Temple and Cosmos: Beyond This Ignorant Present (The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, Vol 12 : Ancient History) [Hardcover]

Hugh Nibley (Author), Don E. Norton (Author, Editor)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 597 pages
• Publisher: Deseret Book Co (May 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0875795234
• ISBN-13: 978-0875795232
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #230,543 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must for LDS Temple Goers!, March 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Temple and Cosmos: Beyond This Ignorant Present (The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, Vol 12 : Ancient History) (Hardcover)

For the "uninitiated," this volume will prove a mass of confusion. On the other hand, the faithful LDS temple patron could scarce imagine the enlightenment this book will bring. A long-time bibliophile, I normally find my excitement in history books and classic literature. Modern church books often fail to stimulate me, but Nibley's "Temple and Cosmos" is an exception.

What does "Cosmos" have to do with temples?

Why do so many cultures have temples?

What do all of these cultures have in common?

Of what interest are all these other temples to me?

What do the different cultures wear in their temple rites, why?

Other than the scriptures, what can I learn from ancient writings and traditions regarding temples?

Nibley addresses these questions and others you've never asked yourself. And the answers will give even the most knowledgeable and faithful a new fascination with their church and its ordinances.

38 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nibley's best work by far., December 6, 2002

By 

Blah (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Temple and Cosmos: Beyond This Ignorant Present (The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, Vol 12 : Ancient History) (Hardcover)

This book is amazing. Nibley's grasp of the subject matter is truly astounding. While it is true that Nibley is a mormon apologist, this work is not skewed like many of his other works. This is his best effort. Whether you are mormon or not this book brings up a lot of intersting similarities with almost every ancient religion and their temple type. Zoroastrian fire temples being the most notable exception. a pure joy to read.

Nibley does not go into depth concerning mormon temple ceremonies but many of the things he discuss will still be easily understood by the non-mormon reader. In addition, a large portion of the book is devoted to the actual structure of the temple as a microcosm of the universe. Also of note is his discusion of sacred vestments through the ages.

33 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative, March 5, 2000

By 

Kevin K. Winters (Arizona, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Temple and Cosmos: Beyond This Ignorant Present (The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, Vol 12 : Ancient History) (Hardcover)

Nibley's work on Temples, ancient and modern, are incredible. Many of the articles in this book were previously unpublished works. Others are from firesides and addresses at BYU and other places. All are generally aimed towards the LDS audience.

Scholars have, in the last 10 years, expanded on many of Nibley's proposed ideas. Scholars, LDS and non-LDS, have found similar conclusions as Nibley has proposed and have expanded on them (as one example on Nibley's "One Eternal Round" see Mircea Eliade "The Myth of the Eternal Return" (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1954) for more on "parallelism" see John M. Lundquist's "The Temple: Meetingplace of Heaven and Earth" and it's respective bibliography). Many students of temples of the ancient world would find few qualms with the conclusions expressed by Hugh Nibley as they relate to the temple.

This book is mostly directed toward the LDS audience. Despite this it may be informative to the beginning non-LDS student of the temple (especially as seen by the LDS mind). Other books may be suggested but many of the conlcusions would be the same.