The Sunborn

Average customer rating:

Not Free SF Reader

Big Ideas, but not very well executed

It's not about the plot

Life Beyond the Heliopause

Good stand-alone novel set in the "far dark" of our solar system

The Sunborn
Gregory Benford
Manufacturer: Aspect
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Benford, Gregory | ( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
High Tech | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Beyond Infinity

The Martian Race

Furious Gulf (Galactic Center)

Seeker Seeker

Sunstorm (A Time Odyssey)

ASIN: 0446530581

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-25

A somewhat breezy novel, it seems. Perhaps very accessible. Complete with some diagrams, which was a nice touch. Certainly not as intense as The Martian Race, being a sequel with a more technologically advanced group of humans.

Very interesting bunch of life forms they come across, eventually tying back in to the first novel.

Not sure the ship captain needed to be Axelrod's daughter - maybe there is an in-joke here, does Benford have a female descendant?

Big Ideas, but not very well executed.......2007-06-12

Some nice hard-SF concepts, but not as well worked-out as I know Benford can do. There's a succession of twists, but they don't have as much impact as they could - and a startling turn near the very end, but it isn't well explained. This book is about the SF concepts - think Hal Clement - but the dialog and characters aren't up to Hal Clement, much less other hard-SF writers.

It's not about the plot.......2007-05-01

If it were for the plot, the characters or the flow of the story, I wouldn't be writing a review because I would have put the book down after the first 50 pages. But as I see it, that's not what it's about here. "The Sunborn" is about (somewhat clumsily) exploring new ideas, ideas that I've never read about before. Benford does away with tired old notions about life in general and intelligent life specifically, which in most SF consists of either a) biological life; b) some form of artificial intelligence, or c) a type of ill (or non-) defined divinity. The book ponders the meaning and place of electromagnetics and chemistry; of concepts of "big" and "small"; of the relative importance for living entities to be solid, concrete, mortal and defined. Benford's ideas here will resonate with me for a long time to come; for this and more, "The Sunborn" deserves 4 stars.

Life Beyond the Heliopause.......2006-08-02

The Sunborn (2005) is the second SF novel in the Martian Race series. In the previous novel, Julia and Marc find life in the vented caverns under Gusev crater. The Marsmat is a symbiotic collection of single-celled organisms closely related to archaebacteria. When the ERV tests failed for the second and final time, Julia and Viktor volunteered to remain behind while Marc and Raoul returned in the Airbus nuclear vehicle.

In this novel, Shanna Axelrod is the daughter of John Axelrod, The Man Who Sold Mars and the organizer of the Consortium. Born to Axelrod's second wife, she had conflicts with the two later wives and finally moved back in with her mother.

Shanna had a long standing admiration for Clyde Tombaugh, the man who discovered the planet Pluto. When the ISA announced their intentions to send a ship to investigate strange changes in the Pluto/Charon system, Shanna was determined to become one of the crew members.

She was already a working astronaut in the commercial fleet with biologist/medic training. Although she was well qualified, so were other candidates. She called on her father for aid and he named her as the Consortium selection for the Proserphina crew. When the Captain of the Proserphina was later killed in an accident, Shanna became his replacement.

Julia and Viktor are being continually pressured by the quirks of the Consortium. A new manager is sent from the Moon to coordinate the Martian science effort. She is very abrasive and both Julia and Viktor try to avoid her. They sneak out on an excursion to Vent R, a newly discovered pressure relief vent from the Marsmat caverns beneath the surface.

Shanna discovers intelligent life on Pluto and rides the lander down to establish contact with the creatures. During a long conversation with the Old One, she learns that the zand are being killed off by the Darksiders. After a second landing, she discovers that the Darksiders are machines sent by some things beyond Pluto.

Shanna uses a jury-rigged weapon to repel an assault by the machines, but they still damage the lander and it crashes. The Darksiders force their way aboard the ship, but soon withdraw after repairing the damaged hull. Shanna almost freezes to death.

Axelrod sends a new fusion drive vessel to Mars and arranges for Julia and Viktor to take it to Pluto. Even before they arrive, Shanna has strong aversions to their presence. She is particularly envious of Julia, a fellow biologist with a well established reputation.

This novel incorporates some speculations concerning life within and between the stars. It even ties in the Marsmat with the huge Beings dwelling beyond Pluto. However, conflict results from the mutual ignorance of various lifeforms.

Highly recommended for Benford fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of space exploration, scientific inquiries and strange Beings within the Oort Cloud.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Good stand-alone novel set in the "far dark" of our solar system .......2006-07-10

_The Sunborn_ by Gregory Benford is an excellent "hard" science fiction novel, set in the year 2044, a future in which humans live in stations orbiting the Earth, on the Moon, and have had for around two decades a scientific research station on Mars. Though the only ones who live on Mars are scientists, engineers, support personnel, and administrators, the time is coming soon when settlers will begin arriving in earnest, aided by improved surface habitats on Mars, bioengineered life forms that can survive in domes, capable of handling the reduced sunlight, increased ultraviolet radiation (even with shielding), still relatively thin air, harsh Martian soil (even after it has been turned into soil of a type usable by terrestrial plants), and reduced gravity.

Also aiding the appeal of the Red Planet are the lives, trials, and tribulations of the Martian explorers themselves, nearly every moment of their lives visible to many millions of people, thank in part due to the evolving culture (an outgrowth of today's reality TV and 24-hour media cycles) but also in part because that while there is a strong governmental and scientific component to Martian (and solar system) exploration, there is also a very strong commercial component as well, outgrowths of such incentives into space as the X-Prize and the fact that private industry has such a huge role off the Earth's surface. Corporations and consortiums involved in the solar system relentlessly seek profit in their expeditions, exploiting everything from movie rights to memorabilia to odd Martian minerals to new chemicals with industrial and medical applications.

Part of that appeal - eagerly trumpeted by the corporation in charge on Mars as well as the news media at large - are the lives of the two most famous Martian residents, Julia and Viktor, the "Mars Couple," members of the first expedition over 20 years ago who remained on Mars, almost every moment of their lives played out before everyone on Earth. People have grown up witnessing their triumphs, such as the discovery of complex anaerobic life on Mars (the interesting and enigmatic Marsmat, something dubbed by one of the characters as the "Stromatolite Empire"), their tragedies, such as the death of various team members, and even their simple good luck (many label their apparent good health and youthful appearance as a result of something dubbed the "Mars Effect," a concept the corporation was not above exploiting back on Earth).

Unable to survive back on Earth due to decades in the lighter gravity of Mars and unwilling to go to administrative posts on the Moon when pressured by their bosses, Viktor and Julia jump at the change to go on a brand new fusion spaceship, the _High Flyer_, the first of its kind, rocketing at high speed to the "far dark," the edge of the solar system, the planet Pluto. They are to join Captain Shanna Axelrod and the crew of the ship _Proserpina_, the first ship to reach Pluto, where they made an amazing discovery; not only is there life on Pluto, but there is an intelligent native species there, one they dub the Zand. Or is it native? The Plutonian life forms, biochemistry, and ecosystem are like nothing that has ever been seen and their discovery is just the tip of the iceberg as to how deeply alien the outer edge of the solar system truly is. Shanna, Viktor, Julia, and their crews are also ordered to study two potentially very troubling phenomena; why the heliopause - the turbulent zone where the solar wind meets the interstellar plasma beyond our solar system - continues to move closer and closer to the Sun, and why Pluto is heating up when models show that it should in fact be cooling down. Were these odd occurrences connected? Do they pose a threat to Earth?

I liked _The Sunborn_ a lot, it was a good book. I found the title appropriate, and like the novel itself, was full of layers of meaning, new layers being revealed, peeled back like the layers of an onion, revealed to the reader as the book progressed. The book had diagrams to illustrate a few key points, a rarity in fiction. The three main characters (Shanna, Viktor, and Julia) were well-developed and fairly complex individuals, though most of the rest of the crew of the two ships was less distinct. The aliens were quite alien, interesting, and well described, with chapters told from their point of view. There was a good amount of action, yet not to such an extent as to be extraneous, unbelievable, or irrelevant to the plot. Though I learned after reading the book that it was in fact a sequel to an earlier novel by Benford, _The Martian Race_, it did quite well as a stand-alone book (though I found his portrayal of Mars interesting enough that I may read the earlier volume at some point).

My complaints are very few. I thought that the humans were able to translate the alien's language a little too easily. Benford spent a fair amount of effort explaining how alien languages might be translated - no hand-waving here - but I thought that it would still take more time and effort to translate an alien language than he allowed for, though he does make a case as to why he thinks one can achieve a working dialogue in a few days (this is not a major point with me and a necessary aspect of the plot). As noted, I think the secondary characters could have been a lot more distinct, but again, this is a very minor point.

A very good book, it compares very favorably to other pre-interstellar spaceflight novels set in our solar system, such as the Charles Sheffield trilogy that began with _Cold As Ice_ and Ben Bova's epic "Grand Tour" series that includes such installments as _Venus_ and _Jupiter_.

Average customer rating:

Sunborn
Gregory Benford
Manufacturer: WARNER BOOKS INC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000PKR40E

Book Description

The Zion Chronicles series covers the events surrounding Israel's statehood in 1948. Each book vividly portrays the intense struggle of the Jewish people in the aftermath of the Holocaust and the forces, within and without, which engulf the Middle East in conflict and controversy even today. Will there ever be peace in Zion? The Jewish people wonder as they stream into the British Mandate of Palestine after the devastation of World War II. What has happened to God's promises to their nation? These updated classics feature a new look and added study questions suitable for individual use or group discussion.

Customer Reviews:

The Zion Chronicles.......2007-08-09

Excellent and fast service.
Love all the Zion series by Brock & Bodie Thoene
1. A Daughter of Zion

I nearly failed Uni because of this book!.......2000-04-03

I had to write this review to encourage people to read these books. I discovered them during exam time in my second year of Uni and can't believe I managed to pass my exams when I read each book non stop over four days. Truly exception books and an inspirational writer. I have never been so deeply effected by a novel before.

Author was so good, I'm buying the whole series. Spectacular.......1999-05-06

Never have I come across a better author. Bodie Theone (tay-nee) is truly amazing. These books are full of drama. It's like the characters became my friends. When I finished the series, It felt as though I lost some good friends. I really don't know if I could be as entertained, enlightened and fulfilled by reading anything else after reading this series. Originally I was checking the series out one at a time from the library. But when I realized I'd finally found something I couldn't put down, I figured I better buy the whole series. I have never bought books before, because I've never found anything worthy of being read more than once. I was just so compelled and I want to share her writings with all my friends and family. She's spectacular. So is anything written by her husband Brock, who helps her co-write everything. It's almost like watching a movie, because there are so many plots intertwined. I was shocked to read the epilogue in RETURN TO ZION. You'll have to find out for yourself. Just don't start reading in the middle of the series. If I could never read another authors works but one it would be the Theone's. - Megan Villa

It's so very beautiful book!!.......1999-02-21

David, Ellie, Rachel, Moshe en Ehud, Shimon and Leah komen vaak voor in het boek. Ook Gerard is een hoofd persoon, maar niet echt de leukste. Rachel en Moshe die trouwen, nadat er ongelooflijk veel gebeurd is.

Exciting story about Rachel.......1998-08-24

Loved this book. I mean it is up there with my top five favorite books!!!! Loved this whole series. Still would have liked more exploration of the character Rachel, and what happened to her in the S.S. brothel. Also, what happened between her and the S.S. officer who must have protected her from Gerhardt?

Mary of Galilee: Woman of Israel Daughter of Zion

Average customer rating:

Opening our eyes to the Mother of God
Quite Good

Mary of Galilee: Woman of Israel Daughter of Zion
Bertrand Buby , and Betrand Buby
Manufacturer: Alba House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0818906979

Customer Reviews:

Opening our eyes to the Mother of God.......2006-02-23

The role of the Virgin Mary in the Church is misunderstood by many. Bertrand Buby discusses Mariology is a straighforward and interesting manner. He deals with issues such as the brothers and sisters of Jesus, the image of Mary, The Woman as a symbol of the Church and the gospel references to Mary in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Buby writes is a refreshingly understandable manner.

Quite Good.......2001-03-03

This is a very fine look at the role of Mary in the New Testament. It is the first in a 3 volume series that covers Mary from the Bible through the early Patristic period. Certainly it is quite good for scholars who are looking for a solid introduction to Mariology. It follows the guidelines set out in Lumen Gentium chaper 8 and the encyclical Marialis Cultus. A very solid work in general although it depends rather heavily on Fr. Raymond Browns views of the New Testament.

Daughter Zion: Meditations on the Church's Marian Belief

Average customer rating:

Advocating Mariology: Marian Devotion, Theotokos & Immaculate Conception
A Good, Dense Beginning for Mariological Studies
Concise Summary of Mariology

Daughter Zion: Meditations on the Church's Marian Belief
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
Manufacturer: Ignatius Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0898700264

Book Description

Daughter Zion explores the biblical witness to the Church's Marian dogmas- Mary's role as Mother of God, her virginity, the Immaculate Conception, and her Assumption into heaven. Cardinal Ratzinger examines how these beliefs are linked to the Church's faith in Jesus Christ. Far from competing with the truth about Christ, the Church's Marian beliefs uphold and underscore that truth.

Mary's role in salvation, according to Cardinal Ratzinger, was anticipated in the Old Testament. She was prefigured in Eve, the Mother of the Living; in the holy women of the Old Testament, such as Sarah, Hannah, Deborah, Esther, and Judith; and in the prophetic image of the daughter Zion. Cardinal Ratzinger also considers Mary's place as the embodiment of created wisdom, who faithfully received the Uncreated Wisdom of the World of God in the Incarnation.

Daughter Zion avoids the extremes of denying any biblical foundation for Marian doctrine on the one hand and fundamentalistic proof-texting on the other. Instead, the author beautifully and lucidly develops key biblical themes to help readers understand and appreciate the Mother of God.

Customer Reviews:

Advocating Mariology: Marian Devotion, Theotokos & Immaculate Conception.......2006-11-24

" Mother of God, listen to my petitions; do not disregard us in adversity, but rescue us from danger." Coptic Papyrus fragment, 325 AD, P. Ryland III, 470

Virgin Mary, Theotokos:
The Old Testament Daughter of Zion was no stranger to salvation, or the coming Savior; but it was in Alexandria whose great defenders of Orthodoxy gave Mary the title Theotokos, literally the bearer of God, and Panagia, the most holly. To start with, the Title Theotokos applied quite naturally to Mary by Alexander of Alexandria. Theotokos was now becoming widely current except in Antiochene circles, according to JND Kelly. Athanasius in his defense (Contra Arius) used the title,'Ever-Virgin Mary (TeParthena Maria, Coptic; and AeiParthenos, Greek) causing it to come into vogue. Cyril the pillar of faith defended her status against the Nestorian teaching, based on the Antiochian tradition, which called her Christotokos.

Mariology:
In the East, tradition about Mary's special holiness developed gradually. The Church teaching (doctrine) on the person and place of the Virgin Mary within the Church tradition is called Mariology, in Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism, who (with Protestants) believe she is the Mother of God the Son incarnate (in the flesh, i.e. Christ Jesus.) But the Mother of God did not feel any pangs of pain in giving birth to our Lord, according to Marian tradition, since she was hallowed by the Holy Spirit since her conception by Hennah, and became defined in the whole East as, 'Higher than the Cherubim and more glorious than the Serphim.'

Marian Devotion:
The veneration of the Most Holy Mother of God has been very profound in the East. The Universal Church ( Roman Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants) does not accept the concept that Mary, the Mother of God was born with the 'Original sin,' the inherited guilt of Adam; no one is. She did, however, inherit mortality which came to all humans on the account of the first fall. The Roman Catholic teaching that, on account of the 'merits of Christ,' the Holy Spirit has provided to preserve her free from inheriting the guilt of Adam, is a theory with no grounds, neither in the Good News, nor the sayings of the Early Church Fathers. It started with Augustine, and developed to include many addenda. The idea that the Lord and His Saints produced more grace than deemed necessary by the Medieval Papal Church, who utilized such excesses to be applied to the unmerited, like those in the purgatory, was one main reason of the Lutheran reformation.

Immaculate Conception:
The theology of the Immaculate Conception is based on St Augustine's view of the 'stain of Original Sin,' was never approved by the East. For the Orthodox East, Original Sin is concupiscence and death, but not inheriting the personal, actual sin of Adam. The pains a woman suffers in giving birth, for example, as understood by the Genesis Narrative is a result of the Original Sin inherent in our human nature, a sinful nature we inherit from Adam. St Augustine of Hippo himself, when commenting on Original Sin, affirmed that the Mother of God must always be excluded from any such consideration to begin with. But it was only later with John Duns Scotus, the Franciscan theologian, that the theological reasoning behind this view was worked out: The Virgin Mary was preserved free from Original Sin because the Future merits of Christ's passion and death were applied to her at her conception.
By the seventh century, the Byzantine East was celebrating the feast of the Conception of Saint Anne. This festival was first adopted in the West by the English Church from whence it soon spread elsewhere. It is still to be found in the calendar of the Anglican Church. The West, however, was divided on whether the Mother of God could be said to have been conceived without Original Sin. Thomas Aquinas and others, replied to this question in the negative and a Catholic faithful could be a Roman Catholic, in good standing, while not subscribing to the Immaculate Conception dogma.

Bull Ineffabilis Deus:
However, the Roman Catholic 'Immaculate Conception dogma of the Virgin Mary,' which was promulgated in the mid nineteenth century, by Pope Pius IX, as revealed by God, and thus must be firmly confessed by all the Catholic faithful. The papal decree stated that, "from the first instant of her conception, the Blessed Virgin Mary was, by a very unique grace and privilege by the Almighty Lord, and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the human race, preserved her from any stain of the Original Sin." ( Bull Ineffabilis Deus, 1854). To believe in the Immaculate Conception, one would need to accept the view of Original Sin in terms of an inherited 'stain.' The Catholic Church, though, has never proclaimed infallibly that one must accept this view of Original Sin. There were Byzantine theologians in the 18th century who accepted the view on 'the stain of Original Sin' without approving the Roman view of the Immaculate Conception.

Mary's Salvation:
"And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in the Lord my Savior." Luke 1:46-47. Mary proclaimed the Lord as her own savior, why did she then need a savior, since she was born without original sin?
The Lord can either prevent a person from sinning, or atone for the sins, and either way, the Lord is the only Savior of that person. So, while St. Mary was born like every other human being, the Holy Spirit prepared her for her role as the Mother of God. She was filled with the Holy Spirit so that she might have been worthy to mother Jesus the Christ. Nevertheless, while Protestants avoid this issue as irrelevant, Eastern Orthodox, based on some Fathers observation, believe that before the Resurrection, she had inequities. St. John Chrysostom mentions the presumption of instructing Jesus, during wedding at Cana (John 2:3-4) as proof of her mortality. Receiving the Holy Spirit once more at Pentecost, she was able to pass away sinless. Because of her special role in the Divine Plan ("economy" or "dispensation"), she was taken into the heavens, body and soul. She now sits at the foot of her Son, making intercession for all those who implore her mercy. The Orthodox Church honors the miracle of her "assumption" with a feast on 15 August; likewise, the followers of the Pope. Both also believe in the intercessions of the Virgin Mary and all the Saints. Such intercessions reflect the unity of the Church in heaven and the Church on earth. Both also believe that there is a sense in which the Mother of God is the Church. The Church is the Body of Christ. Those who belong to the Church are identified with Him. But He is also our "brother" (Rom. 8:29). If Christ is our brother, then, the Virgin Mary is our mother. But the Church is our mother through Baptism. Therefore, the Virgin Mary is the 'Typos of the Church'.

Daughter Of Zion:
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your King comes to you; triumphant and victorious is He, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass." (Zechariah 9:9 RSV)
Daughter Zion explores the biblical witness to the Church's Marian dogma of Mary's role as Mother of God, her virginity, the Immaculate Conception, and her Assumption into heaven. Cardinal Ratzinger examines persuasively how they fit into the Catholic Church's faith. The Church's Marian beliefs, are expounded by his three lectures, presented in this slim uphold and underscore what remained of Marian belief, three decades ago, confirming what should continue to remain. Mary's role in salvation, underlines Cardinal Ratzinger, was anticipated in the Old Testament, prefigured in Eve, the Mother of the Living; in the holy women of the Old Testament; and in the prophetic image of the daughter (Of) Zion. Mary's place as the embodiment of created wisdom, is advocated by the papal Cardinal that Mary in full faith has received the Uncreated Wisdom of the Word of God Incarnate. In Daughter Zion, the author avoids the Protestant denial of the biblical foundation for Marian dogma, while pacifying the extreme right Romans of proof-texting. Instead, the eminent theologian abley and confidently develops the biblical themes which support the Catholic doctrine helping his readers concieve and appreciate the Bull Ineffabilis Deus.

A Good, Dense Beginning for Mariological Studies.......2006-07-07

The texts contained in "Daughter Zion" are dense expositions on Mariology that prove to be a good beginning for Mariological studies. That being said, the fruit of the text can grow with further reading on the subject material as well as revisiting the texts. Ratzinger places Mariology into a place with respect to ecclesiology but moreso Christology in this text. If read with "Mary: The Church at the Source", this text offers fruits which can be related moreso to ecclesiology as well as the greater whole of Mariology. The other set of texts, containing also works by Hans Urs von Balthasar, is perhaps a bit more accessible and may be better read before reading this slim text.

On the whole, Ratzinger's work contained herein is solid as ever. The vision is deep and penetrating. I heartily suggest this work.

Concise Summary of Mariology.......2006-01-22

"Daughter Zion" is a remarkably brief but thematically expansive look at the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church concerning Mary. Cardinal Ratzinger stays true to form, summarizing a vast amount of knowledge in what amounts to an apologetic tract on Marian belief.

There are two main parts to the work. First is the analysis of Mariology from a scriptural basis, which comprises the "working backward" from the New Testament to the Old, and the "working forward" from the Old to the New. It is the latter that is more impressive. Cardinal Ratzinger does a great job explaining and defending the typology that equates Mary to Judith, Esther, Sarah and others. In the process, he effectively dispatches the notion of the Church as a patriarchy or as somehow hostile toward women. Fundamental are insights related to the special role of the "barren" woman as being simultaneously "blessed." Cardinal Ratzinger likes to point out the paradoxes or inversions that permeate Catholic belief, and he has certainly found an excellent one to highlight.

The second part of the book delves further into the developed doctrines of Mariology, particular the Virgin Birth, the Immaculate Conception, and the doctrine of the Assumption. Ratzinger has the easiest job with the Virgin Birth, utilizing his earlier points concerning the barren/blessed typology. In his discussion and defense of the Immaculate Conception, he reaches the crux of his work, in a humbling and inspiring passage: "This correspondence of God's 'Yes' with Mary's being as 'Yes' is the freedom from original sin. Preservation from original sin, therefore, signifies no exceptional proficiency, no exceptional achievement; on the contrary, it signifies that Mary reserves no area of being, life, and will for herself as a private possession: instead, precisely in the total dispossession of self, in giving herself to God, she comes to the true possession of self. Grace as dispossession becomes response as appropriation. Thus from another viewpoint the mystery of barren fruitfulness, the paradox of the barren mother, the mystery of virginity, becomes intelligible once more: dispossession as belonging, as the locus of new life"

Unfortunately, the book ends with a rather disconcerting defense of the doctrine of the Assumption, which seems half-hearted and raised disturbing questions for me. Either I am poorly catechized on this topic, or Cardinal Ratzinger walks very close to impeaching the extraordinary magesterium. He separates the historicity of the assumption from the theology of the assumption, and equates the doctrine to "the highest form of veneration" in affirming emphatically the sainthood of Mary.

Now, for those who recognize saints, and that God is the God of the living, not of the dead, there will be little argument about the sanctity of Mary. But it seems to me to be most dangerous to imply that an article of the faith such as the dogma of the Assumption is a sort of "good will" gesture of the Church, and with a wink & a nod we tacitly acknowledge that there is no historicity to the doctrine.

I have probably misread and misunderstood this last part of the book, but I subtracted one star from the rating due to the fact that this most perplexing section was also the rather abrupt ending of the entire work.

Overall, however, though remarkably brief, this little book is dense, thoroughly documented, and reflective of the erudite Cardinal Ratzinger's immense learning and penetrating intellect.

A Daughter Of Zion - The Zion Chronicles, Book Two

Average customer rating:

A Daughter Of Zion - The Zion Chronicles, Book Two
Bodie Thoene
Manufacturer: Bethany House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

4 Titles By Bodie Thoene Zion Chronicles Series : The Gates of Zion A Daughter of Zion A Light in Zion The Key to Zion

Average customer rating:

4 Titles By Bodie Thoene Zion Chronicles Series : The Gates of Zion A Daughter of Zion A Light in Zion The Key to Zion
Bodie Thoene
Manufacturer: Bethany House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Product Description

multiple books ship as one item. save on shipping/handling charges.

The Blast of a trumpet in Zion: calling upon every son and daughter of Wesley, in Great Britain and Ireland, to aid their brethren in America in purifying their American Zion from slavery

Average customer rating:

The Blast of a trumpet in Zion: calling upon every son and daughter of Wesley, in Great Britain and Ireland, to aid their brethren in America in purifying their American Zion from slavery
William H Pullen
Manufacturer: Cornell University Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Book Description

This volume is produced from digital images from the Cornell University Library Samuel J. May Anti-Slavery Collection

Condensed Books Volume 5 1974: The Other Room; the Dogs of War; All Things Bright and Beautiful; Malevil; a Daughter of Zion

Average customer rating:

Condensed Books Volume 5 1974: The Other Room; the Dogs of War; All Things Bright and Beautiful; Malevil; a Daughter of Zion

Manufacturer: Reader's Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000COSUUG

Average customer rating:

Fascinating
It was Good
It was Good

A Daughter of Zion
Rodello Hunter
Manufacturer: Alfred A. Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Other Denominations & Sects | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006CGGZK

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating.......2004-02-07

A fascinating look into one woman's life as a Mormon. This is not your typical praise or bash book. It is instead a look at the life of a woman who loves her religion and her lifestyle, but can question it at the same time. A must-read.

It was Good.......2000-10-03

Hey!! I loved it! you have to read it!!

It was Good.......2000-10-03

Hey!! I loved it! you have to read it!!

Average customer rating:

A Daughter of Zion

Manufacturer: Monarch Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1854241087

Daughter of Zion : Henrietta Szold and American Jewish Womanhood

Average customer rating:

Daughter of Zion : Henrietta Szold and American Jewish Womanhood
Barry Kessler
Manufacturer: Jewish Historical Society of Maryland
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K0A9ZQ

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books