History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

The Blessing Cup: Prayer-Rituals for Families and Groups

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A Must for Families
Blessing Cup
A family tradition
An Important Resource for our Family

The Blessing Cup: Prayer-Rituals for Families and Groups
Rock Travnikar
Manufacturer: Saint Anthony Messenger Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0867164867

Customer Reviews:

A Must for Families.......2007-01-04

This little book is great. It provides beautiful and simple prayer services for different ocassions. This is a must for families interested in developing a family spirituality and family traditions. I highly recommend it. I often give it, together with a blessing cup, as a wedding gift.

Blessing Cup.......2006-03-16

I really like this book. It has been a wonderful spiritual tool for my family. The way it ties scripture and prayer to different events in our lives helps us see God more fully. It is a comfortable way to pray together and to bring our cares to God as a family. I have already purchased this book to give to others.

A family tradition.......2006-01-17

Having grown up using prayers from this book to start and bless important meals, I now pass the book on to friends. The book, coupled with a chalice to pass following the prayer selected, makes a great wedding or other celebratory gift. There are prayer rituals for practically every significant life event you can think of. Recently my husband and I reflected on the prayer in times of natural disaster following the Katrina hurricane. It's a great family tradition to use the Blessing Cup prayers.

An Important Resource for our Family.......2005-09-18

I am part of a large family with many of us attending different Christian churches. We have begun a tradition of offering a cup of blessing (Kiddush, from the Passover Meal) when we get together for a family event. This tradition allows to all "commune" together, uniting us in Christian love. The Blessing Cup is a perfect source of prayers for many occasions. I would recommend this tradition and the book to all families!

Upon This Rock: St. Peter and the Primacy of Rome in Scripture and the Early Church (Modern Apologetics Library)

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Wonderful book
Decent for dealing with Fundamentalists; otherwise, useless
Good Apologetics Resource
Borrow or buy used
The Mother of All Footnotes

Upon This Rock: St. Peter and the Primacy of Rome in Scripture and the Early Church (Modern Apologetics Library)
Stephen K. Ray
Manufacturer: Ignatius Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0898707234

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful book.......2007-06-21

First I have to say that this is a wonderful book. It's a slow read but full of a wealth of information. I've given away my first copy and have ordered a second for my own use. Though some have complained about the footnotes I find them of great use and one of the reasons why I think the book is wonderful. I would have taken me months (if not years) to research the same information on my own. Thanks Steve.

Decent for dealing with Fundamentalists; otherwise, useless.......2007-04-02

Supposing there was someone who along with rejecting the doctrine of Apostolic Succession also denied the historical fact that Peter was in Rome and that the Papacy existed, then this book would convert such an individual (assuming he was of good will) to a different opinion. I cannot deny that this is an excellent book for the Protestant polemicist or anyone else of like mind who has not taken the RC papal claims seriously. It is, after all, an undeniable fact that Catholicism is much closer to apostolic Christianity than Protestantism. However, the sad truth is that Upon This Rock (UTR) is, like the Westminster Confession, a proof-text disaster, an exercise in historical revisionism and excessive question-begging.

The fact that Steve Ray has written a lackluster apologetic manual does not imply that the RC papal theory is not true or that better arguments have not been put forward elsewhere; it means only that you will not find those arguments here. Ecclesiastical history as depicted by real Church historians (Catholic & non-Catholic) completely contradicts the claims made by Steve Ray, period. Truth be told, most of my views concerning Church history and papal primacy have been shaped and influenced by Catholic historians; I don't even have to bring in non-Catholic sources to construct a critique.

Steve Ray doesn't appear to have an adequate grasp of the RC papal theory he's defending which would explain why he overestimates the importance of certain quotes, downplays the importance of other quotes, and doesn't notice when the text he has cited actually conflicts with the definitions of Vatican I's Eternal Pastor. It doesn't matter if two of the necessary conditions are met if another four are not satisfied. For example, according to Vatican I, the pope's special perogatives come *immediately* from Christ Himself, not from conciliar decrees, but Ray cites texts which assert that the pope's ecclesial powers were *given* to him through conciliar decrees; this is a very big mistake. Same goes for the basis of Roman primacy. Quotations that he should be trying to explain away he uses as evidence.

He ignores nearly all of the available counter-evidence. He, for the most part, ignores the patristic exegesis of the relevant Petrine texts in the New Testament. He also ignores the opposing statements from the Fathers, along with those from various Local and Ecumenical Councils. This is an extraordinarily one-sided work. Here is some helpful advice for those upcoming Catholic apologists:

"This is not a book to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force." (Dorothy Parker)

Good Apologetics Resource.......2007-01-05

If you can manage to battle your way through the format of this book (%10 text and %90 footnotes) it is a great book to have in your library. It is not a reason-based approach to the issue of the primacy of Rome in the early Church as it is an overwhelming number of references and citations. The argument relies mostly on historical proof, however, it can get a bit tedious at times.

As a soon-to-be Catholic I think this book erased any questions in my mind about how the early Church regarded Rome and it is a nail in the coffin of independent congregationalist fundamentalists.

It is a great reference book which could be used by armchair apologists, if you are into that sort of thing. But it will require a bit of discipline to finish this book.

Borrow or buy used.......2006-10-28

The book was OK. I wish I'd borrowed it, though.

Let me explain... As a former university academic and a career R&D guy, I think it's important to cite one's sources carefully. However, this book has the oddest "style" of any book I have ever read. Basically, the book is a list of patristic quotations defending papal primacy. That's fine and useful as far as it goes, but the "book" part of the book is in the footnotes. Many, many pages are 80% (or more) footnote and 20% (or less) normal text. That makes reading the book a different sort of experience.

Beyond that, if you already agree with the Roman Church (as I do) about papal primacy, it's a great patristic reference source. Comprehensive, in fact. But if you are wondering about the doctrine, perhaps because you are considering converting to the Roman Catholic Church, I think you'll be very disappointed. I'm sorry I can't recommend a better book as I am a new convert going through the RCIA, but I cannot believe they do not exist. I think Wikipedia does a better job with the Big Picture, and I am not a big fan of Wiki.

The Mother of All Footnotes.......2006-05-31

Ray's book is a marvellous defense and historical explanation of papal primacy. He clearly knows his sources and the arguments of the Protestant and Eastern Orthodox dissenters. But why in heaven's name did his editor allow so many extensive and bloated footnotes? The footnotes do contain essential information, but these should have been part of the text. Constantly going from text to footnotes could aggravate one's vertigo. Some extended footnotes are even needlessly repeated such as that dealing with St Augustine on pages 92-93 and again on page 227. The book's information is valuable but the editing job is terrible.

Can We Rock the Gospel?: Rock Music's Impact on Worship and Evangelism

Average customer rating:

Lucarini & Blanchard make a point!
a compelling case
A balanced look at music out of balance
Lacking serious scholarship...
Disappointing

Can We Rock the Gospel?: Rock Music's Impact on Worship and Evangelism
John Blanchard , and Dan Lucarini
Manufacturer: Evangelical Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Customer Reviews:

Lucarini & Blanchard make a point!.......2007-09-21

After nearly ten years of full-time worship ministry, I've seen it all. Thanks to Monday Morning E-mail for reviewing this book last year; both of Lucarini's tomes have a good point to make though I disagree with some of his recommendations.
At this point in my life, I'm preparing to leave full-time ministry, and "Contemporary Christian Music" is the reason for my exodus. I have found that the music isn't so much the problem (there are "good" and "bad" songs throughout all of music history), however, there is an "attitudinal issue" with those who support CCM. While one reviewer criticizes Lucarini & Blanchard for just a "handful" of examples, as I read this book I thought it was talking about the church I presently serve (or, have served)!
The main issue is that volunteer "musicians" do not want someone with a music degree leading them; rather than raising their game (create a higher quality music ensemble), they prefer to "wallow" in mediocrity. Once again, we continue to "dumb-down" - the church continues to emulate society, rather than influence it! This is addressed in both books and I've experienced this first hand. There are MANY of us who have suffered the verbal and spiritual abuse firsthand from our "brothers and sisters." I have parents (and know of others) who will not attend today's church due to this attitude problem - I now have a greater respect and understanding for why people do not attend church.
This CCM movement is "ME" centered, not focused on Christ. It's all based upon the premise "if we build it, they will come." Notice the focus of that quote - where's God in the equation? Furthermore, I believe the main "mover and shakers" of this style are not the 20-somethings, but boomers (in their 50's+) who have a "my way or the highway" attitude. I've had personal comments from young adults of why the handbells (or similar "traditional" music ensembles) cannot play for the service on special ocassions. The issue is not with them, it's with the aforementioned boomers. I see ads for contemporary churches wanting to hire someone "no more than 35 years of age" with "five-ten years 'experience' in church music." This society has bought into young adults being the focus of who we should emulate - I guess this means Brittany Spears and Lindsay Lohan are shining examples for all of us to emulate! The sad part is that too many pastors and layleaders have bought this hype "hook, line and sinker."
While I firmly believe in its infancy (CCM) there was a purpose of renewal within the church, but Satan has taken over (for the most part). I have a Bachelor's and two Master's degrees in music, and there is NO place for me to serve full-time. While I disagree with Lucarini and Blanchard on the use of drums in worship, I do agree that the message needs to get across, and not be "drowned" out by other sounds. Music is such a powerful tool in this world and can be abused, too. The focus needs to remain on God's Holy (written) Word, not a 1960's "feel-good, warm-fuzzy feeling."
This book is a must read. The ironic thing is that when I first read about it on Monday Morning E-mail, I could not find it at any Christian bookstore within one hundred miles! Why? Because this is Christianity's "dirty little secret" and no one wants to debate this issue, let alone affect "sales" of all that "great" contemporary music! I pray for God's church - false worship is something Paul warned about! We need to get our focus back on Him, not on what "we" want. Thanks, Dan & Ken, for warning us and prompting us to get "in focus."

a compelling case.......2007-03-21

The authors make a compelling case against the use of rock music in the church. As a professional classical musician and also a worship band drummer, this is a very serious issue to me. There are a few small gaps of logic in their arguments and some examples given are not entirely fair, but overall, they do a thorough and biblically sound job of asking (and answering) a question critical to the health of our churches.

A balanced look at music out of balance.......2007-01-07

As I write, I'm the third reviewer with two negative reviews preceding me. I very much disagree with those reviews about this book, and believe it to be a balanced view of a difficult issue. I do agree with one previous reviewer that this book is too late. The "war" for conservative music is over, and conservatives have lost. No surprise here. The world will continue to encroach upon the true church until the rapture. One reviewer admitted that rock music churches are not conservative with his statement, "Even many conservative churches have already made the move to worship led by guitar." If Christian rock made its way into the church through liberals, what does that make the "conservative" churches once they accept it?

The book does some good background study into the history of rock music, explaining the roots of its label coming from sexual immorality. The fact that rock is now well accepted in most styles of music does not negate that fact, it simply illustrates John Makujina's point ("Measuring the Music") that as a culture, we have been desensitized to the sound of rock. You have to admit, it's everywhere. The question this book addresses is, "Is it appropriate for the Church?" and the answer is "No."

The authors are not against modern music in church. They do not call us to return to the "old hymns" and nothing else. Good music is being written and published today, in many cases with theologically better lyrics than the slanted and traditionalized hymns of old. What the authors examine is the music that accompanies those lyrics. The music conveys a message on its own.

It is an easy read, filled with examples of the points being made, and does not have an "in your face" attitude. If you love rock music and get angry at anyone who would challenge your love, then don't read the book. If you are willing to be challenged to think about worldliness, associations, and the design of music (we're not talking lyrics here), then this would be a good read.

One reviewer thinks the book leads to a dead end with no suggestions on where to go to worship correctly. That is only the case if you think there is no music other than rock music. Sadly, for many today that is a practical truism for their lives.

Many have actually studied music and its effects in the past. One such person is Mickey Hart of the Greatful Dead. I've read his "Drumming at the edge of magic." A fascinating semi-autobiographical sketch of his pursuit of rhythm. Without rhythm all music is dead, but all things in balance. It's interesting to get a drummer's view of the influence of rhythm, and he's not really interested in morality or balance. John Makujina presents some good studies along this line in his book. Most Christians today simply are not willing to study this topic. Most are willingly ignorant and prefer to live by what they like. "Can we rock the gospel?" challenges that complacency.

May we begin to eat some meat. "Hebrews 5:14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

Is this the most important topic in life? No, but "Can we rock the gospel?" will help you in your discernment, if you're willing to listen.

Lacking serious scholarship..........2006-11-27

Part of my function in life is to serve as a Christian apologist. This invariably means that at some point books such as this arrive at my attention from people who want me to comment. The challenge is when the person bringing such things to me is an outsider to the Christian faith. How do I respond, when as far as they are concerned Christians exist as a bunch of brainless unthinking killjoys, and they say that this book reinforces their point?

Premise: Rock music is morally evil, and Christians who allow it will destroy the potency and power of the Gospel as well as slipping in to moral decline.

Methodology: There is an attempt to develop this view by showing that the history of rock music originates in Africa in slavery etc, and that presumably its origins are evil. Rock music has a beat, and this beat controls you, they say. The authors believe that Christians are unable to respond to this 'beat' in Godly ways. From this, the argument proceeds to show the evil of rock music's influences upon others. Examples given are Jimmy Hendrix and the usual culprits, but why not extend the argument to Bon Scott, Nikki Sixx, Janis Joplin or a host of others. Supposedly this proves their point - rock music results in self-destructive behaviour, one which they extend to the inevitable corruption of the church. Because of this we need to throw rock music out and embrace the traditional hymns.

Critique: Firstly, whether or not rock music has origins in moral depravity is actually quite irrelevant as to whether it is moral or not. Consider for a second the history of sexuality. Certain sexual positions are considered morally evil as they are found in certain societies with certain moral decline. This situation is saved by the missionaries who introduce the missionary position as a means of sexuality without the inherent moral decline caused by other positions. The problem is that it is not a valid argument, it is a genetic fallacy, it is an irrelevant appraisal of music based on its beginnings. The weakness of this book is the consistent use of such genetic fallacies, none of which are valid. Secondly: The beat controls you. Does it? Perhaps a better way of understanding music is that music (as Schopenhauer puts it) is a copy of the will. Music is actually an expression of our true selves, not an evil presence that has developed from an immoral society as the authors would have you believe. Now this doesn't mean that we should express everything, but it is a good clue as to who we are. Psychologists tell us that these desires as expressed by rock music are universal. It is a much stronger argument to suggest that these desires (and this beat) are God given and a part of our humanness rather than a fallen aspect of ourselves, just as there is no biblical example to suggest that certain sexual positions should be taboo. The authors of this book promote the power of the spirit of rock music as being very potent indeed, in fact it appears far more powerful that the Holy Spirit at work in the believer. In the book Christians are painted as weak creatures who need to run away from the world rather than to enjoy it. This follows with a slippery slope argument that rock music leads to moral decline. But there is no reason to suppose that it is true, and no valid reason is given. An attempt to prove this is made by associating the decline of the lives of Jimi Hendrix etc due to rock music. I find this section the least convincing. So what if Jimi Hendrix died of a drug OD? It is just as easy to demonstrate a multitude of churches that are benefiting and blossoming from rock music, the books argument is completely invalid, it is purely a fallacy of false cause. I think the authors are trying to prove this as guilt via association. To use my illustration from before; does having sex in certain positions result in immorality, well according to the logic of the authors it does. The book completely fails to build a case as to why rock music is evil and it never successfully demonstrates any evidence to link the results and the music. What about Bono from U2, or Peter Garrett from Midnight oil? What about those that benefit from it?The book is unfair in its treatment of the issue. Ultimately it boils down to a pragmatic argument. What they are really saying is 'In our experience rock music causes moral decline' This is easily countered by saying that 'In our experience rock music helps to reach others.' The authors condemn this pragmatic argument though, without realising that this is precisely the argument that they are making themselves, hence they fall on their own sword. It is woefully inadequate scholarship, pure rhetoric, and the most stunning revelation of this book is that Blanchard agreed to put his name on it, maybe he just wrote the forward.

Worse still is the ahistorical reading of history. In contrast to the `evil' nature of rock music, the traditional hymns are seen as `good'. There is no real attempt to justify this it is just assumed. But let's look back at history for a second. As Alister McGrath points out the traditional hymns have a somewhat interesting history as well beginning with the renaissance. There was an epistemological crisis whereby revelation was excluded and pure rationality was in. Stain glass windows were painted, the church buildings were painted all in aid of teaching a congregation that was devoid of revelation. Fortunately, the Pentecostal movement fixed this and revelation and experience was back in, along with rock music -much to the author's horror. The authors seem to be advocating a return to Immanuel Kant's world, one of pure reason. Do we really want this?

"Some rock music contains evil messages therefore all rock music is evil." It's a stupid argument and it makes me wonder why seemingly intelligent men abandon their brains. Clearly there is something else going on here. This leads us to what the book is really about? I actually think this book is about two men advocating a certain type of Christianity. It seems to me that this is actually a call for a return to a type of modernist church, such as we see in the 1950s and 1960s. At the heart of it is a form of self-hatred and legalism, a powerless and spiritless Christianity, a problem that I think Lucarini in particular is clearly struggling with, if he's aware of it. Fortunately such a church construction has long ago been dethroned, and God willing, will not return. Blanchard and Lucarini's work cannot be considered a serious attempt, and is really just a dated, shrill cry from the 1950s. Unless you are a modernist protestant, or you enjoy laughing over the plight of weak non-thinking Christians, then don't waste your time here.

It was interesting to see Curriers review. He claims that this book is a balanced assesment. How, he does not say, not does he outline why rock music is bad, which for that matter is a move the authors fail to achieve as well. Now, personally I don't really listen to Christian rock, actually I find it pretty aweful mostly. Not because it is inherantly evil, but because of taste. For this to have been a balanced review, the author, Lucialoony would have needed to consult the theological history on the topic, or at the very least, find a passage from scripture. No attempt is made and the results show. Consider, for 300 years in the medieval period it was considered sinful to make a move from C to F#, then it was sinful to play music in minor chords. Of course dance was sinful at one stage (apparently it leads to something) and sex was even evil at one stage (apparently it leads to pleasure - which is of course, well, evil). Luciarini's contribution to this effort - the beat is evil. Good job. Idiot.

Not that it matters. Theologians have already wiped the floor with this nonsense. This book is merely a wail from the vanquished, who we rightly care nothing about.

Disappointing.......2006-10-27

The thesis of this book is made abundantly clear on the cover. A young man, jamming on an (unplugged) electric guitar, towers over a Bible which lies face-down, trampled and forgotten underfoot. Can We Rock the Gospel? According to the John Blanchard and Dan Lucarini, no, we cannot. "The authors make no secret of the fact that we count ourselves among those who are offended by rock music in God's service and are truly perplexed that so many other Christians go to such great lengths to defend their use of it in both worship and evangelism. We are also concerned at the way in which some leaders, from their positions of power within the church, have forced it upon the rest of us." So the authors adopt the position that rock music is always and objectively wrong. Period. While the emphasis of the book is clearly that rock music is wrong for worship and evangelism, they make it clear that it is wrong at any time and in any situation. This is hardly a unique position but one that, in my view, would depend on clearly an unequivocally defining exactly what constitutes rock music. Unfortunately, the authors do not do this. They make a brief attempt in the third chapter, presenting the following three principles as being true of rock music:

* Constant repetition. This repetition is dangerous because of the potential hypnotic effect of repetitive music. "Any medium of presentation that induces any loss of self-control or awareness and makes the listener unusually susceptible to whatever suggestions are made by the lyrics is clearly dangerous, and will almost certainly encourage a response that will be largely psychological instead of that which God requires, which is that we should worship him 'in spirit and truth.'"
* A driving beat. "The backbeat dominates in most rock music songs, hard, soft or otherwise." These beats can become hypnotic and lead people to become almost drunk on music. "The element of relentless beat and repetition in rock music increases the danger of a shallow, emotional, unthinking response, made at the wrong level and for the wrong reasons."
* Volume. "We need not waste time proving that volume is an important element in rock music." The emphasis on volume makes rock music unsuitable for worship or evangelism where the emphasis must be on the words of the songs. "Any method or medium ... which makes the Word of God more difficult ot hear, and therefore to be understood, is not serving the cause of God but actually hindering it."

Strangely, this is as much of a definition as the authors provide. They do point to a wide variety of forms of music they would associate with the moniker "rock music," and these range from folk and pop all the way to death metal and gangster rap. They quote lyrics and describe artists who barely brush the keys of pianos alongside those who tear relentlessly at distorted and amplified electric guitars. They discuss the Hymns category of Christian music "where you can find Jars of Clay rocking out on 'It is Well With My Soul.'" So clearly even this song, which I believe has only acoustic guitar, bass and subtle drums, is categorized as rock music (you can hear a short sample of the song here at Amazon). Essentially, it seems that, in the authors' minds, all popular music must be categorized as rock. If rock can be acoustic guitar, drums and bass, even played quietly and well "under" the lyrics, it seems that almost everything is rock.

So here are the premises of this book: all popular music is rock and all rock is bad. If Jars of Clay's rendition of "It is Well With My Soul" is rock, and thus wrong, so must be most of the songs we sing on Sunday mornings. The music of Sovereign Grace must be wrong. The modern renditions of hymns produced by Indelible Grace must be wrong. And so on.

The authors build this case by pointing time and again to secular rock artists, and usually the absolute worst of this music, and then apply the negative conclusions to all rock music, a term they define, as we have seen, far too loosely to be helpful. While some of their arguments are sound, others are almost embarrassing. Rock music (like "It is Well With My Soul"), it seems, makes people move, and this movement mimics sexual movements, thus encouraging people to act out the movements with illicit sex. As with many similar books, this one commonly leans upon strange European death metal bands no one has ever heard of and bands from the seventies that no one listens to anymore. While this may not change the facts, it does make the case seem somehow less than well-researched (especially when compared to a presentation such as Hells Bells 2 which focuses more on bands that are popular today). It is easy to quote George Harrison from the sixties saying that rock music appeals only to the youth, but this was 40 years ago. The youth of the sixties are no longer young, and many generations now embrace popular music. It is no longer foreign music to the majority of believers. And so on. Time would fail me to address all of the arguments presented.

Now the book is not all bad. The authors make some important points. They point out, rightly, I believe, that there is really no such thing as Christian rock. There are Christian words, but no Christian music. There is good music and bad music, music that reflects the glory of God and music that does not. But there is no music that is truly Christian. They emphasize as well that the emphasis of preaching, teaching and evangelism must be on the clear presentation of the gospel. Pastors and evangelists must ensure that music does not interfere with this. They show as well that the rock and roll lifestyle is one largely opposed to God and one that can be difficult to reconcile with a commitment to Christ. They follow on the heels of Steve Camp in pointing out some of the hypocrisies in the Christian music industry, not the least of which is tours emphasizing worship sponsored by secular companies. All of these are good and worthwhile emphases. Yet it seems to me that they simply cannot defend their case.

One statement I found particular telling came in the authors' discussion of rock's "red flags." They discuss worship and write "worship is characterized by reverence, modesty and humility, and has nothing that even remotely aims at our pleasure and entertainment." I would disagree emphatically with an aspect of this statement! I believe that worship should be pleasurable to both ourselves and to God. It may not be entertaining, but surely it should be pleasurable! They even go so far as to suggest that some music is simply too good for church, as music that is truly brilliant will distract people by its quality. As much as they claim to love music, it almost seems that the authors are intimidated by it and are unnaturally suspicious of it. They want to find clear guidance in Scripture as to the styles of music and disregard any kind of personal or cultural preference. I don't think Scripture offers us that level of guidance in this situation.

Near the beginning of the book the authors state "rock music is dividing the church." They present a handful of letters from concerned readers to back this claim. It is true that the church has recently battled through "the worship wars," but it seems to me this is now a decade or two behind us. Of course there will always be disagreement about styles of worship. There will always be some who prefer one style of music over another and there is nothing wrong with this. But I think this book comes too late. Even many conservative churches have already made the move to worship led by guitar. It seems that, according to the authors, this must qualify as rock music. These churches will not revert to organ or a capella anytime soon. I appreciate the concerns of these authors, but most pastors and leaders have already worked through these issues and are comfortable with the choices they have made. I can't help but feel the more important issue today focuses more on the lyrics of the songs we sing and the hearts of those who sing them. We can focus on the assembly of instruments at the front of the room, but I think it must be more important to worry about what we sing and how we sing it.

The authors of Can We Rock the Gospel? assemble a case depending on cliches and build it upon a loose definition of rock music. After they have torn down this house of cards, they make no alternate suggestions. How are we then to worship? What musical options are left? They are long on diagnosing the condition, but short on proposing any kind of alternative. As much as I had hoped I would enjoy this book, I simply found it a mess. I was disappointed.

Marriage: The Rock on Which the Family Is Built

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Marriage: The Rock on Which the Family Is Built
William E. May
Manufacturer: Ignatius Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0898705371

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Exciting and Easy to Read
Great read and very challenging
highly practical
Rock Solid Kids

Rock-Solid KIDS
Larry Fowler
Manufacturer: Gospel Light Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0830737138

Customer Reviews:

Exciting and Easy to Read.......2007-05-08

This book is encouraging to read since those of us who have worked with children's ministry have some of these same thoughts. Sometimes, it is hard to articulate the consistency that children need to grow spiritually. At other times, we are just tired of saying the same things to those around us.

This is a great book to have if you are just starting out, or if you need to be energized!!!

Great read and very challenging.......2006-11-09

This book was written very well and had a few challenges for me to work through.

I would definately recommend this book as a must read for families, those who work with kids, those who are thinking of working with kids. it truly does a great job of challenging you in how do you really value kids? Do you see them as valuable, one who christ died for? Do you see them as a tool to get to the parents? What about a bother?

Maybe you already work with kids but you find yourself preparing for your time with them getting shorter and shorter. This is a tell discussed in the book that even as a full time childrens pastor of 15+ years I found myself challenging to think through.

highly practical .......2006-10-26

This book is extremely helpful for those wanting to minister to children. It's wisdom is drawn straight from the Word of God. It's only 139 pages but it definately brought sharing the gospel with kids into clear focus for me. It's not just a bunch of alarmist theory and statistics; it's a highly practical guide for families and churches. There are 8 chapters and each is based on a passage of scripture related to children.

Rock Solid Kids.......2005-10-07

This book is an excellent study exclaiming the need to give children a Biblical foundation. This book shows how vitally important the children's ministry is to the future of the church. It declares that we have an opportunity as christians to make a mark for Christ by sharing with children the clear and effectual gospel of Christ. I wholeheartedly agree with it and recommend it. The children's ministry is not a babysitting service; it is the most fertile ground for sharing the gospel and impacting the future of the church. This book is very well written and an enlightening read.

The Rock of Our Redeemer: Talks from the 2002 Byu Women's Conference

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Thank you sisters!

The Rock of Our Redeemer: Talks from the 2002 Byu Women's Conference
Women's Conference (2002 Brigham Young University)
Manufacturer: Deseret Book Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1570089116

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Thank you sisters!.......2007-04-02

I appreciated the insights the speakers give. It has fantastic insights into the Atonement and the teachings carry a strong Spirit. I recommend it highly.

Rock and the Pop Narcotic: Testament for the Electric Church

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NOT a third edition

Rock and the Pop Narcotic: Testament for the Electric Church
Joe Carducci
Manufacturer: Redoubt Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0962761214

Customer Reviews:

NOT a third edition.......2005-06-21

If you own the second edition, published by 2.13.61 in the mid-90s, be aware that this is an exact reprint. I believe the only new material is a 1.5-page preface, and there is a different cover design (the new art is a painting based on the photo on the cover of the second edition). Redoubt misleads in calling this a 3rd edition. Unless you're sick of dirtying the pages of your second edition and want a brand-new copy, you don't need this. I rate this 5 stars for content and 1 for the false labeling.

Upon This Rock : The Miracles of a Black Church

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The church's firm foundation...
A Rock in a weary land
A story of faith, tribulations and victory
A story of faith, tribulations and victory
A powerful, challenging account of contemporary Christianity

Upon This Rock : The Miracles of a Black Church
Samuel G. Freedman
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060924594

Book Description

In this widely acclaimed bestseller, the author of Small Victories tackles another explosive issue, this time race in America, by taking an in-depth look at the pastor of a thriving black church in one of New York's most desperate slums.

Customer Reviews:

The church's firm foundation..........2003-10-19

Samuel Freedman has done a remarkable job in his chronicle of the story of Reverend Johnny Ray Youngblood, a pastor of a now-thriving urban church, St. Paul Community Baptist Church. This narrative covers the history of Youngblood from before his arrival at St. Paul's, a once-thriving but fallen-upon-hard-times congregation, through Youngblood's early struggles to turn the situation around, finally into their days of success as a growing centre of ministry.

Youngblood is not the typical African-American minister, and realises this in many ways. He is compared with other ministers of significant churches, with education backgrounds at Harvard and the like, and contrasted by Freedman with those ministers who feel all that is needed for effective ministry is 'the call'. Youngblood realises that education can sometimes be a distraction, and can sometimes get in the way -- the person in pew will want the answer to the question, 'What does this mean for me?' -- but should not be abandoned or discounted in its importance.

Youngblood experienced conflict as a central feature of his ministry: conflict within the congregation, conflict within his family, and conflict with society at large. Youngblood accepted conflict head-on in many instances -- he stood up to the leaders of the congregation from the earliest times (indeed, Youngblood says that in many ways, he tried to sabotage his own accession to the pastorate at St. Paul so as not to have to deal with their problems), and dealt firmly with people and issues, as is often expected from ministers in the African-American tradition.

Even from his seminary days, when he was forced out of a student-pastorship position, conflict seemed inevitable, such that the very idea of ministry frightened Youngblood in many ways. However, there was grace in the presence of Reverend William Augustus Jones, pastor of a Brooklyn church, and instructor on the urban church experience, particularly the church in the ghetto. It was Jones who drew Youngblood to New York City, and Jones whose gentle, astute mentoring shaped Youngblood into an effective minister.

One somewhat disturbing piece in this narrative is the absence of his wife and family for the most part; we as readers know a bit of the issues of family from Youngblood's perspective, but do not hear the voices of those who were, or at least who one assumes were, the closest companions in Youngblood's ministry.

One of the ideas that comes across in this book is that the process of ministry is a never-ending education, a learning on-the-job that never stops as long as the ministry is effective. It also shows that conflict and struggle are part of the very fabric of ministry, never to be eliminated, even if it is occasionally ignored. This book is not to be ignored -- it is a success story on many levels. Freedman's sensitivity and insight into a community not his own is remarkable.

A Rock in a weary land.......2000-11-02

This book takes you on a journey filled with the miracles of faith and power of prayer. You can feel each trial and tribulation in your heart. I have visited this church after reading this book and the warmth and love is all over the church. This pastor has endured much, in order to dedicate his life to his calling. I was inspired to reach out and believe me it was a rock for me as a child of Christ and I was able to dedicate myself to the cause of Christ. It is a must read for all, young and old. My children, and my childrens children will read this.

A story of faith, tribulations and victory.......1998-12-01

This book chronicles a Brooklyn church and its community amid the crime, drugs and despair of the black community. However , faith and learning to believe in the Lord and his ultimate plan for an individual and his community makes this church an oasis amid the storms. It is a story of a pastor, with his own demons, trying to be resopnsible for the souls of his congregation and the thin ice on which he must tread. This book will make you look at the inner city and its churches in a different light.

A story of faith, tribulations and victory.......1998-12-01

A powerful, challenging account of contemporary Christianity.......1998-03-21

This book was well written and well resourced and led me on a pilgrimage to this black Mecca.

Nuclear Waste Stalemate: Political and Scientific Controversies

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Nuclear Waste Stalemate: Political and Scientific Controversies
Robert Vandenbosch , and Susanne E Vandenbosch
Manufacturer: University of Utah Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0874809037

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