23 April 2011

Review: Unwrapping the Pharaohs: How Egyptian Archaeology Confirms the Biblical Timeline


Unwrapping the Pharaohs: How Egyptian Archaeology Confirms the Biblical TimelineUnwrapping the Pharaohs: How Egyptian Archaeology Confirms the Biblical Timeline by John F. Ashton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A very cool and interesting book going into great detail for newcomer to the study of Egypt. Dates, images, artifacts and more are given in beautiful display on this large coffee table style book. Showing the fallacies in typical "orthodox" dating of Egyptian chronology, and how when a reduced history is adopted as many modern scholars have suggested, it makes the Bible's chronology connect and align with the Egyptian timeline, providing cool insights into biblical texts. I really enjoyed this book, and now would love to go visit this land and see these sites up close and personal.

18 April 2011

Review: The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity (Jeffrey Burton Russell)


The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive ChristianityThe Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity by Jeffrey Burton Russell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


WOW! What a book, and what a history lesson. The first half of the book covers so much mythology, ancient Eastern views of evil, and enough odd names and stories to make your head spin. Yet all along you start to see some similarities shared and transferred from culture to culture, until you finally hit the second half of the book, which deals with evil in the Hebrew and biblical context.

This was (to me) the most fascinating section, as it is an area I knew a little more about already. The author uses many ancient apocryphal and extra-biblical writings to show the developing mindset that seems to have eventually led to the more modern view of evil and the Devil that is believed today.