A Box of Dreams: Original Trade Paper

Book Description

The id is out of its box and scampering all over this often hilarious and surreally distrubing gothic romp. The narrator wakes from a dream of sexual assault on a train--or was it' Finding himself in a bewildering Mitteleuropa, he is counselled by a bogus Dr. Freud and embroiled in the irrational doings of a malodorous ticket inspector, a sadistic valet, a lascivious count and his luscious daughter. He is also confined to a velveteen skirt and taken for an authority on yodelling. Madsen has his favorite themes -- food, sex and Catholics -- and here adds psychoanalysis to the mix, as the hero struggles for self-knowledge. He sidles from dream to dream, and wakes to find his consciousness drooling again.

Customer Reviews:

Kafka meets Rabelais on a train .......2006-10-06

Imagine to find yourself on a train with a sadistic guard and a psychiatrist called Dr. Freud who is NOT the founder of Psychoanalysis, but a slightly unbalanced homonymous; imagine going in a castle that's not a castle, where you're supposed to give a lecture on a zany subject of wich you know nothing; imagine havbing your lecture interrupted by ferocious carnivorous cows. This is unquestionably the most weird and loopy (in many senses) novel of the mysterious Madsen, having something in common with Delany's Dhalgren.

Book Description

A new series from New York Times bestselling author R.A. Salvatore!

This book brings two familiar characters into the limelight for the first time! Jarlaxle, a dark elf assassin, and Artemis Entreri, a human assassin, work together and against each other in Calimport. Their conflict is intensified by the influence of the Crystal Shard, a malevolent artifact that has been raousing trouble in the Forgotten Realms world since its introduction in The Crystal Shard.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book!!.......2007-09-01

These are two of my favorite characters so I was glad to see that they did a book following them up and once again Salvatore doesn't disappoint!!

No Drizzt? Well it may be even better without our beloved hero........2007-07-07

To some Drizzt fans, it may be a little dissapointing that our beloved drow hero doesnt appear in this novel, besides a few , written, words by hum, and at first I thought it might the novels less interesting as well, but R.A Salvatore fixes this problem by centering this novel around two very , very interesting characters: Jarlaxle and Atremis Entreri.

A great thing about this book is that it tells a darker,and extremely interesting, tale, which is a nice break from all of Drizzt's heroism.

Also, we start to get much deeper into the characters of Jarlaxle and Entreri, and as I've said before they are very very interesting characters. I absolutely love them, although I wouldnt say the say if I actually met them.

A fast paced novel that is sure to please. If your a fan of the series then buy this now! If your new however, you would still enjoy this book, but in order to understand better whats going on, some of the characters mentioned and parts of the plot, its best to start with The Crystal Shard, from the Icewind Dale Trilogy.

Entreri and Jarlaxle take center stage........2007-06-03

Servant of the Shard was first published as book three of the Paths of Darkness series and is included in Paths of Darkness, Collector's Edition (Forgotten Realms). It is the only book of the original 14 Drizzt novels to not be included in the "Legend of Drizzt" series now being reissued.

It is also one of the most enjoyable Salvatore books to date. The Sellswords series follows the adventures of Artemis Enreri and Jarlaxle. This perfect couple is extremely well-developed and are fun to read about. In book 1, the Crystal Shard occupies center stage as the story began in The Silent Blade: The Legend of Drizzt, Book XI (Forgotten Realms Novel: Legend of Drizzt) is continued. The annoyingly pious Cadderly plays a part in the latter parts of the book, but doesn't do too much harm to the story. Excellent fighting scenes and plenty of action make for a fun and exciting read.

Highly recommended.

One of R.A. Salvatore's best.......2007-03-14

Don't be scared away by the lack of Drizzt Do'Urden in this finely crafted novel. Although Drizzt is easily Salvatore's best know and "loved" creation, I don't think his more recent novels (mainly the Hunter's Blades Trilogy) really do the renegade drow justice. They fall off and get pretty campy. The interaction between Cattie-Bri and Drizzt, while it was interesting at first, has taken on a sort of mid-day soap opera turn and it tires quickly in my mind.
Artemis Entrerei and Jarlaxle have always been my favorite characters. The depth Salvatore has put into the development of both characters is far more then any of Drizzt's compaions (most notably a certain one-dimentional barbarian...) and even more than Drizzt himself. Artemis's journey to Menzzoberanzan (both in the physical and emotional sense) was very well done I thought. This novel, however, takes place after his return and domination of Calimport with the aid of the Dark Elf band left by the most paradoxical Jarlaxle.
The brilliance in this novel can be summarized by the revalation that by the end, Salvatore has you rooting and cheering on two of the most cold hearted and ruthless killers in Faerun. Their development, both as individual characters and as partners, in this book far surpasses even the silent blade, and the reader is even given a few glimpses into the underlying psyche of both characters.
A very fun and refreshing read for any fan of Salvatore who has gotten a bit bored with the "drama" that had become Drizzt Do'Urden and misses the action from his adventures in the Underdark.
Bottom line: Awsome fantasy novel.

A great debut for this interesting duo.......2007-01-31

Artemis Entreri and Jarlaxle are just great characters and blend so well together. They are so different and yet similar.

The story itself is great and makes Entreri really shine in my opinion. This book could stand on it's own without any other books following.

If you are a fan of Artemis Entreri, Jarlaxle or both, than this book is an absolute must read!

Servant of the Shard (Paths of Darkness)

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Dealing with the Devil
A must read!
Enticing
Great Read
Less Drizzt, More fun

Servant of the Shard (Paths of Darkness)
R. A. Salvatore
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0786918780
Release Date: 2001-07-01

Amazon.com

Think of it as Drowfellas. Backstabbing and internecine intrigue abound as the ambitious members of a shady organization (in this case, the dark-elf mercenary band Bregan D'aerthe) vie for power, struggle to fend off reprisals, and generally cause all sorts of trouble. Themes of redemption and moral metamorphosis keep the plot moving, accompanied by intermittent bursts of spectacular, cinematic violence.

The Servant of the Shard, the immediate follow-up to The Spine of the World and The Silent Blade, is the long-awaited exposition on the history of Artemis Entreri. But perhaps more importantly, Servant of the Shard brings us the brilliant, bang-up pairing of master assassin Entreri and Bregan D'aerthe godfather Jarlaxle, filling out a deadly triangle with the bloodthirsty artifact Crenshinibon. (The rest--more magic items, tons of cool spells and psionics thanks to Rai-guy and Kimmuriel Oblodra, cameos from The Cleric Quintet, and a blow-out finale with an ancient red dragon--well, that's all just icing on the cake.)

The big question, which hopefully won't have to be asked again after this title: Can Bob Salvatore really pull off another Drizzt Do'Urden book without Drizzt? Without a doubt. Anybody who wasn't won over by the Wulfgar-centric Spine of the World should come away more than satisfied with The Servant of the Shard. Grumbling and hammer-hurling (courtesy of Wulfgar) might not be your thing, but Drizzt does have an equal in Entreri when it comes to perplexed introspection and predictably dazzling swordplay. If nothing else, Salvatore is merely collecting on investments he's made in his previous 17 Forgotten Realms novels--after laying such a strong foundation with solid plots and characterizations, it should come as no surprise that we're instantly sucked into a story that brings a couple of formerly supporting characters to front stage center. --Paul Hughes

Book Description

This is the latest offering from New York Times bestselling author R. A. Salvatore, best known for his immensely popular Forgotten Realms novels. In Servant of the Shard, Salvatore focuses on two of his greatest villains.

Having seized the Crystal Shard at the end of The Silent Blade, the dark elf Jarlaxle now struggles to control it. Grudgingly aided by the assassin Artemis Entreri, they must desperately look elsewhere for help before the gem destroys them and all that they worked for.

The Assassin

Surrounded by dark elves, Artemis Entreri tightens his grip on the streets of Calimport. While he urges caution, his black-skinned sponsor grows ever more ambitious. The assassin will soon find himself on a path his most hated enemy has walked before him--a path that leads to a place where someone like Entreri would never be welcome.

The Drow

Jarlaxle has ascended from dark Menzoberranzan with only evil intentions. The malevolent Crystal Shard’s influence on him intensifies until even the drow agents he brought with him grow fearful. When Bregan D’aerthe itself begins to turn on him, Jarlaxle will be forced to find a savior in the man he’s come to enslave.

Customer Reviews:

Dealing with the Devil.......2006-09-10

3.5 stars

Salvatore and the readers continue the vacation from Drizzt which is really a good thing because Drizzt's story was effectively finished at the end of Sojourn, his growth done and his status turned to observer. Here we have a similar attempt to write a story without Salvatore's franchise character like Spine of the World, but done better.

In this work Artemis Entreri and Jarlaxle expand Bregan Daerthe's reach onto the surface world via Calimport. One of the themes of the books seems to be the deals being made. Entreri's deal with Jarlaxle, Jarlaxle's with the Crystal Shard, Morik the Rogue's with Bregan Daerthe, various underlings of Bregan Daerthe and the thieves guilds with one another.

We get to see Jarlaxle come under the influence of the shard which subtly manipulates him to expand and expand and expand onto the surface causing his lieutenants to plot against him. Entreri also does not trust the shard, nor the lieutenants and devises a method to solve the problem on his terms.

A new halfling character in Calimport is introduced to become a confidant and friend to Entreri, and she is actually one of the bright spots of the book. It would be nice to see more of her in the future. Cadderly and Danica also appear, bring resolution to one plot line that has long needed resolution. Unfortunately the portrayal of Danica, and to a lesser extent Entreri, is abysmal during this section. Danica takes the time during a critical battle to destroy an evil artifact while separated from the party to engage in a fight to the death with Entreri because they experienced hate at first sight!? Monks are supposed to be disciplined, this is just crazy behavior.

In summary a nice break from the Drizzt stories, and an improvement upon the Spine of the World with a complex series of character relationships and betrayals but not as good as Salvatore's best.

A must read!.......2006-04-29

I could read all these books twice really. The whole series is by far the best adventure series ever! I read his first book 15 years ago the crystal shard. I looked that book up Last year to read it again 3/05 since then I have been addicted I have read every book he has wrote since all this year. the cleric Quintet That was also a must read if just for the dwarfs. Bob if you read this Thank you for all the great work!

Thanks again for the Very best adventure's
Magnanimous

Enticing.......2005-11-02

Servant of the Shard is absolutely amazing! I couldn't put it down. I even stopped listening in class because I couldn't ignore the thought of the book. Just like Rai-guy couldn't ignore the calling of the shard when it called to him.

Great Read.......2005-10-17

I was a bit put off by the fact that it wasnt following the companions as the others in the series but once i got into it this was a real hard to put down book. Cant wait to read the next in the series.

Less Drizzt, More fun.......2005-06-24

Starring two of Salvatore's best villains, Artemis and Jarlaxle, this book is full of fun.

To the dismay of his followers, Jarlaxle's band of drow, Bregan D'Aerthe, have secretly began moving out of the Underdark and into the city of Calimport. Some believe he is being manipulated by the powerful Crystal Shard, Crenshenibon, but no one knows for sure. Even Jarlaxle's close friend, the assassin Artemis Entreri, can't tell.

However, Artemis has plans of his own. He has set his eyes on Charon's Claw, the powerful weapon held by Kohrin Soulez.

All hell breaks lose when Jarlaxle's band turns against him. Jarlaxle and Artemis must team up to fight the likes of Rai-guy, Kimmuriel, and Berg'inyon - and ultimately to destroy the crystal shard itself.

This is one of Salvatore's funnest Forgotten Realms novels to date and perhaps his best since Homeland.

6 PBs by Raymond Feist: Daughter & Servant of the Empire, Rise of a Merchant Prince, Shards of a Broken Crown +2 More

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6 PBs by Raymond Feist: Daughter & Servant of the Empire, Rise of a Merchant Prince, Shards of a Broken Crown +2 More
Raymond Feist
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000VHFTBW

Product Description

paperbacks

Shards: Clan Lasombra Trilogy, Book 1 (Unabridged)

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Shards: Clan Lasombra Trilogy, Book 1 (Unabridged)
Bruce Baugh
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B000E10YTW

Paths of Darkness: The Silent Blade / The Spine Of The World / Servant Of The Shard / Sea Of Swords

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Paths of Darkness: The Silent Blade / The Spine Of The World / Servant Of The Shard / Sea Of Swords
R. A. Salvatore
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000N47BPU

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Servant of the Shard :Frealms
R A Salvatore
Manufacturer: UNSPECIFIED VENDOR
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000W0F0LC

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Satisfying ending to an intriguing series

Some images aren't worth seeing

ugh, don't bother

Behemoth

Satisfying conclusion to a fascinating series

Behemoth: Seppuku
Peter Watts
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Behemoth: B-Max

Maelstrom (Rifters Trilogy)

Blindsight

The Jennifer Morgue

Thirteen

ASIN: 0765311720
Release Date: 2004-12-09

Book Description

Lenie Clarke-amphibious cyborg, Meltdown Madonna, agent of the Apocalypse-has grown sick to death of her own cowardice.For five years (since the events recounted in Maelstrom0, she and her bionic brethren (modified to work in the rift valleys of the ocean floor) have hidden in the mountains of the deep Atlantic. The facility they commandeered was more than a secret station on the ocean floor. Atlantis was an exit strategy for the corporate elite, a place where the world's Movers and Shakers had hidden from the doomsday microbe szlig;ehemoth-and from the hordes of the moved and the shaken left behind. For five years "rifters" and "corpses" have lived in a state of uneasy truce, united by fear of the outside world.But now that world closes in. An unknown enemy hunts them through the crushing darkness of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. szlig;ehemoth- twisted, mutated, more virulent than ever-has found them already. The fragile armistice between the rifters and their one-time masters has exploded into all-out war, and not even the legendary Lenie Clarke can take back the body count.Billions have died since she loosed szlig;ehemoth upon the world. Billions more are bound to. The whole biosphere came apart at the seams while Lenie Clarke hid at the bottom of the sea and did nothing. But now there is no place left to hide. The consequences of past acts reach inexorably to the very floor of the world, and Lenie Clarke must return to confront the mess she made.Redemption doesn't come easy with the blood of a world on your hands. But even after five years in pitch-black purgatory, Lenie Clarke is still Lenie Clarke. There will be consequences for anyone who gets in her way-and worse ones, perhaps, if she succeeds....szlig;ehemoth: Seppuku concludes the final act (begun in szlig;ehemoth: szlig;-Max) of Peter Watts's chilling and powerful Rifters series.

Customer Reviews:

Satisfying ending to an intriguing series.......2007-06-16

Peter Watts concludes his _Rifters_ saga in the fourth and final volume, _Behemoth: Book Two: Seppuku_. Watts had written that he originally planned a trilogy but that changes in the publishing industry had forced him to divide his rather large final volume into two novels, but that he was fortunate to have a good breaking point between the two books and two resulting novels that were different in scope. It seems to have been a good choice, as while _Behemoth_Book One_ focused nearly entirely on the undersea refuge of the corpses and rifters (along with our old friend Achilles Desjardins), _Book Two_ spent no time there at all but instead allowed the reader a tour of a post-Behemoth North America, a taste of international politics, and of course the end game between Lenie Clarke, Ken Lubin, and Achilles (and a new character that the book introduces, a physician by the name of Taka Ouellette).

Overall I found it satisfying. The post-apocalyptic world we got to see was believable and interesting though wasn't perhaps as well-explored as what we got to see in _Maelstrom_. We were shown much more of the sick and sadistic pleasures of Achilles. While never really entering "torture porn" territory, the reader is left with a sense of disquiet (at least this one was) about how far the author would go in that regard. I didn't think it gratuitous, as this was a fundamental aspect of Achilles' character and of what had happened to him regarding his conscience, but it still nonetheless made me a bit uncomfortable at times (and makes me wonder just what the future holds for some forms of entertainment, given the evolution of horror films and the continual apparent need for succeeding films to outdo one another, a point I think the author was trying to make).

I liked the ending, it had two interesting twists I really enjoyed and didn't devolve into what it could have been (one character simply killing another, story over). The world at the end of the novel is fundamentally different and not necessarily a world without hope. It is also a world that would be interesting to see explored in a later novel.

I would like to express my displeasure at this series being out of print despite its recent age (_Seppuku_ came out in 2004). That is a real shame, as it is a worthwhile and interesting series, an excellent addition to the end of the world sub-genre of science fiction as well as probably the finest novel to ever handle the deep sea and ocean themes. The series overall was well researched (the author himself was a marine biologist) and had well-developed characters, a fascinating setting, and was an intriguing exploration of developing trends in our world.

Some images aren't worth seeing.......2007-03-07

I loved Starfish. I appreciated the smart science (hey, gotta love SF with bibliographies!); I found the world riveting and the characters well-drawn. But I cannot, in good conscience, recommend this book. The sequence of sexual sadism, which stretches on for chapter after excruciating chapter, is simply too visually explicit to be worth experiencing. It's an image I just didn't need, and one I can't get out of my head. It includes an eroticized clitoridectomy, for goodness sake. For me, that sequence overshadows everything else in the book, and however much you may want to see the resolution of issues raised in the other books, be sure you're willing to have that image stuck to your eyeballs before you buy or read this volume.

ugh, don't bother.......2006-06-13

The first book, "Starfish" was amazing, just a great read. This last book is horrible! Confusing, pointless, and extremely degrading, I wish I had never read it. I agree whole heartedly with "aisian film c" above! The rape and torture of one of the more sympathetic characters is what really pushed this book into the crapper for me.

Behemoth.......2005-04-09

An anaerobic microbe from the deep sea may have delivered the coup de grace to an already struggling mid-21st century world.

It makes more sense to me to review the whole series when it's one story -- so here goes.

I was very surprised to find that the mass market editions of these books are out of print -- even as the final hardcover has only just been released. I can't understand why this series wouldn't get more support, because in my opinion it has everything that successful science fiction needs. Watts incorporates big, shiny ideas -- and the deep-sea biology is a wonderful original touch. The books include a high level of action and tension and, pleasantly unusually for "idea" SF, are strongly character-driven. And the characters are tormented enough for anyone.

There are flaws. At times, the plot is unclear, and while I like the pivotal role played by ignorance and misunderstanding, at times an irritating back-and-forth plot dynamic (Seppuku is a cure, no it isn't, yes it is) appears. Characterization, while overall excellent, at times seems over the top -- it's not entirely clear why *everyone* is so messed up, and the stupid bickering between the Rifters and the corporates in Atlantis left me with sympathy for neither side. I was put off by the apparent indifference of the characters to the impending destruction of Earth's whole ecosystem -- but then, they're selfish and profoundly damaged people, and creating sympathy for them in the reader's mind does not seem to have been Watts' priority. I would have found the aforesaid destruction more effective had it been shown more clearly.

But, despite all these quibbles, I think this series is really good SF, and I highly recommend it.

Satisfying conclusion to a fascinating series.......2005-03-01

First off, for those of you haven't already read "Behemoth: B-Max" (at least) you will definitely want to do so before tackling "Behemoth: Seppuku". For reasons that the author explains in the first volume, they constitute one book that was split into two due to pressures in the publishing issue. This novel does not stand alone, and will make no sense without reading the previous volume. Furthermore, there are two other volumes in the series "Starfish" and "Maelstrom" and while each entry stands on its own fairly well, reading the books in order would definitely be the approach I would recommend.

For those of you who are new to the series, here is a brief synopsis that should tell you whether or not these books are for you. Essentially, the story arc is about evolution: human, animal and electronic. By mixing a blend of biology, computer science and chaos theory, author Peter Watts has created a near future Earth where man is simultaneously at the height of his powers and walking the knife's edge of total ecological failure. In an effort to maintain the high standard of Western living mankind has turned to deep sea geothermal power to meet their energy needs. Miles below the ocean, specially engineered humans culled from the dregs of society maintain these power plants. However, what no one could have expected was that they would encounter an organism that would unleash an apocalypse. Part hard science-fiction, part post-apocalyptic, the first two books represent a genuinely original voice in the genre.

For those of you who have been eagerly awaiting "Seppuku" rest assured the ending is eminently satisfying. Given the two volume approach, it is difficult to offer much in the way of plot details without providing spoilers, but I can say that after the somewhat broader focus of "Maelstrom" and "B-Max" the story has gone full circle and boiled back down to the most perverse trinity of characters one is likely to find: Lenie Clarke, Ken Lubin and Achilles Desjardins. As the three engage in a power-play in which no one's motivations are clear and the fate of the world hangs in the balance, action takes precedence over thought, to sometimes disastrous effect. Nonetheless, the science and technology which has so defined this series is on ample display and is as prescient as ever.

Of particular note, I found the conclusion to be perfectly enigmatic. This is post-apocalyptic fiction, and a happy ending would have been wildly out of place, but Watts' conclusion recognizes this without being entirely bleak. In this regard, his novel owes more to "Alas, Babylon" with it's open ended conclusion, than the superb, but utterly fatalistic "On the Beach".

To say more would risk huge spoilers, so suffice it to say "Sepukku" is every bit the conclusion I was hoping for. Watts has combined hard science fiction and post-apocalyptic fiction and taken both in new and exciting directions. If you're a fan of the series, you'll be glad at the way it ends; if you're intrigued by this review, grab "Starfish" and start from the beginning.

Jake Mohlman

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Behemoth: Seppuku
Peter Watts
Manufacturer: Tor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OIYE4G

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BEHEMOTH: BOOK TWO: SEPPUKU

Manufacturer: Tom Doherty Associates Book
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IF84IW

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Seppuku :Rifters Behemoth 2
Peter Watts
Manufacturer: ST MARTINS PRESS *
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000Q1JRNY

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A most significant plural

impressive work, but beware the subtext

Salvations: Truth and Difference in Religion (Faith Meets Faith Series)
S. Mark Heim
Manufacturer: Orbis Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Theology | Reference | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Christian Uniqueness Reconsidered: Myth of Pluralistic Theology of Religions (Faith Meets Faith Series in Interreligious Dialogue)

Introducing Theologies of Religions

The Myth of Christian Uniqueness: Toward a Pluralistic Theology of Religions

Toward a Christian Theology of Religious Pluralism

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ASIN: 1570750408

Customer Reviews:

A most significant plural.......2007-08-08

This is not just another book on pluralistic theology. Here, Mark Heim takes us way beyond the fact that, whether we like it or not, there are around the world a number of religions besides ours.
He starts by reviewing the works of other pluralistic theologians and concludes that even though they all admit the fact that other religions exist, they do not actually give enough credit to the fact that those traditions may be the source of alternative fundamental categories. In other words they accept the presence of those religions with their particular ideas, but find no need to take them into account for their own salvation.
Heim suggests we should take more seriously the thoughts of other traditions regarding philosophy, theology, history or social thought. For this, we should not claim a God's eye view by behaving as if we knew it all. We should place ourselves not above but amongst the seekers and be attentive to other traditions' contributions, not from our religiously biased point of view, but through the use and understanding of their own terms.
This will lead us to discover that there are not only various religions but various kinds of religions, sometimes completely at odds with each other, totally incompatible.
And this will in turn lead us to discover that these religions have their own religious goal or religious end. The meaning of salvation actually varies from one to the other.
Sometimes in ancient religions salvation was centered on good health and better survival conditions in this world. Then in order to motivate people despite a lack of steady and reliable accomplishment in this terrestrial field, salvation tended to drift towards a new life in an after world. But there again perspectives remain hard to reconcile. Salvation is seen for instance as doing away with self, or joining an absolute non-dual Self, or entering into a communion with the triune God.
Heim therefore stops speaking of salvation in the singular, as a common goal for all religions. In his view, we are no more in a context where the thing that varies is the path to salvation but not salvation itself.
We are now faced with this idea that there may be several salvations, several ends to humanity's journey and not only one. Depending on our religion, we have not all been educated to seek the same salvation. It is also true that within a given religion the idea of salvation has at times varied throughout the centuries.
For people who are concerned by the meaning and the purpose of their life, this diversity of salvations can be very difficult to admit because all religions thrive to offer their members an exclusive and complete package, with everything that is needed for reaching their goal.
They may agree to discuss with other religions on how to get there, but they are not ready to concede that we are not all aiming at the same goal. It may be somewhat unsettling to realize that there are not only other paths, but also other ends. One thing remains though; it is the fact that one cannot follow two paths at the same time. And one benefit that may come out of this concept is that, for the time being, until we know better, religions can be accepted not as absolutely true or false, but as actually true and alternative.

impressive work, but beware the subtext.......2003-04-10

In the bumptious world of scholarly debates on religious pluralism, Mark Heim has been one of John Hick's ("An Interpretation of Religion," "A Christian Theology of Religions," etc.) most outspoken critics, and his "Salvations: Truth and Difference in Religion" devotes a chapter to a rather brutal deconstruction of Hick.

Heim also tackles Wilfred Cantwell Smith and Paul Knitter, thinkers who, like Hick, see certain unitive elements in religion.

Heim's basic intention is to appear more pluralistic than Hick and Company; his own proposal is founded on an adaptation of Nicholas Rescher's "orientational pluralism," in which "one and only one position is rationally appropriate from a given perspective." Heim argues not for a Hickian salvation-liberation or a common-essence notion like Hick's neo-Kantian "Real," but for the possibility of "salvations."

Heim does this because he feels the usual "convergent" approach of common-essence pluralism squelches the richness and particularity of religions. Heim's "more plural" pluralism also leaves open the question of whether another religious perspective may in fact be wrong.

The analogy Heim uses to illustrate his view is the travel analogy. Going from DC to New York, for example, is very different from going to Honolulu from the same starting point. The MEANS to get to these places will have to vary (Greyhound bus to Honolulu from DC?), too. While various itineraries may share the very abstract notion of "travel" in common, the details of such travel are by no means "mere" details-- on the contrary, they become very significant and speak directly to the nature of the journey.

While I appreciate Heim's very significant contribution to the overall discussion of pluralism and his very clear (if overly punishing) critiques of Hick, I finished the book with a sense that Heim, an evangelical Protestant, arrived at his pluralistic proposal merely as a way to protect his evangelicalism, to which he still stubbornly cleaves (Heim's successive books seem to bear this out).

This childish attachment to old belief is precisely what Hick has been fighting against. Hick's proposal-- indeed, ALL pluralistic proposals-- demand something of their listeners: that they CHANGE. Hick demands that we work at our spirituality; Heim is proposing a "live and let live" paradigm, which sounds nice at first blush, but once you realize he's using it to justify his own evangelicalism (which isn't a "live and let live" form of Christianity-- it's an aggressively missionizing form!), you may see Heim as more than a little duplicitous.

Hick's model does have problems; various critics have beaten his "pluralistic hypothesis" to death, and Heim's 1995 "Salvations" arrived on the scene in time to provide a nice wrap-up and coup de grace. Heim's book is valuable on this score; his "orientational pluralistic" proposal is also worth study, but I recommend reading Heim on several levels.

A couple concluding remarks: First, philosophical models of religious pluralism all inevitably fail because they contain some sort of unitive element that makes them unacceptable. Heim's model also falls prey to this: in the travel analogy, all travel occurs on the surface of a single earth. Heim's model therefore allows for multiple salvations but still posits a numerically singular reality-- which is something he accuses Hick of when dealing with Hick's "Real." Hick, however, has been at pains to explain that his notion of the Real is NOT necessarily numerically singular (cf. Hick 1995)-- a crucial nondualistic point often missed in the ongoing debates over Hick.

Second: Hick, Heim, Stephen Kaplan, and others with philosophical models of pluralism all assume that religion has a soteriological dimension. I don't agree with this assumption: philosophical Taoism has no soteriology (swim with or against the Tao; it's all Tao), and so-called "primitive" religions were more about world-maintenance than personal or corporate salvation.

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Citation Details
Title: Salvations: Truth and Difference in Religion. (book reviews)
Author: Michael J. Kerlin
Publication: Journal of Ecumenical Studies (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 1997
Publisher: Journal of Ecumenical Studies
Volume: v34 Issue: n4 Page: p573(2)

Article Type: Book Review

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