Pocket-sized Christianity
Written: Apr 21 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful, tiny enough to carry with you, somewhat inspiring
Cons: Not very informative to those who'd be most drawn to the subject
The Bottom Line: A nice gift for religious milestones (confirmation or joining the choir); but falls through the cracks between 'informative', 'art' and 'inspirational'. Interesting all the same.
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| saintdonagh's Full Review: Christian Mysteries Books |
The Sacred Symbols series of small gift books, designed to be "accessible and informative", includes Christian Mysteries as well as titles on Ancient Egypt, the Buddha, The Celts, Mandala, Native Americans, the Maya, Sacred Sex, Tao, and the Tarot. It's a rather bizarre mix for a line of books, though the topics are widely interesting.
I ordered my own copy of Christian Mysteries sight unseen, after seeing it as a catalog listing that proved irresistible (the price was marked down to £ 2). In spite of the bargain price, when it arrived, I was disappointed in the size of it - just 4 or 5 inches square. But, I was met with a pleasant surprise on opening it, as it features lovely artwork and photography, all on subjects that spanned the Christian year - Easter, the Assumption, Pentecost; and a few other interesting bits of the Faith - Saint Andrew's Cross, for instance, and the puzzling Stigmata.
Each "spread" of two pages, wherever you open the book, is laid out well, and pleases the eye, providing some graphics and illustration, and a few lines summing up the history and significance of each topic, which is limited to those two pages only. Some of the topics are widely recognised even outside Christianity (such as Christmas) and others are less known. One example of these, is "The Glastonbury Thorn", quoted here in entirety:
"When Joseph of Arimathea came to England, he bequeathed to Glastonbury not only the Holy Grail, but also his staff. Joseph stuck it into the ground, where it took root and was transformed into a hawthorn.
Glastonbury hawthorns do bloom in May and around Christmas; but whether they are descended from the staff of Joseph of Arimathea is a moot point. The monks of Glastonbury Abbey certainly promoted the story, which brought them pilgrims and renown. In the mid seventeenth century the original tree was destroyed by Puritans, but it is claimed that cuttings survived."
The full page illustration opposite these words, is a lovely medieval-style painting, "Joseph of Arimathea Planting His Staff at Glastonbury" (illumination, Brotherhood of Saint Seraphim of Sarov, 1978).
The book does a fine job of titling and acknowledging all its artwork; however, there is no bibliography - surely because the knowledge presented here is commonly known among many Christians, and needs no published authority behind it. The quotes are cited of course, and are mainly from the writings of saints. James Bentley wrote the book's text, and it is, as the dustjacket promises, "accessible and informative". In fact, it puts me in mind of children's non-fiction books, that lay out their information to be as simple and visually pleasing as possible.
Yet this isn't "juvenile nonfiction" as I knew it in my library days. I turned it over in my hands when I first received it, wondering what exactly it was.
A reference book?
Well, hardly, considering its size - though I did find a few things in here I didn't know, and some interesting facts and quotes.
A gift book?
It's pretty enough, and the right size... but to whom would I give it, I wonder? Only a devout Christian would appreciate the donation, I thought, yet a devout Christian would find nothing new in its pages. Still, giving it to the local Druid would be courting disaster, and historically, this is remarkably poor timing to give it to Muslim friends.
A child's book, perhaps?
It's really not suited for children - while the quantity of information is scaled down, the reading level and vocabulary are not. The artwork seems chosen as much for its beauty, as any ability to illustrate the text.
More a part of the set, than a book to stand alone?
I considered this the longest. But, the topics of the Sacred Symbols books are rather diverse - and this book does stand alone well enough. On the back cover, it reads, "sacred symbols: go to the heart of human experience."
It took a while for the book's most likely purpose to sink into me. Because each page stands alone, connected to but artistically independent from the others, perhaps the book is best used for meditation: keep it by you, open it anywhere, then read the passage, and the quote provided, and become absorbed in the artwork as the message of the 'mystery' sinks in. It offers a few moments of peace in the day, anyhow, and perhaps a closer touch to Christian spirituality - just as some use single tarot cards for daily meditation, or a decade on the rosary.
The "mysteries" presented in the book are:
Symbol and Sacrament (an introduction to the book)
The Christian Year:
Lady Day
Christmas
Epiphany
Lent
Easter
Ascension
Pentecost
All Saints
All Souls
Cross & Crucifix
the Tree of Life
the Lamb of God
the Tortured Christ
the Glory of the Cross
Instruments of the Passion
Stigmata
the Keys of Saint Peter
the Cross of Saint Andrew
Queen of Heaven
"Ave Maria"
Christ-Child
Pieta
the Assumption
Protectress
Black Madonna
Legend
the Pilgrim
Holy Blood, Holy Grail
the Shroud of Turin
the Glastonbury Thorn
Chi-Ro
Saint Veronica
the Cosmic Battle
Revelation
In the end, the disappointment wore off, and the book has won me over. It also passed the family initiation as a "bathroom book" for which it's layout and size are (rather unfortunately) well-suited. Meanwhile, our daughter is a few weeks away from her confirmation, and in her new enthusiasm for church, the book has become officially hers. So, I'm giving the series another chance - and perhaps adding to her "collection" on her next birthday is something to consider.
"I know much Greek and Latin. I have still to learn the alphabet of how to become a saint"
-- Saint Arsenius, d. 250.
(got that from the book!)
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
saintdonagh
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Location: Ireland
Reviews written: 20
Trusted by: 11 members
About Me:
Author of medieval Irish fiction; fortunate mother of two.
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