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The Body and the Blood: The Holy Land at the Turn of a New Millennium: A Reporter's Journey (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "UNRISE BRUSHED the desert sky in red over the soft brown folds of the Judean hills as I set out along a ridge of the..." (more)
Key Phrases: journalistic pilgrimage, biblical historians, first intifada, Beit Sahour, Greek Orthodox, Beit Jala (more...)

4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

As The Body and the Blood begins, it is raining bullets in the Via Dolorosa. Braving war zones, often on a daily basis, journalist Charles Sennott spent the year 2000 retracing the path of Jesus' life, from Bethlehem to Emmaus, to write about the Holy Land's Christians. His goal was "to open a window for Western Christians into the Middle East conflict, to encourage them to think about the realities of this land, and about what it means if the living presence of Christianity here should wither and die." On his journey, Sennott encounters many salty characters and strange scenes, which he describes with effective economy: "In one Jerusalem parish, there were not enough young Christian men left to carry a casket at a funeral." Sennott, The Boston Globe's Middle East bureau chief, believes that Christianity has traditionally "provided a kind of leavening in the Middle East, a small but necessary ingredient acting as a buffer between the Arab world's broad Islamic resurgence and the strands within Israel of a rising, ultranationalist brand of Judaism." His book is not merely a political travelogue, however. He also makes Middle Eastern Christianity relevant to the everyday lives of Western readers, by showing that Palestinian- Israeli conflicts are rooted in the same social and spiritual conflicts that shaped Jesus' ministry. --Michael Joseph Gross

From Library Journal

The Boston Globe's Middle East bureau chief takes the reader along on what he calls a journalistic pilgrimage, using the path traveled by Jesus to structure a vivid sketch of the often-overlooked Christian communities in the Holy Land. These communities are dwindling rapidly and are frequently caught in the middle of the numberless divisions and antagonisms of the region. Sennott provides some brief religious and geographical histories and then moves on to the stories of people he encounters in his travels and work. His focus is on Christian groups, but he inevitably expands the account to provide a much wider view of the Middle East and its violent conflicts. The book is rich in detail, conversations, and incidents that provide a feel for the dangers and complexities of current daily life in Israel and the surrounding areas. This is also a personal work, as Sennott brings his own religious convictions and family life into the story. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries. Stephen Joseph, Butler Cty. Community Coll., PA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

Hardcover: 512 pages
Publisher: PublicAffairs; 1st edition (October 16, 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1891620959
ISBN-13: 978-1891620959
Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds

Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,395,318 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
UNRISE BRUSHED the desert sky in red over the soft brown folds of the Judean hills as I set out along a ridge of the Kidron valley, heading toward Bethlehem. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
journalistic pilgrimage, biblical historians, first intifada, nonviolent movement, riot batons

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Beit Sahour, Greek Orthodox, Beit Jala, Palestinian Christians, Palestinian Authority, Upper Nazareth, Middle East, Temple Mount, Roman Catholic, Camp David, Dome of the Rock, United States, John Paul, Manger Square, Arab Christians, Holy Family, Holy Sepulcher, Mount of Olives, New Testament, Latin America, Natzerat Illit, Via Dolorosa, Western Wall, Har Homa, Noble Sanctuary

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 31 books:

Desire of the Everlasting Hills: The World Before and After Jesus (Hinges of History) by Thomas Cahill on 4 pages
Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography by John Dominic Crossan on 4 pages
Before and After by Matthew Thomas in Front Matter, page 44, and Back Matter
The Land Called Holy: Palestine in Christian History and Thought by Professor Robert Louis Wilken in Front Matter (1), Front Matter (2), and Back Matter
Dream Palace of the Arabs: A Generation's Odyssey by Fouad Ajami on page 148, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)

See all 31 books this book cites

Books on Related Topics (learn more)

The Truth About Camp David by Clayton E. Swisher

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The Missing Peace by Dennis Ross

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The Body and the Blood by Charles M. Sennott

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The New Intifada by Roane Carey

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	69% buy the item featured on this page: The Body and the Blood: The Holy Land at the Turn of a New Millennium: A Reporter's Journey 4.3 out of 5 stars (10)
	31% buy The Body and the Blood: The Middle East's Vanishing Christians and the Possibility for Peace 4.8 out of 5 stars (8) $18.90

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Customer Reviews

10 Reviews

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4.3 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)

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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Required reading., November 9, 2002

By	Charlie Perkins (Georgetown, KY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you believe that Israel is justified in its treatment of Palestinians, whether for reasons of security, entitlement or revenge, or if you believe that all Palestinians are culpable, this will be a difficult book. While the fear and anger behind the Israeli' reaction is understandable, neither they nor we can disregard the needs of the Palestinians or our obligation toward all humans.

Sennott will not allow you to dismiss the Palestinians. Their story cannot be overlooked, nor their treatment continue without loss of our own humanity. Sennott makes clear that the villains of this story are not the people, Jew or Palestinian, whether Christian or Muslim, but those seeking to maintain or gain power; those who have forgotten their religious heritage and merely co-opt that heritage for political purposes. He questions the message and motives of the religious leaders whose livelihood is provided by governments or political organizations. He notes the disconnection between indigenous Christians and their denominations.

The parallels between events and motivations today and those faced by Jesus 2000 years will frighten and alarm while providing insight into both the Middle East and our own lives.

You may question his journalistic impartiality. But, he is at least as critical of the Palestinian Authority as the Israeli government. His thesis is that the faiths so deeply invested in this troubled area, particularly Christianity with its tradition of non-violence and forgiveness as prerequisite to healing, are essential to the resolution of an otherwise insurmountable conflict.

You will be moved by this story. You must read it. You will also find in its message, whether Sennott intended it or not, disturbing questions about our culpability in the escalating violence and hatred. [e.g., Our government advised Israel to quickly quash the non-violent demonstrations initiated in the Christian Palestinian community because of the power of such movements; and the monetary support given by U.S. fundamentalist Christian groups to Zionist groups believing that provocation of violence would bring on the second coming of Christ.]

Read this book.

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20 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a new path of understanding, December 21, 2001

By	v. belcher (Cape Cod. MA, USA) - See all my reviews

At a time when so many of us want to know and need to know more about the Middle East, this book is an essential read. The writer has the keen eye of a reporter as he brings readers along a pilgrimage through the modern Middle East, a path that leads to new understanding of the issues that shape this land. Whether you are Christian, Muslim, or Jewish, this book is a refreshing way to look at this ancient land. With beautiful writing and a sure understanding of history, Sennott takes readers on a journey along the path of Jesus' life.... I can't recommend this book enough.

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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Far Undervalued..., December 27, 2002

By	Juan C. Larach (San Francisco,CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book came out without fanfare and without attention by most media at a critical time in history. The Arab Middle East were being blamed for the 9/11 terrorist attacks and painted as extremist Muslims. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict was reaching its greatest intensity since 1948.
For those with a provincial media-driven view of Arab Palestine this will be an eye-opener. For those with a Western Christian perspective of the Holy Land as a touristic site in Israel this tome is a must read to remind them of their forgotten fellow Christians in the original land of Christ.
Although I have an issue with the author's attempt to stand the Palestinian Christians' values apart from the values of Palestinian Muslims, this is a superb narration of the past and present Israeli-Palestinian problem with the palpable humanity of its Christian population as its protagonist.
Its forthright honesty and non-propagandist perspective can be the only reason it did not reach in these times the aclaim it deserves.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Misses a big opportunity to support justice and human rights
There's plenty of material in this book, as Sennott has managed to talk with quite a few people in the region. Read more

Published on December 24, 2004 by Jill Malter

3.0 out of 5 stars A Work in Progress of Preparation: Lament or Liberty
Charles Sennott packs a lot into his dolorific account "The Body and the Blood" (New York: PublicAffairs, 2001, 481 pp.). Read more

Published on July 25, 2003 by Charles G. Yopst

5.0 out of 5 stars An eye-opening account of real life for Christians in Israel
This book is beautifully written and is an insightful look at modern-day life for Christians in Israel/Palestine. Read more

Published on April 1, 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars Our tax dollars at work
In one of the last chapters: it's Chirstmas 2000. A Christian family poses for a photograph with their Xmas tree against the backdrop of their destroyed home. Read more

Published on October 27, 2002 by Miguel

5.0 out of 5 stars Will disturb those with a pro-Israeli bias
You must come to this book with an open mind, unburdened by either a pro-Israeli or pro-Palestinian bias. Read more

Published on May 28, 2002

4.0 out of 5 stars A noble effort
Charles Sennott, who describes himself as a "lapsed Catholic," has written a beautiful and at times heartbreaking book about his pilgrimage through the Holy Land in... Read more

Published on April 18, 2002 by Kerry Walters

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful and informative, but biased
This book focuses on discussions the author had with Arab Crhistian in Israel and the Occupied Territories in 1999 - 2000, with side trips to examine the status of Christians in... Read more

Published on April 17, 2002 by Alex Frantz

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