Customer Reviews

Christian Travelers Guide to Great Britain, The

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Here is what the prestigious American Library Journal (Vol. 126, No. 8, p. 117, 1 May 2001)said:

"... These guides do not lead tourists to the most popular bars or shopping districts but instead to the various Christian heritage sites in each country. Hexham's ... vast knowledge of history and religion makes these well-researched books a treasure trove of historical information. Each guide follows the same layout: Hexham begins with an overview of the history of each country from prehistoric times to the present. He then includes a chapter on literature, art, and architecture and lists what he considers the top ten Christian heritage sites in each country. Each entry thereafter is in alphabetical order by place name and includes some background information, specific sites to visit, and biographies of significant people associated with the site...

I took a course with Professor Hexham at the University of Calgary, he is a very likeable and interesting fellow. This book is one of my favorites and offers much more than just your average travelling books.

The American Library Journal's review ended with the words "Recommended for all Public Libraries."

According to Irving Hexham, a distinguished professor of religious studies at the University of Calgary, one can find "travel guides with titles like Pagan Europe, Occult France, Magical Britain, and The Traveler's Guide to Germany" (p. 7), but not all that much on the Christian contribution to Europe, even or especially in standard travel books, which "tend to underplay Christian contributions to Western civilization through neglect or a negative tone" (p. 7). In an effort to correct this situation, Hexham has generated a series of guidebooks that includes, in addition to the one he wrote on Great Britain, books on Germany, France, and Italy.

The reasons Hexham gives for his efforts should resonate with Latter-day Saints because they, too, have come to recognize that

the Bible is steeped in history and the remembrance of history. Both the Old and New Testaments constantly reminded their readers about particular historical events (Deuteronomy 4:9--25) both by retelling the story and through commemorations which enact the central acts of salvation (Exodus 13:3--16; 1 Corinthians 11:25--26). Further, an appeal is frequently made to visible memorials that remind people of God's wonderful deeds (Acts 2:29--36). We also find both Jews and early Christians visiting historical sites as acts of devotion (Luke 2:21--41; Acts 21:17--27). (p. 8)

Hexham insists that Christians are "not a tribal religion rooted in local communities bound by kinship bonds" (p. 9) but should instead be a community grounded on faith. "The great truth of the New Testament is that Christians are children of God by adoption" (p. 9). And this explains why the scriptures "point to examples of faith which we are encouraged to follow and remember (Joshua 4; Luke 11:29--32; Acts 7; Hebrews 12). Remembering acts of courage and obedience to God strengthens our own faith. This fact was long recognized by the leaders of the church. Throughout history, Christians have told and retold stories of courage and faith" (p. 9).

But now much of this has been neglected or forgotten. In its place we have what Hexham calls "secular gossip." By this he means what appears in the mass media--on television and the radio and in magazines. We are inundated with bizarre stories of the (mis)deeds of "celebrities." So we "are full of 'lives.' But they are the lives of pop singers, film stars, television personalities, and secular politicians" (p. 9), and not the lives of the heroic figures of Christian faith, as was once the case. This fact deeply troubles Hexham. Why?

Christianity is rooted in history. The New Testament begins with a genealogical table that most modern readers find almost incomprehensible (Matthew 1:1--17). The purpose of this genealogy is to locate the birth of Jesus in space and time according to the standards of Jewish history. The appeal to 'the first eye-witnesses,' in the prologue to the gospel of Luke, is also intended to engage the skepticism of Greco-Roman readers by providing specific historical data against which ancient readers could weigh the writer's claims (Luke 3:1--2). The Gospels contain many references to historical data and specific geographical locations. So important is historical truth that its denial becomes the mark of heresy. (p. 8)

According to Hexham, "the importance of history and the way in which we remember past events is recognized by many influential opponents of Christianity" (p. 8). He then points out that the most determined enemies of Christianity (he mentions Karl Marx and Adolf Hitler) made the control of history, or of its interpretation, the key to controlling the future (p. 8). In this manner they built in one way or another, Hexham believes, on Enlightenment skepticism about divine things. This has led, he believes, to the denial "of the validity of Christians history" (p. 8). But following the biblical model with its emphasis on remembrance, Hexham believes that "visiting places and seeing where great events took place help people remember and understand the present as well as the past" (p. 8). Hexham has fashioned these travel guides with this end in mind: the great deeds of the Christian past are worthy of remembering and can still enhance the faith of those who now travel the world. But can close encounters with the places where terrible deeds were done in the name of Jesus Christ, since this is often part of the larger story, also enhance or refine faith? For a Latter-day Saint, the answer has to be yes.

The Christian Travelers Guide to Great Britain is not, of course, an exhaustive account. But it provides in the first part a very useful brief account of British history and in the second part an explanation of English literature, art, music, and architecture, followed by a description of fifty-eight sites like London, York, and Cambridge. This volume, and the others in this series, can be recommended for Latter-day Saints with an urge to actually learn something about what they are seeing while on holiday.

I found the Christian Traveler's Guide series fascinating. A brilliant idea of the author to write the books. Very informative and great history lessons.

Excellent Books