Jerusalem and the Holy Land: The First Ecumenical Pilgrim's Guide [Paperback]

James R. McCormick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1997

Make your journey to the Holy Land a richer experience. This book introduces the reader to the area, its history and its people, while providing invaluable information on traditional pilgrimage sites. Knowing what to expect in the Holy Land will help you get the most out of your journey. Jerusalem and the Holy Land, written from a broadly Christian perspective, is a must for anyone planning a trip to the Holy Land. It covers everything a pilgrim should know before undertaking the journey.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

McCormick, a Michigan trial judge and ecumenical activist, targets a specialized audience in this work: evangelical Christians planning to visit Jerusalem and the Holy Land as religious pilgrims. He informs readers that they should look elsewhere for tourist advice, such as restaurant and hotel recommendations. He encourages readers to make a special effort to visit the churches and membership of Palestinian Christian congregations and of smaller Eastern Orthodox sects and insists that Christian visitors show proper respect to West Bank Muslims and Islamic shrines. Illustrations consist of small, modest black-and-white photos and maps. Suitable for popular browsing collections.?Richard S. Watts, San Bernardino Cty. Lib., Cal.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Having made a number of trips to Israel, James McCormick's goal is to motivate Christians of all denominations to make a pilgrimage to the "Holy Land." He offers sincere spiritual guidance to be done in advance of a journey to Israel, including scriptural preparation, pointers to videotapes, and hymnal selection. Photos enliven the work. An ecumenical leader and trial court judge in Michigan, McCormick asserts correctly that travel to Israel is enhanced by a basic understanding of the contours of religious and political history that have shaped this land of especial and long-standing importance to Jews, Muslims, and Christians of all branches and denominations. Embedded deeply within one Christian perspective, Jerusalem and the Holy Land traces with extremely broad brush strokes a subset of the salient elements of the collective history of the peoples of Israel. Readers might also consult John Bright's seminal work, A History of Israel 3rd ed. (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1981). Unfortunately, in a presentation purported to be ecumenical, McCormick uses terminology such as "Old Testament" and "BC" - both of which are not sensitive to the Rabbinic Jewish tradition. Although he briefly discusses Jewish and Islamic pilgrimage traditions, the author does not mention that for 600 years during the period of the Second Temple (583 BCE - 70 CE), Jerusalem flourished as a center of pilgrimages of the Jewish people. A famous psalm that begins, "If I forget thee O Jerusalem," references the enduring and extraordinarily poignant feelings that Jews have always held toward that special place. The giblah, or direction of prayer for Muslim worshipers, was initially toward Jerusalem also, not Mecca as it came to be. -- From Independent Publisher

Jerusalem And The Holy Land introduces the readers to the land of the Bible, its history and its people, while providing invaluable information on traditional pilgrimage sites. Knowing what to expect in the Holy Land will help all the visitor get the most out of his or her journey. Jerusalem And The Holy Land is written from a broadly Christian perspective covering everything a pilgrim should know before undertaking the journey including Holy Land history, chronologies and maps, pilgrimage traditions, Calvary and the Sepulcher, meeting native Christians, Jewish and Muslim life, promoting peace in the Holy Land, and even how to go about choosing a tour group that is right for them. Jerusalem And The Holy Land is not only an indispensable trip planner, it is engaging and informative reading for all "armchair" travelers as well. -- Midwest Book Review

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Product Details

• Paperback: 207 pages
• Publisher: Rhodes & Easton (May 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964940132
• ISBN-13: 978-0964940130
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,089,234 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Most Helpful Tool in Planning a Pilgrimage to Israel, February 7, 1998

By 

Rev. Dr. James M. Gysel ([e-mail]) (Battle Creek, Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jerusalem and the Holy Land: The First Ecumenical Pilgrim's Guide (Paperback)

Judge McCormick does an outstanding job of providing a most helpful tool in preparing one to travel to the Holy Land. He does this in several ways: 1) By delineating clearing the difference between a "Pilgrimage" and just taking a vacation trip. This is a spiritual journey. 2) He notes the wonderful variety of religious traditions that converge in Israel and ways to get in touch with the wealth of these traditions; 3) Has THE most helpful listing of ways to be brought "up to speed" prior to traveling to the Holy Land to maximize the experience; and 4) I agree wholeheartedly with his comments about the value of booking with a tour company which provides Christian guides for Christian groups. As a pastor who has led two tour groups to the Holy Land in the last 14 years, I find this book an excellent choice in preparing spiritually for this trip of a lifetime. Thanks!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars How Not To Be Just A Tourist On Your Holy Land Tour, March 8, 2006

By 

Tom Moser (North Puget Sound, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jerusalem and the Holy Land: The First Ecumenical Pilgrim's Guide (Paperback)

I read this book in preparation for a 2007 trip to the Holy Land and have recommended it to others in our small group who are making preparation for this journey. Reading James McCormick's book helps me understand that this is not just another vacation and I can be more than just a tourist. This is a pilgrimage to a special place and preparation begins in the mind and heart to truly understand what the Holy Land offers. I particularly enjoyed the way he is able to capture the point of view and expectations of people from other faith traditions. He describes why Orthodox believers and Protestant believers will go to Israel with different anticipations.
This book is a great tool and inner journey before the actual journey begins. I now am even more excited about our trip than I was before the reading the book and see this as pilgrimage and not just a vacation.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not Much on Details, January 20, 2006

By 

Alsand (Ellensburg, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jerusalem and the Holy Land: The First Ecumenical Pilgrim's Guide (Paperback)

If you are going on a guided tour to the Holy land, this book will give you a good overview of what you need to know and will help you get the most out of your trip.

If what you need are details that will equipt you to make a visit on your own, the book is just about useless. Stick with the Eyewitness and Jerome Murphy-O'Connor Oxford Guide.