Brief Book Review: The Bible In 20th Century Art

The Bible In 20^th Century Art

Author: Nicholas Usherwood & Paul Holberton

Publisher: Pagoda Books

111 pages, including: Forward, Introduction, The Plates, The Artists, Glossary, and Additional Acknowledgements

   Nicholas Usherwood, at the time of publishing this volume, was a foremost British art critic and historian. He worked at the Royal Academy in London, and as Deputy Director of Exhibitions at the British Museum. He wrote an informative Introduction to this volume.

    Paul Holberton worked on many books as both art historian and editor—including Sir David Piper’s four-volume Encyclopaedia of Art, and at the time of publishing this volume, he was completing a doctorate with the Warburg Institute. He wrote a helpful commentary on the artists. The Glossary was compiled by Julius Nelki, which will be appreciated by readers without a background in art.

    This volume consists of the works of 40 artists, profiling both Hebrew Bible and New Testament stories—most of which are paintings, with a few exceptions, like the collection of wood engravings of Paul Nash, depicting the creation story of Genesis chapter one. This reviewer was not familiar with many of the artists; hence I appreciate, for the most part, the authors’ selection of artists. However, female artists are definitely under-represented in the volume—there is only one, Paula Modersohn-Becker, and her oil on paper painting, The Good Samaritan.

    With the exception of Paul Nash’s wood engravings; all of the other works are accompanied by each of the biblical texts; cited from the Good News Bible.

    During this sobering time of the coronavirus pandemic; I highly recommend reading and viewing this volume and others containing works of art in order to lift readers’ spirits; as well as appreciate God’s gift of artistic creativity; bringing joy and hope to humankind.

Book Review: Abraham Joshua Heschel: Exploring His Life and Thought

Abraham Joshua Heschel: Exploring His Life and Thought

Author: Edited by John C. Merkle

Publisher: New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., A Division of Macmillan, Inc. & Collier Macmillan Publishers-London

171 pages, including index, Hardcover

Reviewed by Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson

This festschrift of sorts is comprised of several essays written by Jewish, Protestant and Roman Catholic scholars, who in some way knew Abraham Joshua Heschel and were inspired by his life and work.

   It is divided into four parts: Part One: Remembering Abraham Joshua Heschel; Part Two: Heschel As Biblical Theologian; Part Three: Heschel As Philosopher And Poet; and Part Four: Heschel As Social Critic And Ecumenist.

   In the opening essay by Samuel H. Dresner, “Heschel the Man,” Dresner suggests that Heschel appealed to and was respected by all three monotheistic faiths, as well as: Blacks, the aged, the “Six Million” who perished in the Shoah, and the Russian Jews.

   Dresner regards Heschel as a prophet, a shalem—i.e. a complete, whole person, and a zaddik—i.e. a Hasidic master.

   Citing Heschel’s The Insecurity of Freedom: Essays on Human Existence, Dresner includes gems like this on Heschel’s critique of religion: “Religion has declined,” he told religious leaders, “not because it was refuted, but because it became irrelevant, dull, oppressive, insipid….When religion speaks only in the name of authority rather than with the voice of compassion, its message becomes meaningless.” (p. 23)

   In Ursula M. Niebuhr’s essay, “Notes on a Friendship Abraham Joshua Heschel and Reinhold Niebuhr,” she includes this thought-provoking quote, which Heschel had written in his important book, The Prophets: “Prophecy is a sham unless it is experienced as a word of God swooping down on man (sic) and converting him (sic) into a prophet.” (p. 40) Another quote Niebuhr includes from Heschel’s God In Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism on awe: “Awe enables us…to sense in small things the beginnings of infinite significance, to sense the ultimate in the common and the simple.” (p. 41) Such an understanding of awe reminds this reviewer of how many Christians view the Incarnation.

   In Bernhard W. Anderson’s essay, “Coexistence With God Heschel’s Exposition of Biblical Theology,” he includes a couple of amazing quotes epitomizing Heschel’s gift as a creative scholar and poet. As Heschel puts it, speaking out of and to the Jewish community, “every one of us has stood at the foot of Sinai” in the presence of the Holy God who speaks and calls for us to answer. “Only in moments when we are able to share in the spirit of awe that fills the world are we able to understand what happened to Israel at Sinai.” (p. 52)

   The Bible he says, is “holiness in words, that is, these human words are the vehicles that God uses to establish relations with a people. It is as if God took these Hebrew words and breathed into them of His power, and the words became a live wire charged with His spirit. To this very day they are hyphens between heaven and earth.” (p. 54) As a reviewer somewhat biased towards hyphens, this definitely resonates. “The Bible,” he says, “is not a book to be read but a drama in which to participate.” In this drama, it is God who takes the initiative. (p. 54) Many Christians would also agree with Heschel here.

   In each of the other essays, the authors in their own unique way, pay tribute to Heschel by sharing stories, anecdotes, insights, etc., on how Heschel influenced them; how much they appreciated his friendship; and how his academic works inspired their own scholarship; and how his faith was a manifestation in acts of loving kindness, which inspired and motivated others to go and do likewise; in response to the awe, mystery, beauty and love of God’s grace.   

Short ponderings on a few C.S. Lewis quotes

"I wrote the books I should have liked to read. That's always been my reason for writing. People won't write the books I want, so I have to do it for myself." If only more writers would have a similar goal, I daresay a whole lot of books would be more engaging. Yet, Lewis' last sentence in this quote is, I think for most of us, easier said than done!

"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough." I am inclined to agree with Lewis on tea, but not on long books-alas, some seem to me far too long. 

"Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again." I find this a very insightful truth, as well as a tad humorous. There can be some significant theological and biblical grist for the mill in fairy tales. 

"A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest." Another profound, insightful thought, children's stories with universal motifs in them tend to hold the reader's attention regardless of the reader's/listener's age. 

"You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you." When I think of this statement, I think of those living under oppressive regimes; those who are exploited by lies of the mass media-especially the advertising industry; and those who are struggling with abuse and addictions of all kinds. 

Do you the readers of this post have any thoughts on these C.S. Lewis quotes?