Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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46 of 50 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Solid Treatment of an Interesting Topic, September 5, 2001
A few of the reviews I read on amazon were so annoying, I thought I'd chime in. Sure, if you are a Gnostic you probably don't agree with Peter Jones' judgments. But don't try to belittle his intelligence or his command of the subject matter. He has a Ph.D. from Princeton Seminary, he's been a theology porfessor for years, and he has written a number of books on the topic. He knows the arguments and counter-arguments. If you disagree, just say so, but don' make these silly attacks on Dr. Jones' competence. He's very sharp.I found the book to be a good introduction to the topic. I used it in an adult c.e. setting at our church, where we spent 13 weeks with it. Most folks appreciated the book and were challenged by it. It helped us understand the appeal of a puzzling movement, and how a neo-pagan worldview hangs together coherently. It is concise, rather than comprehensive. It does not explore all the varieties of the New Age movement. Its not intended to do that. But its well worth the investment of a few hours of redaing time and a few dollars.
I bought extra copies for friends and for the church library.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Simple Introduction to a Fascinating Issue, April 29, 2002
In this book, Jones' parallels ancient Gnosticism with the current "New Age" movement. The book covers the roots of Gnosticism, the current New Age, and how the Church should respond to the current resurgence of what Jones' considers to be Gnosticism reborn.The mixed review of the book really comes down to purpose: what purpose does the book serve? If one is looking for a pithy, easy to understand overview of the dangers of the New Age for a Christian, I would rate the book 5 out of 5: it is short, easy to read, and relatively light on detail. The language is very simple, and uses a vocabulary which is well within the grasp of the average reader, unlike some theological texts. If one reads the book as an academic treatise on Gnosticism and it's impact on the modern day Church, it's a clear 1 out of 5: that doesn't appear to be what the book sets out to do. Indeed, the preface of the book lays out the author's intention clearly: to clarify the situation, to warn the Church, and to encourage believers to "fight the good fight". In that measure, the book works very well indeed. The book is very short (a minus if you're expecting lots of content - it can be read very quickly from cover to cover) and is written from an entirely Christian worldview. Thus, if you are looking for something to loan to Christian friends which talks about the New Age and how it impacts the Church today, buy it.
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16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"Heresy" is a four letter word!, June 1, 1999
Peter Jones gives a fairly well researched analysis of the parallels between Gnosticism and the New Age movement. As the negative reviews of "Gnostic Empire Strikes Back," prove, Peter Jones is correct when he concludes that the New Age ideals of tolerance are only skin deep. How quickly the champions of pluralism and tolerance rise to the occasion to denounce Christians as "paranoid" and "narrow." Why not review the book instead of denouncing the author with the shibboleth of "fundamentalist"? It seems the only heresy today is orthodox Christianity.The book is a short read, really just a quick historical overview of Gnosticism and an analysis of the parallels between it and New Age spirituality. It is not a comprehensive study into either Gnosticism or New Age thought, but an introduction primarily intended for Christians. It is a bit dated, having been published in 1992, but still applies nonetheless.
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