Customer Reviews

Surpassing Wonder: The Invention of the Bible and the Talmuds

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4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

Akenson's book is easily the most comprehensive discussion of Hebrew and Christian scripture I have read. Especially valuable for me was the middle section of the book, in which he takes the reader through some of the more important religious literature being written during the second temple period and identifies it as the source of many themes that eventually find their way into the Christian gospels. Surpassing Wonder was valuable for me also because it adjusted my perspective. I am used to thinking of the religious literature after Jesus as that of the Christian Bible. Akenson, however, brings equally to the foreground an extensive discussion of the rabbinic literature being written during the same period as the church fathers are formulating and arguing out what will become the traditional beliefs of Christianity. Thus, in Akenson's book, we get an overview (skillfully handled, especially considering the vastness of the rabbinic texts) of the literature of both the major religions that emerged from the tumultuous period of Jesus' life and the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. I would strongly recommend this book as an essential introduction to the writing of both the Hebrew and Christian bible and their historical contexts.

The author is quite upfront in warning off readers who will not profit from this book: i.e. those devoted to the concept of Bible inerrancy or otherwise unwilling or unable to broaden their perspectives. Those readers are missing out on a wonderful ride. In a manner reminiscent of Stephen Jay Gould (another author I wouldn't recommend to the blinkered reader), Akenson combines humor, imagination and scholarship to explore the incredible richness of Biblical texts. I was very impressed with his main thesis, which is audacious yet plausible and cogently argued. The book is more than a satisfying intellectual read. It is an invitiation to share in the author's unquenchable joy as he attempt to answer questions central to our understanding of ourselves.

If you are 'a fundamentalist', fiercely and unconditionally attached to your religious tradition, please skip the rest of this review: this book is not for you. Otherwise, dear Reader, you may find that Akenson's book truly surpasses wonder. It is a witty, enormously erudite exploration of how the leap towards the divinity, first taken by the Hebrew patriarchs of old evolved into a 'Judahist' (yes, with an 'h' in the middle) tradition centered on the Covenant with the One God, and the First Temple, and possibly through the catalytic intervention of a genial editor/historian who put together the writings of 'Y' (more commonly referred to as 'J'), 'E', 'P', 'D', and other biblical authors, into a single historical narrative that became the written backbone of the Yawist tradition over the next few centuries. At the time of the Second Temple there blossomed in that unique region, the antonomastic Holy Land, a rich diversity of trends of religious evolution. The final destruction of the Temple, and the final diaspora led to an evolution, or transformation if you wish, of that tradition into two daughter ones, Rabbinical Judaism (without the 'h' in the middle) on one hand, and the Christianities on the other. The proposed dynamics for this evolution and its projection into the traditions of our own days are presented by the author on bases of biblical and parabiblical texts, i.e. not only those that the triumphant elites eventually canonized in the Tanakh and the Christian Bibles but all the Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Ethiopian etc., manuscripts that have survived or that have been recently discovered (such as the Qumran scrolls). The book provides for a most enjoyable reading, full of compelling argument, rich in history and in language (have your dictionary at hand) and amply annotated. You do need a little background on the basics of modern biblical scholarship. (Interested readers that are new to this matter may find it useful to precede the reading of Surpassing Wonder with "Who Wrote The Bible?" by Richard E. Friedman.)

This is a book of big ideas - western culture has its roots in the Hebrew scriptures, the Scriptures are most meaningful when studied as history, a single author/editor/historian compiled Genesis through Kings, the presence or absence of a temple and the immediacy or remoteness of Yahweh drove Biblical writing, the destruction of the Jerusalem in 70 CE was the seminal event in the creation of both Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity. The most radical idea is of a single author of Genesis/Kings, but this idea is not set in concrete. The rest of Surpassing Wonder is surprisingly conservative. Akinson meticulously ties the early to the late Hebrew scriptures, and both to the Christian scriptures and Rabbinic Judaism and the writing of the Talmuds. I heartily recommend this book to anyone who wants a better understanding of the origins of these texts, and especially for those who have been reading conspiracy-type books on mystical bloodlines, ancient Masonic rituals, and the multitude of Biblical contradictions (which Akenson argues actually add strength to the stories). Akenson states up-front that his book is "belief neutral," and that fundamentalists should look elsewhere. I guarantee that anyone with at least a somewhat open mind and an interest in the topic will find this amazing book to be very engaging and challenging - but don't expect a quick read!

In this brilliant and awesome tour de force, author, scholar and award-winning professor Donald Harmon Akenson unfolds and illumines the arising of Judaism and Christianity from their common roots in "Judahism" following the destruction of the Second Temple(70 CE).Using historical method, Akenson traces the bringing together (invention) of thousands of ancient stories into a interrelated spiritual vision that shapes the core of our Western consciousness. With wit, literary elegance, and clear analysis, he follows the changing understanding of The Covenant as it transmutes from the limited instrument of salvation for a particular people into a "New" relationship with a God who takes human form to save all people. Footnotes in each chapter point to a wealth of information and further readings to enable greater understanding and explication of this fascinating history.
I found Akenson's book like a jewel showing facets previously unseen and it has brought me to a deep appreciation of these texts that I thought not possible.

I find the book very lively, engaging, the writer says veryclearly that this is a book of his personal opinions, and tells them clearly, also stating wiht whom he disagrees. I regret that he is rather brief in his description of the Christian Books, I would have enjoyed the same depth that both the older Jewish Scriptures and the Talmud enjoy. Still, I do not find him glib and condescending................................... Authors who clearly state that what they write is their personal idea invite discussion and stimulate me to think, which is very different from expecting blind agreement. They show me their thinking and its limitations, and I can "take or leave" whatever I want - exactly the contrary of arrongance and condescension. A very valuable and well written book, that makes the rather academic subject exciting and fresh.

Donald Harman Akenson's Surpassing Wonder is an erudite and well documented history of the development of both the Christian Bible and the Jewish scriptures, including the Tanakh, Mishnah and Talmud. Akenson brings critical historical scholarship to a subject that is frequently seen only through the eyes of faith. His style is refreshing and easy to read and his respect for the scriptures he deals with is palpable.

I spent many years struggling with the stories of the Bible. The problem was mine, of course. I was trying to believe it. When viewed as literature and especially as political propaganda it is startlingly clear. This book clears up almost every problem I ever had with scripture.

This is an astonishing book. If you have any serious interest in Biblical studies, you must read it. I'm not saying you'll agree with all of it; I don't. But that is part of the challange. This is one "spiritual" book (and when did that become a dismissive term) that makes one think. Let those who have ears hear, or at least think. No money is better spent than aquiring this volume. I challenge you to do so.

As others have suggested in greater detail, this is an astounding, wondrous book!The author writes beautifully. It is not a book of faith, nor does it claim to be. It is a long book and, at times, treats complex matters, but he treats them with clarity and respect. It is a must read for any serious student of the writings of the Jewish and Christian religions. It will make most religious polemics seem even more ridiculous than they are.

Two points: First, the author offers many of his own theories, supported by both argument and evidence. I was not totally convinced by all of them (only an idiot wants to read books that contain only ideas he agrees with), but all of them were enlightening and thought provoking.

Second, his conclusion is a brilliant essay in its own right, as are his appendices. In the latter he discusses other topics in greater detail (and, in some cases, with deadly humor). His essay on the search for an historical Jesus should be required reading for anyone seriously interested in the subject.