Common Prayers: Faith, Family, and a Christian's Journey Through the Jewish Year [Hardcover]

Harvey Cox (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 20, 2001

Harvey Cox, the distinguished Christian theologian and scholar of religion, has a Jewish wife and son. From the Passover meal to the weekly Sabbath candles, from the marriage chuppah to the walls of old Jerusalem, he has shared in the joys and responsibilities of the Jewish faith. Celebrating the Jewish holidays, he has had the opportunity to reflect on the essence of Judaism and its complex relationship to Christianity, an experience that continues to deepen his understanding of his own faith.
In COMMON PRAYERS, Cox takes readers on an intimate journey through the Jewish year. An insightful and charming guide, he illuminates the meanings of Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah and the "December madness" of Chanukah and Christmas, as well as those of less well known holidays such as Sukkot and Simchat Torah and of events such as death and marriage. Describing in elegant, accessible language the holidays' personal, historical, and spiritual significance and the lessons they offer us, Cox brings a unique perspective to this encounter with a faith not his own. As seen through his eyes, the Jewish holidays become a wellspring of discovery and reflection.
For many Christians, this book will offer a revelation of the rituals and traditions practiced by Jewish friends and relatives and an occasion to reflect on their own faith. For Jews, a Christian theologian's thoughtful view of their religion is certain to bring new and refreshing insights. And for every reader, COMMON PRAYERS promises a deeply touching journey, full of surprises, across the lines of faith and an opportunity to contemplate the wider context of his or her own spirituality.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

When the Christian theologian Harvey Cox married Nina Tumarkin, a Jewish woman, he plunged into a "crash course in interfaith relations." Cox's Common Prayers reminds readers that there was a literal space in Jerusalem's ancient Temple called the Court of the Gentiles, where Jews welcomed all "strangers and sojourners" to worship alongside them. In an age of interfaith marriage, Cox asserts that the Court of the Gentiles has considerable symbolic resonance. It is, figuratively, a space where thousands of husbands and wives of Jewish women and men find themselves every day. Cox's memoir of family life follows the Jewish calendar, describing Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, Hanukah, and Christmas, as well as events such as death and marriage. Travelers often find wisdom in foreign experiences, and Cox is no exception. His Christian experience of Jewish life has not diluted his faith but made it broader and more nuanced. With candor, wit, and insight, Cox brings readers into the Court of the Gentiles. --Michael Joseph Gross

From Library Journal

In Many Mansions: A Christian's Encounter with Other Faiths, Cox (divinity, Harvard) explored world religions. Here, he focuses on Judaism, and his perspective is quite personal: his wife, Nina Tumarkin (Russian history, Wellesley), is Jewish, and together they have raised a son who, at 14, has recently become "bar mitzvah" in the Jewish faith. Arranged as a journey through the Jewish year, this work guides readers from one Rosh Hashanah (New Year's Day) to the next, with several other milestones in Jewish life weddings, funerals, births, bar mitzvahs thrown in. Cox not only provides a clear guide to Judaism for "perplexed gentiles" but convincingly argues that "appreciating Judaism, both its history and its present manifestation, is essential to a full understanding of Christianity," lending "depth and resonance to all the ideas that are central to my faith: how I understand the nature of God, the purpose of human life, the significance of Jesus, and the meaning of faith." An important new book by a major theologian; highly recommended. Marcia Welsh, formerly with Guilford Free Lib., CT
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (September 20, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618067434
• ISBN-13: 978-0618067435
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,723,286 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant and Insightful Commentary, January 5, 2002

By 

Leslie N. Cohen (Norton Ma. USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Common Prayers: Faith, Family, and a Christian's Journey Through the Jewish Year (Hardcover)

Rev. Harvey Cox has written a masterful guide for the interfaith family and for those contemplating creating one. Christian and Jew alike will learn from his wonderfully written view of Judaism from the Chrisitan perspective. For the lay person, this is a brief lesson in both Jewish and Chrisitan theology. For the scholar, Rev. Cox's work will provide the basis for discussion, agreement, and disagreement. By telling his personal story, he may profoundly influence a growing number of Jewish and Chrisitan partners dealing with the perplexing issues that neccesarily accompany such a union. He has answers. This is a very important work and Rev. Cox deserves praise for his sensitivity and skill in writing his story. Any person of faith will be moved by his writing.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interfaith Road Map, January 3, 2007

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Carol W. Rubel (Scranton PA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Common Prayers: Faith, Family, and a Christian's Journey Through the Jewish Year (Hardcover)

Common Prayers : Faith, Family and a Christian's Journey through the Jewish Year by Harvey Cox is a celebration of history, tradition and personal experience ... framed by liturgical and theological commentary.
Cox manages to create a welcoming and warm environment in which the "foundation religion" for Christianity can be better understood and better appreciated .
I recommend this book for anyone interested in learning more about the spiritual roots of Christianity - and - most especialy, for every interfaith couple. The information and explanations of Jewish holydays are easy to read - and can provide abundant opportunity for dialog between interfaith partners.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Lesson in Faith, January 21, 2007

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SkiGirl45 (Snow Country USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Common Prayers: Faith, Family, and a Christian's Journey Through the Jewish Year (Paperback)

Harvey Cox has written another excellent study on faith. Both the Christian and Jewish faiths have an abundance of symbols, rituals, and meanings that are explored and explained in this study of the Jewish Year. Easy to read and understand. Thought provoking for anyone wanting to examine their own experience with faith and holy days.