Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp (Penguin Classics)

Book Description

Written partly in response to the criticisms of Uncle Tom's Cabin by both white Southerners and black abolitionists, Dred (1856) extends the plantation novel to examine, in the words of the author, "the views and reasonings of those who have bowed down to the yoke, and felt the iron enter their souls." Through the compelling stories of Nina Gordon, the mistress of a slave plantation, and Dred, a black revolutionary, Stowe brings to life conflicting beliefs about race, the institution of slavery, and the need for the radical action that erupted during the 1850s. Exploring the political and spiritual goals that fuel Dred's rebellion, she creates a figure far different from the acquiescent Christian martyr, Uncle Tom.

A bestseller in its day, and praised by many of Stowe's contemporaries including George Eliot, Dred deserves to be read in tandem with Uncle Tom's Cabin and for its compelling story.

Customer Reviews:

The other book by Harriet Beecher Stowe.......2006-03-16

While Uncle Tom's Cabin will likely remain Harriet Beecher Stowe's best known work, her 1856 novel Dred should not be overlooked. If you like this time period, you should like Dred. Stowe avoids the heavy-handed authorial commentary that characterizes Uncle Tom's Cabin; in other words, she lets the events of the story speak for themselves. The story is slow-burning plantation drama--again, if you're a fan of 19th century literature, you'll love Dred. Dred compares favorably to Moby-Dick, as both novels turn on gradual plots where the reader's bond to the characters becomes crucial. Because the plot takes awhile to develop, the true reward of the novel comes from watching the characters grow and evolve.

This edition features an introduction and notes by Robert Levine, which do a great job of placing Stowe's work in a historical context. Dred should appeal to students of 19th century literature, and anyone else with an interest in slavery and abolition.

Right On, Harriet.......2000-01-14

A compelling and highly readable indictment of slavery in America, "Dred" takes risks that "Uncle Tom's Cabin" did not. The ending of "Dred" is powerful and strong, unlike that of "Uncle Tom", which seemed to advocate ultimately that the slaves should be freed and encourged to return to Africa. Harriet Beecher Stowe is just as sharp in her criticism of the North and she is to the South. She is quick to condemn the passive profiteers of slavery as she is the slaveholder himself. I throughly enjoyed this book. I will read it a secod time.

Average customer rating:

Dred - A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Average customer rating:

Dred a Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Manufacturer: Fireside Edition
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Dred V2: A Tale Of The Great Dismal Swamp

Average customer rating:

Dred V2: A Tale Of The Great Dismal Swamp
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

In Two Volumes. This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.

Average customer rating:

Dred, A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Average customer rating:

Dred, A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp
Harriet Beecher STOWE
Manufacturer: Phillips Samson & Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Average customer rating:

Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Manufacturer: Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp (2 Vols).

Average customer rating:

Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp (2 Vols).
Hariet Beecher. Stowe
Manufacturer: Phillips Sampson & Co., 1856.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KBA7W0

Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp (2 volumes)

Average customer rating:

Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp (2 volumes)
Harriet Stowe
Manufacturer: Phillips, Sampson and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K5VVI0

DRED: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp in Two Volumes

Average customer rating:

DRED: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp in Two Volumes
Harrieriet Beecher Stowe
Manufacturer: Phillips, Sampson, and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000KD7GBS

Customer Reviews:

Half and half.......2006-12-16

The second story in this book isn't bad... but the first one is really predictable. You know exactly what's going to happen from the very beginning, and the only reason to keep reading is to see if it's as bad as you think. Debbie Macomber's more recent books are much, much, much better. You can tell this was an early effort and it doesn't live up to what readers expect from Debbie Macomber. I love her later stories... but this one, skip.

Cute Christmas Tale.......2004-12-30

Cute holiday romances. The Christmas Basket made me laugh out loud.

Fun Holiday Reading.......2004-12-22

_On A Snowy Night_ contains two short stories that were originally novels -- "The Christmas Basket" and "The Snow Bride". You can look up both these titles to get an idea of the plot for each. This book woudld make a fabulous holiday gift for anyone you would like to introduce to Debbie Macomber, or it would be nice to have on your own shelves if you missed the full-length versions of these stories.

4 stars -- The Christmas Basket is the more entertaining of the two, but the humor in The Snow Bride makes up for its blandness. Getting two for the price of one is not such a bad deal either!

Cris Cunningham

Average customer rating:

The ideal holiday gift for readers of all ages!

One Snowy Night
Beth Harwood
Manufacturer: Dutton Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0525477233
Release Date: 2006-09-14

Book Description

One snowy night, as the Christmas bells tolled,

little dog Jingle was lost in the cold.

He came to a softly lit window to see

the twinkling lights of a big Christmas tree. . . .

Oh no—Jingle is lost on Christmas Eve! With the help of a friendly reindeer, the fuzzy little dog finds his way home . . . and into the arms of his jolly best friend.

Brightly colored illustrations and sturdy 3-D shadow boxes make every page of this book a treat. A cozy, cheerful Christmas tale, One Snowy Night is sure to delight the whole family.

Customer Reviews:

The ideal holiday gift for readers of all ages!.......2006-11-17

One snowy night, as Christmas Eve is present, and the moon is full, a little puppy named Jingle finds himself lost in the cold. Hungry, and craving the warmth of a fire, and his kind owners, he begins searching for the home that is quickly evading him. As he passes by various humble abodes, he peeks in each and every window, hoping to find the one that belongs to his master. But poor little Jingle only finds a family of foxes hanging up holiday stockings, polar bears singing cheerful Christmas songs, snow hares decorating their bushy tree with shiny baubles, and reindeer being hitched up to a sleigh to begin their night of spreading joy across the world. But, as Jingle passes by one of these reindeer, he comes forth and helps little Jingle find his way right back to the warmth of his home, where his upset owner presents him with a gift that will keep him safe in the future.

There are many holiday books being released this season. However, none are as gorgeous as Beth Harwood's ONE SNOWY NIGHT. The prose and poetic tale about Jingle are absolutely irresistible, and give the reader a sense of love and joy; while the absolutely breathtaking illustrations by Susanna Ronchi put ONE SNOWY NIGHT ahead of all other holiday releases. The illustrations are cheerful and colorful, and are presented in a semi pop-up like fashion. However, they appear to be more 3-D, and diorama-like than the average pop-up book, which will certainly impress and appeal to young readers, along with their parents. The ideal holiday gift for readers of all ages!

Erika Sorocco

Average customer rating:

One Snowy Night
One Snowy Night

One Snowy Night
M. Christina Butler
Manufacturer: Good Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1561484520

Book Description

The events of the first Easter are simply and movingly told in this gorgeous book.The text closely based on a range of passages from the Bible retells the key events in the Holy Week and Easter. The astonishing events beginning with Palm Sunday and ending with Jesusrsquo; rising from the tomb are revealed in the modern and breathtaking illustrations.Perfect for any Easter basket.

Customer Reviews:

One Snowy Night.......2007-02-22

Beautiful illustrations and very descriptive writing. My class enjoyed this book!

One Snowy Night.......2007-01-11

Book was in excellent condition and received in good time, especially with it being around Christmas.

Average customer rating:

Snowy Nights
Heather Graham , Lindsay McKenna , Marilyn Pappano , and Annette Broadrick
Manufacturer: Silhouette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Anthologies | Romance | Subjects | Books

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books

Anthologies | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0373218524

Book Description

A holiday bonanza of compelling tales about the power of family, homecomings and love!

The Christmas Bride
by New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham

It started out as a platonic skiing vacation, but one impulsive touch changed everything!

Always and Forever
by Lindsay McKenna

She was the only woman the fighter pilot could never have . . .

The Greatest Gift
by Marilyn Pappano

They had one more chance to make it -- would it be enough?

Christmas Magic
by Annette Broadrick

Customer Reviews:

One Snowy Night.......2004-07-07

Excellent first book from Nick Butterworth introducing the kind, lovable character Percy the park keeper. A fun story in which Percy is visited by animals in the park, who all need a place to sleep because of the cold. Lots of fun here, as Percy lives in a little hut which soon becomes crowded. Have fun with animal voices as you read to your little ones. Cute surprise at the end as a strange noise is heard... the animals are scared, then they find out it's only someone they all know. Charming pictures that please parents and children, lots to look at and a blast for you to read with a little one.

Warmth of friends on cold winter days complete with hotchoc........1999-06-28

I bought the book merely just looking at the pictures, they are so beautiful. The story itself, even better: based around a circle of friends of Percy the park keeper on a cold winter night. You can see and feel the warmth of Percy's house that he shares with all his friends. Easy to read and mix with soundeffects that children love and easy to follow for as yound as one year olds. Our book is falling apart from overuse but we just cannot put it down. The book is a part of four seasons on the Park. Same friends later appear in other stories that we love; the other books represent spring, summer and autumn.

Average customer rating:

Christmas Lights & Snowy Nights

Manufacturer: Eas'l Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1573770256

Average customer rating:

More...Snowy Days...Frosty Nights

Manufacturer: Sharon & Gayle Publications, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GWLSKS

My Little Christmas Books: Rudolph's Adventure; Frosty's Snowy Day; Santa Claus Is Coming to Town; Twas the Night Before Christmas; The Nutcracker; The Little Drummer Boy

Average customer rating:

My Little Christmas Books: Rudolph's Adventure; Frosty's Snowy Day; Santa Claus Is Coming to Town; Twas the Night Before Christmas; The Nutcracker; The Little Drummer Boy

Manufacturer: Publications Intl
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1561737178

ON A SNOWY NIGHT: CHRISTMAS BASKET & SNOW BRIDE

Average customer rating:

ON A SNOWY NIGHT: CHRISTMAS BASKET & SNOW BRIDE

Manufacturer: Harlequin Mills & Boon (Aus)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1741161754

Average customer rating:

ONE SNOWY NIGHT
SARAH HOLT
Manufacturer: SHAW
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000S7ZF8C

Book Description

Tensions remain high as the United Federation of Planets, the Klingon Empire, and the Romulan Star Empire attempt to maintain their fragile post-Dominion War peace in the wake of the brutal attack by the mysterious Watraii, which ended with the loss of Admiral Pavel Chekov. When Admiral Uhura receives intelligence regarding a Watraii base that may contain more than one surprise, she sends Ambassador Spock, Captain Saavik, Ruanek, Captain Montgomery Scott, and Lieutenant Commander Data on a covert mission to learn its secrets....

But the truth of the Watraii has its basis millennia in the past. In the time of Surak, Vulcans were at a crossroads, on the cusp of either embracing logic or succumbing to their passions and thereby destroying themselves. With Surak's blessing, a group of Vulcans left their turbulent homeworld to find their destiny in the unknown reaches of space. But the stars prove even more unforgiving than the desert sands of Vulcan, as Karatek, the reluctant leader of the exiles, struggles to hold his people together.

Customer Reviews:

Long Slow Emotional Road Trip.......2007-10-07

I listened to the audio book. This was two stories. The modern story was kind of a waste of time. But I liked the 'Memory' time line. I thought it was a slow moving story while I was listening to it. I was a bit frustrated. But When it was over I thought about it a bit and I realized that this book moved me. I recognized at least one connection to the original Star Trek series and this book made me view that episode in a new more sinister light. There was another random planetary encounter that really upset me. By the end I was very angry at some of the characters and I realized that means it was a good story. I actually cared about what happened. Even though we know how it will end in a big picture sense, the details are a welcome bit of texture. I really enjoyed it which surprised this action fan. I can't wait for the next book.

Vulcan's Soul Trilogy.......2007-05-13

Sherman is an excellent writer. It is too bad that she tried to fit the last movie into the ST Universe - we all know the movie was an abomination and the director should be taken out and shot - but she is actually successful at explaining all of the details. If only she had read the rest of the series before writing these books! While the trilogy is engrossing, and well worth reading, you will probably find yourself annoyed at the sharp differences between this work and all the rest of the histories and stories of Star Trek.

It might be best for the reader to believe that all of the action takes place in an alternate universe, that way the inaccuracies can be overlooked. She does have the political and social messages for which ST is famous, and she is dead on accurate with these.

While her characters and story are not as deeply insighful as Diane Duane's, they are certainly deeper and more detailed than most. Her works are highly recommended. Now, if only she would read the rest of the books in the ST series, she could inherit position of favored story-teller in the ST universe.

Exciting! Surpise after surprise!.......2007-05-10

Wow! Twists, turns, surprises and excitement! No plot spoilers, but I love origin stories and this is one of the best! A great followup to #1 but alas #3 can be guessed at and appears to be an attempt by the publisher to stretch a two book story into three for the sake of profits. That being said, this book is a must!

vulcan snoring.......2006-08-14

these writers have done so much better than this. granted this was a book that had to tie together two spots in vulcan/romulan history, but it was so dull, it was hard to keep reading until the end.

If you read the first , you'll read this.......2006-08-04

Chekov's rescue (of course you knew he isn't dead!) is too easy. The backstory of the long trek across space of the exiles is tedious. I did like the explanation that surfaces as to how some exiles end up on Remus instead of Romulus, but that's about the best thing in this story. Still, it is new Trek lore, and it's nice new stories continue to be written.

Average customer rating:

Gnostic Secretsnof the Naassenes

Ideas that collapse, as always, in the face of time-tested refutations by Remnant Christians

If you don't see the "proof," that shows your ignorance and bias.

A highly personal view of gnostic spirituality

Historical Research, or New Age Propaganda?

Gnostic Secrets of the Naassenes: The Initiatory Teachings of the Last Supper
Mark H. Gaffney
Manufacturer: Inner Traditions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Church History | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Gnosticism | Church History | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Theology | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Gnosis Of The Cosmic Christ: A Gnostic Christian Kabbalah

Gnostic Philosophy: From Ancient Persia to Modern Times

Living Gnosis: A Practical Guide to Gnostic Christianity

St. Mary Magdalene: The Gnostic Tradition of the Holy Bride

Pistis Sophia: The Gnostic Tradition of Mary Magdalene, Jesus, and His Disciples

ASIN: 089281697X
Release Date: 2004-04-19

Book Description

Reveals the hidden meaning of the Grail and a secret Christian doctrine for achieving higher consciousness

• Shows that Gnosticism is not a derivative of Christianity but the revelation of the true message of Jesus

• Describes the ancient relationship between water and spirit

• Explains the doctrine of immanence taught by Jesus at the Last Supper

• Features the translated source text from The Refutation of All Heresies by Bishop Hippolytus, the only existing record of the Naassene Sermon

In the third century C.E., the Catholic Bishop Hippolytus composed A Refutation of All Heresies in which his chief target was the Gnostic sect the Naassenes, whose writings included a recounting of Jesus’ actual teachings at the Last Supper. Contrary to Church attacks, the Naassenes were not a heretical derivative of Christianity but the authentic foundation and purveyor of Christ’s message. In fact, much of what passes as Christianity has nothing to do with the original teachings of its founder.

The message recorded in the Naassene Sermon was intended for an inner circle of disciples who were prepared for advanced initiation into Jesus’ wisdom teachings. The Grail discussed therein was not an actual chalice but a symbol of the indwelling of the divine. The teachings involved the awakening of spirit and included practices aimed at restoring the soul’s lost connection with God. Immanence, in the true sense intended by Jesus, thus allows for spiritual attainment in this life by ordinary individuals without the intermediary of Church or priest. This was the real meaning of the Last Supper and why the Naassenes believed that Jesus was the fulfillment of all the Mystery traditions.

Customer Reviews:

Gnostic Secretsnof the Naassenes.......2007-10-06

I found that the book lacked an organized approach to the subject and I finally quit reading it even though the subject itself is very close to my heart and I was quite anxious to learn more about it.

Ideas that collapse, as always, in the face of time-tested refutations by Remnant Christians.......2007-09-15

This book is the latest in a growing series of well-presented but poorly thought-out works that try to make the claim that the Gnostics were the first true Christians

The Gnosticism presented in this book is not easily understandable, but with careful study, and with an understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as laid out in the scriptures, can be repudiated and exposed for what it truly is: a misguided belief in salvation from within yourself, rather than from the Lord on High. It is futile, it is vain, and unfortunately is a highly seductive door to the spirit realm that appeals to otherwise well-educated and intelligent men and women.

This reviewer is a born-again Christian raising issues with this book (of which I will quote from the introduction) that must be addressed for an honest analysis of Gnosticism to be complete:

Regarding the author's statement: "Today, however, increasing numbers of Christians are disenchanted with the standard salvation formula. They find the liturgy tiresome and the rituals and sacraments empty exercises"

Answer: this is a classic "straw-man" argument (whether intentional or not). The liturgy and rituals of the organized church, especially those churches under the umbrella of Catholicism, became apostate long ago! You will find NO mention in the King James Bible, for example, of:
1) The ordination of priests
2) The office of supreme pontiff or "pope"
3) Adherence to the Seven Sacraments as a prescription for salvation
4) The establishment of the Eucharist for the remission or prevention of sin
By building on this initial claim, Gaffney makes the case that Gnosticism is the "true" and "lost" doctrine of Christianity. All the while the true doctrine of remission of sin and salvation through belief in the power of Jesus' shed blood, and in His death, burial and resurrection, is right there in the pages of your everyday Bible!

Regarding the author's statement: "How, then, do we account for the remarkable resurgence of interest in Gnosticism over the past two centuries?"

Answer: this resurgence is accounted for by the gradual state of apostasy that the organized Church has slid into during this period, especially with the rise in the acceptance of "New Age" beliefs within the church. Gnosticism is not alone in seeing a rise in acceptance among the body of believers disillusioned and deceived by priests and pastors who no longer teach the fundamentals of the Gospel.
We have "The Secret", "The Purpose-Driven Life(death)", Dominionism, the "Jewish Dispensationalism", the Christian Identity movement, and the "Sacred Name" heresies with which to contend.

Note the parallels between the falling away of the modern church with:
- the ancient northern kingdom of Israel (taken away during the Assyrian conquest in the 8th century BC)
- the kingdom of Judah (taken away during the Babylonian conquest of the early 6th century BC)
- the seige of Jerusalem by Rome and subsequent "Diaspora" of the Jews in the first few centuries after Christ.

All three of these historic precedents are evidence of a periodic "falling way" of the Lord's chosen people (who today are the Christians - 1 Pet. 2:9, Gal. 3:28,29, etc.). This same "falling away" was prophesied to happen yet again by St. Paul in II Thess. 2:3. These events happen because of wickedness, idolatry, unbelief, and are many times due to heresies that creep in to the Body of Christ.

Obviously the discovery and promotion of non-canonical and spiritually corrupt texts within the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi library have contributed to Gnosticism's rise and have exasperated the organized Church's already apostate condition.

Regarding the author's statement: "In the process of allowing the Gnostics to speak for themselves and tell their own very different story, we will arrive at conclusions that are utterly subversive to orthodox Christianity"

Answer: are you kidding me? The Gospel of Jesus Christ IS subversive to today's orthodox Christianity. C'mon, where has Mark Gaffney been lately? I went into a "Disciples of Christ" Church here in Austin a few years ago (this happened to be LBJ's old church, full of Masonic symbols and hexagrams!) and tried to tell their pastor about how I was born-again back in '04 and actually felt the presence of the Holy Ghost and that Jesus really did wash away my sins, and literally changed my consciousness, and he looked at me like I was a space alien! Sheesh!
Can you imagine if John the Baptist, reeking of old honey and locusts, walked into Joel Osteen's mega-church in Houston and exhorted that well-dressed crowd of hypocrites to "Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance"? He'd be TAZED by security guards!

Regarding the author's statement: "We are going to examine powerful evidence that the Gnostic element was present in Christianity from the beginning, and was, in fact, the very heart of the teachings of Jesus"

Answer: have you ever read The Church History by Eusebius? He chronicled long ago the infiltration of heresies into the early Church after the original apostles all died off.

Regarding the author's statement: "the Naasene Sermon (was) . . . Unlike the institutional Church, that . . . sought to sever every link with antiquity"

Answer: the history of God's Church over 2000 years is most certainly going to be complicated, and if you continue to carefully study it, you'll discover that the organized church sought to stamp out not only occasional real heretical groups (such as Gnostics, Manicheans, Mithraists, Marcionites and later the Cathars, Albigensians, etc.), but also actual "Remnant" Christian groups as well, such as the Waldensians in Italy, or converted Celts in Ireland, or the many Bible-believing Christians who fought to keep the Textus Receptus free from the clutches of Catholic agents and apostate theologians (ever heard of the Tractarian Movement or the Westcott and Hort affair?). Remnant Christianity IS the true link to antiquity.

Remember that it was the Pharisess and Sadducees that tried to stamp out Jesus' growing following. Just because of that fact, it does not necessarily follow that the Law of Moses was corrupt, now does it? Yet the organized believers in Judea during that time looked up to the Pharisees and the chief priests as the "authority" on God's religion and commandments. Once again, your accusations against the "institutional Church" are straw-man arguments.

Finally a question for everyone reading this review that believes as the author does:
If the New Testament of our modern King James Bible (a direct translation of the Greek 'Textus Receptus') is corrupt because of the actions of the church leadership from all the way back in the first few centuries A.D., why has there been such an unceasing effort by the organized church, over two millenia, to corrupt and defame it?
Whether it was the early "catholic" church leadership in Rome foisting the corrupt "Jerome's Vulgate" upon a body of believers who relied on the original latin Vulgate New Testament, or whether it was the Catholic Church banning the possession of bibles in the Middle Ages, or the Tractarian movement, or the Westcott and Hort affair in the late 1800's (from where we get all these apostate Bible versions of today like the NIV), institutional Christianity has been unrelenting in its attacks on the original bible.
Why? Why, after all these years would this be, if the Gospel message in the Bible had already been corrupted millennia earlier? How does one who claims that early Christianity owes its origins to Gnostic sects overcome this dilemma?

If you don't see the "proof," that shows your ignorance and bias........2007-08-21

In response to the 2-star review demanding "proof," if you don't see the proof, you didn't read the book yourself. The ties to the east, including the "spiritual nerves" represented in the Caduceus have been well-documented in previous books and the author gives a lengthy bibliography and plenty of footnotes.

The author also cites the foremost Gnostic researchers and directly compares Gnostic texts with those of reformist Church leaders. The entire book is a comparison of Gnostic texts, scholarly research and a Gnostic "refutation" by a prominent bishop reformist intent on wiping out Gnosticism from the face of the earth. As the author shows aptly, the Christians' own works reveal the truth. Whether we are reading the official Biblical canon selected by the Church officials or their ignorant rantings aimed at wiping out the earliest "Christian" traditions, the Christian authors' own words reveal the truth of irrefutable fact that Gnosticism is the seed from which their own hybrid religion sprung.

The author shows that the man we call "Jesus" denied both that he was "the Christ" and the "Messiah" and instead referred to himself as the "son of man" which effectively pulls him out of the Judeo-Christian framework and shows him to be in a line of spiritual tradition which dates back to our earliest history, the origins of which are truly lost in the sands of time. This gives new credence to the Gnostic beliefs, since they were not just "invented" 2000 years ago out of thin air, nor assimilation, corruption and amalgamation of traditions as was Christianity. Gnosticism is as old as history itself. This makes a lot of sense when you consider that Gnostics, like Sufis and Buddhists tend to dress themselves in the garb of the culture to preserve their traditions... hmmm, no wonder so many religions are so similar... and no wonder these 3 mystical traditions are so similar.

A highly personal view of gnostic spirituality.......2007-04-14

I enjoyed this book, but it is not, as one reviewer points out, a systematic interpretation of the history or "theology" of the Naasene sect. Maybe that's not possible given the nature of the problematic sources.

What gives this book considerable power is the author's focus on gnostic ideas of God's immanence. One example is his material on the spiritual nature of the "narrow gate".which is instructive, and seems plausible as one of the meanings of this important teaching of Jesus.

The personal nature of the author's views may undermine the credibility of his argument for some. But I found it stimulating. Connections among a variety of near eastern spiritual traditions, however problematic from a rigorous historical standpoint, , are fascinating to contemplate. And I don't have a problem (as at least one other review has) with trying to understand commonalities with non-Christian spiritual practices. Our hard and fast distinctions are not always helpful as we try to understand some of the esoteric aspects of the early Jesus movement(s).

I would recommend this book if you have a basic understanding of early Christian origins.

Historical Research, or New Age Propaganda?.......2006-11-10

It's nice to see that Mark Gaffney's book has received multiple rave reviews from all the New Age critics and pundits. But for those of us who are looking for genuine historical insights into the ancient Naassenes, this book simply does not deliver. For this reason I award only 2 stars.

I think this book has more to do with projecting Eastern/New Age ideas into the Naassene symbols as opposed to uncovering any historical facts about the Naassene sect and its place in history.

The fundamental lack of objectivity can be seen in this quote from the back cover:

"Contrary to the denouncements of the Church...the Naassenes were not a heretical derivative of Christianity but instead were purveyors of Christ's authentic message."

Before one even opens this book, the reader is confronted with this unqualified declaration that the Naassenes were the "purveyors of Christ's authentic message"!

Great! But where is the proof? Gaffney offers no historical evidence in support of his declaration. His premise remains as nothing more than an inductive leap. Certainly I'd like to believe along with Mark that the Naassenes spring from the original Christians, but I need to see some evidence.

Gaffney cites the Church Fathers as the source of his knowledge about the Naassenes. Most prominent is Hippolytus, who preserved a lengthy but obscure document known as the "Naassene Sermon."

There are numerous problems with the Church Fathers' accounts of the Naassenes -which is that they don't agree with each other on all the details. Hippolytus claims that the Nassenes were the founders of the Gnostic heresy; but he is alone in making this claim (Refutation., 6:1). All of the other Fathers claim that the Gnostic heresy was founded by Simon Magus. And then there is Origen, who in contrast with Hippolytus says that the Naassenes ("Ophites") were an "insignificant sect" (Against Celsus, 6:24). Hence the Church Fathers do not agree on the Naassenes in terms of their role in history and their significance. And again, there is simply no evidence anywhere to show that the Naassene tradition represents the original Christian status quo.

As for the Naassene Sermon, I think it is a difficult task for anyone to extract the meaning and context of the material that Hippolytus has preserved. How do we know that Hippolytus hasn't left important elements out? What if it was not Hippolytus' intent to preserve the true message and context of the Sermon, but to record only those salacious passages which tend to validate the charge that the Naassenes have mixed Christianity with paganism?

I wish that Gaffney was more concerned with uncovering the real history of the Naassenes rather than projecting his own Eastern/New Age ideas into the "Sermon."

Having given this book 2 stars I would like to mention the one thing that I like about the book.

I thought that the Introduction was well-written and was focused on two highly relevant issues. The first is that orthodox tradition continues to provide an antiquated and inadequate explanation of the Christian message. Gaffney is right, and more people are becoming disillusioned with the orthodox churches. As more historical information becomes available people are beginning to realize that the old 'formulas' just don't work. Gaffney suggests that Gnosticism provides an avenue for Christianity's renewal and restoration. Here, I agree.

The problem of course is that the balance of this book is a completely obscure New Age essay that the average disgruntled and seeking Christian is not going to understand. Again, the problem is that Gaffney's book isn't really about explaining the historical relevance of Gnosticism for Christianity, its about projecting New Age and Eastern ideas into ancient Gnostic symbols.

I also appreciated Gaffney's complaints in the introduction about the bias of scholars toward Gnosticism. I agree with him. Personally, I believe that Gnostic theology is derived from certain theological paradoxes found in the New Testament. But because most scholars insist on regarding the Gnostic movement as a parasitic error, no adequate research has been done in order to explain why the Gnostics read the New Testament the way they did -or why the Church Fathers had such a difficult time using the New Testament to refute Gnostic doctrine. (An exception here is Elaine Pagels' book "The Gnostic Paul.")

Now if you are someone who is looking for a New Age exposition of Naassene symbols then I recommend this book. In this case I would offer three stars but no more, because Gaffney has failed in my opinion to identify the audience to whom this book is written. His introduction indicates that his audience is disgruntled Christians, but otherwise you need to have a background in New Age doctrine and Eastern traditions in order to understand what Mark is trying to say in the balance of the book.

This book is in fact addressed to other New Age readers, not the average seeking Christian.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books