revelations) so that he can remain “undercover” and learn about the “real” attitudes of the students. Liberty is the late Reverend Jerry Falwell's "Bible Boot Camp" for young evangelicals (Falwell being the guy who tried to explain that September 11th was casued by "the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle" Nice). Liberty is seen as Falwell's training ground for the next generation of America's Religious Right but Roose deals with what he finds in a sympathetic, nuanced manner and is never condescending or glib, despite his immense (and understandable) difficulty with the overt anti-homosexual opinions of his fellow students.
I have to admit that some parts of the book are “laugh out loud” such as the time he went on an evangelising mission during Spring Break in Florida and when he pays a visit to Every Man's Battle, an on-campus support group for chronic masturbators. Roose is a brilliant writer-I’ll be looking out for more of his work but I also managed to learn lots about something I’ve always had a bit of a fascination with-the American Religious Right. I’ve been working a bit on the idea of being Irish and Catholic (and how you can differentiate the two) so the idea that your religion is such a huge part of your life and career was intriguing. And interesting to compare it to my time in Maynooth!
This was published by the great and mighty Intercom and is republished here with kind permission. Subscription to Intercom is as always heartily encouraged by this blog! I really like this book and intend to use it frequently this year.
All Together: Creative Prayer with Children makes it clear from the outset that it is not a “last minute” resource that should be dipped into to help facilitate last minute prayer groups or assemblies, rather it seeks to nurture and deepen the prayer life of the adults involved with children and facilitating their prayer. While it is primarily aimed at those working in an educational environment, it is extremely useful for anyone involved in a parish situation and appeals to a wide variety of age groups and abilities that may participate in the increasingly popular children’s Liturgy of the Word.
If we as adults consider how we worship, it is often a linear practice-we do the same things at the same time, following instructions such as “Let us pray together” or “now we shall stand and sing”. This is the outer symbolism of how we as a community come together to worship God. Anyone who has worked with children of a primary school age knows that children seldom operate in this way. They are used to fulfilling individual tasks, often several at a time, or working in small groups. It is always recognised that children present with different abilities and levels of participation and the often packed schedule of a children’s Liturgy of the Word can often struggle to accommodate their individual needs. This book, written by experienced catechists encourages you in a friendly and supportive way to engage with the children in your group so that the prayer is their prayer and in turn, it is their hearts and mind that are raised to God. The group exercises and methods of prayer detailed under various themes lend themselves well to the interactive classroom and curriculum or to the group format most commonly adopted during a children’s Liturgy of the Word. The authors strive to highlight that “prayer can never fully be taught” (93). Those who engage with younger children need to understand that it is much more than a technique, or a time when we ask God for favours but rather a conversation we have with God, not just using words, but engaging our hearts and minds. Children embrace change and can easily bore of the same format and this book promotes the need to make prayer accessible for all children. Formats of prayer discussed include dialogue, litany and eye-witness accounts, examples of which are all provided.
The book is clearly divided into sections and it is fruitful to read them in sequence, as the initial section on the Foundations of Creative Prayer with Children underlines the basis for the entire book, including an explanation of the keeping prayer with children “real”, namely that prayer must emanate from their concerns and express these concerns so that it truly is their prayer to God. The text allows for excellent guidelines and principles for the adult to begin the positive, creative and engaging liturgy, encouraging a rooting of the prayer in scripture and to provide a respect for Tradition.
Section two contains insights, explanations and creative resources for various liturgical seasons and occasions such as Advent and Lent as well as foundations, ideas and resources for celebrating Mary and the Saints. These three chapters focus on praying together in a group situation such as class or an assembly time. The fifth and final chapter focuses on creative ideas for individual prayer and is appropriate for group and individual use. All of the exercises are adaptable to a variety of situations, as well as ages and abilities. Each exercise is clearly laid out with foundations for the prayer subject, for example the exercise on Sorrow and renewal of life (105) explains how prayer is a movement from us to God and from God to us and how this explanation can be illustrated with the image of a bridge. The children write on one half of a piece of paper how things are now and on the other half how they would wish god to make things. They can then make a simple (depending on skill levels) Lego bridge and imagine in prayer the crossing from one side to another. Due to time constraints, a children’s Liturgy of the Word cannot always be completed in the church and therefore some of the prayer activities described can be adapted for home use, possibly involving parents and other family members.
Main points for the religious educator to communicate with the children are clearly laid out at the beginning of each prayer theme. It is imperative that the educator fully comprehends the liturgical basis for the activities also allowing for their prayer. Children can adopt what they have heard in the children’s Liturgy and apply it to their own life, facilitating Christian practice into their everyday being. Activities such as Sin Bin and Sorry beads are eminently suitable for this purpose.
This book review appeared in Intercom magazine (October 2009) and is reproduced here with the kind permssion of the editor.
Luke 11:1-“Lord teach us how to pray”
All Together: Creative Prayer with Children makes it clear from the outset that it is not a “last minute” resource that should be dipped into to help facilitate last minute prayer groups or assemblies, rather it seeks to nurture and deepen the prayer life of the adults involved with children and facilitating their prayer. While it is primarily aimed at those working in an educational environment, it is extremely useful for anyone involved in a parish situation and appeals to a wide variety of age groups and abilities that may participate in the increasingly popular children’s Liturgy of the Word.
If we as adults consider how we worship, it is often a linear practice-we do the same things at the same time, following instructions such as “Let us pray together” or “now we shall stand and sing”. This is the outer symbolism of how we as a community come together to worship God. Anyone who has worked with children of a primary school age knows that children seldom operate in this way. They are used to fulfilling individual tasks, often several at a time, or working in small groups. It is always recognised that children present with different abilities and levels of participation and the often packed schedule of a children’s Liturgy of the Word can often struggle to accommodate their individual needs. This book, written by experienced catechists encourages you in a friendly and supportive way to engage with the children in your group so that the prayer is their prayer and in turn, it is their hearts and mind that are raised to God. The group exercises and methods of prayer detailed under various themes lend themselves well to the interactive classroom and curriculum or to the group format most commonly adopted during a children’s Liturgy of the Word. The authors strive to highlight that “prayer can never fully be taught” (93). Those who engage with younger children need to understand that it is much more than a technique, or a time when we ask God for favours but rather a conversation we have with God, not just using words, but engaging our hearts and minds. Children embrace change and can easily bore of the same format and this book promotes the need to make prayer accessible for all children. Formats of prayer discussed include dialogue, litany and eye-witness accounts, examples of which are all provided.
The book is clearly divided into sections and it is fruitful to read them in sequence, as the initial section on the Foundations of Creative Prayer with Children underlines the basis for the entire book, including an explanation of the keeping prayer with children “real”, namely that prayer must emanate from their concerns and express these concerns so that it truly is their prayer to God. The text allows for excellent guidelines and principles for the adult to begin the positive, creative and engaging liturgy, encouraging a rooting of the prayer in scripture and to provide a respect for Tradition.
Section two contains insights, explanations and creative resources for various liturgical seasons and occasions such as Advent and Lent as well as foundations, ideas and resources for celebrating Mary and the Saints. These three chapters focus on praying together in a group situation such as class or an assembly time. The fifth and final chapter focuses on creative ideas for individual prayer and is appropriate for group and individual use. All of the exercises are adaptable to a variety of situations, as well as ages and abilities. Each exercise is clearly laid out with foundations for the prayer subject, for example the exercise on Sorrow and renewal of life (105) explains how prayer is a movement from us to God and from God to us and how this explanation can be illustrated with the image of a bridge. The children write on one half of a piece of paper how things are now and on the other half how they would wish god to make things. They can then make a simple (depending on skill levels) Lego bridge and imagine in prayer the crossing from one side to another. Due to time constraints, a children’s Liturgy of the Word cannot always be completed in the church and therefore some of the prayer activities described can be adapted for home use, possibly involving parents and other family members.
Main points for the religious educator to communicate with the children are clearly laid out at the beginning of each prayer theme. It is imperative that the educator fully comprehend the liturgical basis for the activities also allowing for their prayer. Children can adopt what they have heard in the children’s Liturgy and apply it to their own life, facilitating Christian practice into their everyday being. Activities such as Sin Bin and Sorry beads are eminently suitable for this purpose.
After a few months of searching I’ve finally come across a decent book for use in our Children’s Liturgy of the Word. Our group were looking for something accessible for all aspects of the format our meetings take and it was proving hard to locate a text that would be helpful but not cost the earth. This morning, the excellent (and cheap!) Book Depository delivered The Liturgy of the Word with Children by Katie Thompson and from a sneaky look, I love it.
The tag line of the book is “A Complete Three Year Program Following the Lectionary” which finally means we won’t have to chop and change for each year and now have lots of resources literally at our fingertips and won’t have to spend half our time trying to find out what the readings are for a particular Sunday. Each Sunday is given a detailed breakdown to include a focal point for the group, an introduction written in child-friendly language-It is geared to ages 5-8) several of these resources presume a rather biblically literate child. Not very helpful if you have a bunch of four year old!). There’s also a Gospel acclamation, a child friendly Gospel reading, Reflections (with questions and reflection points for all involved), and activity and intercessions. On the opposite page there’s lots of cute (I know, not a very biblically academic word) activities that you can photocopy. For example last week’s activity (where the Gospel was based on the wedding at Cana) was simple pottery jars that we could cut out lots of, get the children to colour in and then write on the back what they were thankful for. We could assemble them in a jug for bringing to the altar at the presentation of the gifts. The book take account of the fact that not all groups have oodles of time (listen to the next homily you have at Mass and try fitting all the above into it).
The book also comes with a music CD and offers informative background notes and directions for liturgy leaders, parents, catechists, and all who work with parish children
