Kim Gentes

There are very few studies which garner more yawns than economics. Despite it's practical application to literally every person, it's been popularly bantered about as boring and only understandable by the "math and theory geeks". As this book proves, nothing could be further from the truth.

For myself, as a student of history, I've been looking for a concise review of capitalism and the development of economic theory and thought in modern times. "The Making of Modern Economics" by Mark Skousen has impressed me as both a highly readable narrative and a diligent study of all the major people, theories, schools, history and events that shaped the landscape of modern economics. Skousen's transparent espousal of Adam Smith's foundation of natural liberty sets the tone for this capitalist understanding of this essential modern discipline.

Skousen navigates through 250 years of what amounts to revolutionary change in the way human beings work, think, save, spend, and manage resources. At its core, economics is the essential study of how humans deal with a world of resources constrained by scarcity. According to Skousen, Adam Smith is the first known figure to compile a major work that addresses the issue of economics and provides a structural framework for how understanding it can best deal with scarcity. The result is the nacient birth of the free market capitalist system that is built upon the theory of natural liberty that Smith proposes in the book, and which is counterbalanced by the impact of another of Smith's theories- the invisible hand.

Skousen postulates that Smith provided the "house" on which all economic thought has been built since. But more than just giving his philosophical grading to Smith, Skousen traces person by person through history- comparing each character's work against the original ediface constructed by Smith (and against one another). In doing this, Skousen creates a narrative that is bound to the benefits of free market capitalists. Characters that wrote and taught theories opposing Adam Smith (such notables as Marx and Keynes) are given clear articulation in points both positive and negative. Likewise, advocates such as Milton Friedman and Friedrich Hayek each recieve sections celebrating their comebacks and chastising their errors.

This book leaves most of the minute details of economic data and statistical study out of the text (or relagated as references), which makes it an historical study more than an econometric or financial review of theories.  As a readable, understandable and enjoyable history, this book is exceptional.  If you are a free market advocate, it will be a delight.  Skousen clearly has written this as much as a defence of Smithian economics as he has for an historical understanding of the development of political economy into modern economics. But he succeeds at both!

Really, if you have any interest in the story of freedom as it is manifested in the light of economics, then this book is a "must read". Thoughtful and enjoyable writing on every page (of which there are nearly 500).

Amazon Book Link: http://amzn.to/PXGbVZ

I strongly recommend this book! Available in multiple formats. I read it in Kindle eBook format and listened to part of it in Audible book format. It is also on paperback and hardback.

Review by Kim Gentes

Human history, and its constituent civilizations, has largely been driven and directed by its discovery of key technologies, the development of which are largely determined by advantages of geographic location and plentiful access to essential species of domesticable plants and animals. This is the overall premise of Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs and Steel". The book is a lengthy (512 pages) but insightful review of the evolution of peoples from the beings who lived as hunter-gatherers to the societies that developed from the advantages of food producing farmers. While "Guns, Germs and Steel" encapsulate some of the topics Diamond covers in this book, it is a serious bit of salesmanship that placed that title on this volume. The vast majority of this book is related to topics of food production especially focusing on agriculture and animal domestication. A more representative title might have been "The Advantages of Agriculture on Human Civilizations", but I am guessing that using 'agriculture' in a book title doesn't win sexy awards from publishers.

While guns, germs and steel are discussed and do play important roles in later civilization history, it is the pre-history of city-states that Diamond is concerned with. He builds the case from biology, history and linguistics that the foundation of food production (agriculture and animal domestication) was the seminal discovery that advantaged one society over another. Food producing societies were the ones able to support people who didn't have to worry about subsistence living (as every member of a hunter-gatherer society must do). The result of larger scale food production (which fed more than the family who produced/harvested the food) allowed people to live collectively and develop into the clans, tribes, and eventually cultures we have come to know. This collective grouping of peoples and sedentary living permitted the development not only of additional technologies but the sharing of those technologies, trade, and even exposure to a broader array of diseases to which a society could become sufficiently resistant (it is this disease resistance that becomes the later pivotal weapon of European societies as they conquered other cultures and lands).

In short, food production became the lynch pinch of early success which skewed technology and natural disease resistance to favor the Eurasian super-continent (and, initially at least, the Fertile Crescent) to become the place from which world wide colonialism would spring. The impact and effect of Eurasia's multi-millenial (in most cases) head start in food production and technology advancement would mean that European/Asian societies (Europe and China as their eventual descendants) would be the center from which conquest and expansion would emanate.

Diamond is clear that he believes he can prove from this premise that it is the intrinsic benefits of climate, geography and environment (including the selection of domesticable mammals present in various continents) that allowed Eurasia to gain the head start in food production and allowed it to sustain its lead in a upwardly spiraling positive feedback loop of food production, technology, language (especially written language) and other factors that ensured the blossoming of modern "Western Society" as the dominant civilization across the earth.  Diamond is clearly taking aim (and he doesn't try to hide this) at racist claims that certain peoples flourished because of their genetically better mental accumen (which presumably would allow for faster discovery/invention of technology).

Overall, the book is an exceptional work of logic, science and history. Diamond does well to employ his extensive biological understanding of food, plants and genetics to help the reader understand how man and nature engaged with one another and forced the process of evolution along the road of plant and animal domestication.  He also is exceptional in gathering facts of multi-disciplines (history, linguistics, archeology and biology) and making the peices fit the narrative he is building.

But for most casual readers this book will seem long and extremely tedious. If you have the patience for it, however, it can prove to be a global tour of human history that "connects the dots" across many facets of human development that may be of interest.  Personally, I enjoyed the book immensely, though I have had no previous interest in agricultural science. What fascinated me most about this book was its cohesive narrative- by building on the major premise of food production, one sees the development of classical to modern societies in a wholely different light than simply one group conquering another out of sheer military might. While the book is full of arduous details, I found the writing style enjoyable.

Amazon Book Link: http://amzn.to/NrthLd

If you like detailed reading with high-order concepts, I highly recommend this book.

Review by Kim Gentes

“The Epic of Eden” is a phenomenal, easily read book from Biblical scholar and professor Sandra L. Richter. The core purpose of the book seems to be to present an understandable framework for the story of God through history, as explained and explored by the Old Testament scriptures. Richter does a masterful job of presenting her thesis in a variety of complimentary insights, examples and narratives. Her coup de grâce statement of the book appears unceremoniously at the very center of the volume and highlights her unique ability to make readable statements out of mountains of metadata:

In it’s simplicity...Eden and the New Jerusalem are the bookends of redemptive history. God's original intent is his final intent, and everything that lies between is one extraordinary rescue plan.[1]

There are examples-o-plenty of her constant stream of concise summations of many topics including heaven, redemption, patriarchy, theocracy, idols, typology, covenant and much more. But threaded consistently throughout the pages of this laudable work is an underlying effort to expose Yahweh as the ultimate cosmic God who does not hand Israel practices, covenants, and laws out of a wholly alien vacuum (from somewhere in heaven). Instead, Richter presents the God of Israel who doesn’t just deign to send forth a holy book to his subjects, but enters, instead, into communication with Abram, the patriarchs, Moses, David and others to bring His message to them not by some cryptic code but in their language, culture and understanding. From the friendship and assurances with Abram (later Abraham), to the Law given to Moses, to the covenant and promises made with David, Sandra Richter explores the idea of God being so gracious that He places His will into forms that were already present in the culture of the hearers.

One of the best examples of this concept is in Richter’s examination of Yahweh’s intent regarding the tabernacle and temple. She explores both the reality and motive of temple and tabernacle, helping us to see God’s true intent with them, made meaningful through the lens Israel’s world and culture:

And do you see how Yahweh chooses to live as his people live? Since the Israelites dwell in tents, Yahweh will too. When Israel becomes a sedentary people, Yahweh shifts his residence to a temple and becomes sedentary as well. Here we see the incarnation of the oft-repeated refrain, “I shall be there God and they shall be my people and I will dwell among them”.[2]

Through thorough study of the scriptures and  historical, archaeological and linguistic research, the author draws a picture of God and His story through the ages but remains inviting, questioning and open to the readers own thoughts by not being dogmatic about her own.  A great example of the author’s technique is her exploration of redemption itself. In at least three different ways she explores how redemption was a tribal, familial process and what its specific meaning was to the original writers and readers of the text.  Then, Richter points us to that meaning as it applies today and we find a redemption that is not the cut and dry legal transaction of our most popular interpretations handed down to us from the 20th century.

Redemption was the means by which a lost family member was restored to a place of security within the kinship circle. This was a patriarch’s responsibility, this was the safety net of Israel’s society, and this is the backdrop for the epic of Eden in which we New Testament believers find ourselves.

Can you hear the metaphor of Scripture? Yahweh is presenting himself as the patriarch of the clan who has announced his intent to redeem his lost family members.[3]

From this and other numerous examples, the author makes learning the essential Biblical story (and putting a cogent framework on it for interpretation) a personal experience. It is helpful, clear and I found it personally engaging.

But what is most surprising about this entire book comes in the form of a delightful addendum. Surprising because the author tackles two questions that are scarcely ever addressed anywhere, let alone in print. Tucked in the back of this book is a section called “Frequently Asked Questions”. While it sounds more typical of something you might find on a website blog, Richter asks and answers two firestorm questions: “What Role Does the Law of Moses Play in the Christian’s Life”, and “What About Modern Day Israel”?

Both of these questions might set off a furious debate in almost any diverse or large enough forum, but Sandra Richter has no need to debate or convince you of her premise for chapters and chapters. This is because she has already built 95% of her case in the preceding book that you have just read.  The addendum fits in so perfectly, it obviously was made as an ending extension to utilize the theory already provided by the reading. One can’t really jump into the  “Frequently Asked Questions” section and accept her answers without first having ingested the contents of the book as preparatory support for her conclusions to those dynamo questions.

The reason I so like the ending section is that she takes head on a topic almost never discussed by Christians of profile leadership without some ire being raised - politics. But she does it in a way which sticks so strictly to her thesis of the book that she never edges into any political sectarianism. She states the biblical back-story of Israel’s theocracy and how that political formulation is handled in the old testament, and explores further how Jesus and Paul have interpreted the application of government in light of the new covenant.  No political debate or posturing, yet clear scriptural wisdom and application. Surprising, refreshing and insightful.

If I had to recommend just one book to help a Christian understand and explore the framework of the scriptural Old Testament story, I would recommend The Epic of Eden. It is simply that good. Even the writing style is accessible and inviting. After reading it, one feels as though they sat down with a good friend and got an in depth talk about what the Old Testament is all about, with enough “meat” to allow for further pursuit of details but enough brevity to make sense of the grand meta-story of God’s work on earth, and his master plan of redemption for all.

Amazon Book Link: http://amzn.to/zOhJ73

Review by Kim Gentes

[1] Sandra L. Richter, “The Epic of Eden” (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic 2008), Page 132

[2] Ibid., Page 180

[3] Ibid., Page 45

Thomas Cahill has developed an extended series of books sweeping across the development of Western civilization and religion. In this series, entitled “the Hinges of History”, is a book called “Desire of the Everlasting Hills”. It is focused specifically on the history, background, life and influence of Jesus of Nazareth. Cahill’s perceptive storytelling is one of the most compelling aspects of this book, and he combines it with an obviously studied background in history (and religion) to produce an imaginative retelling of the story of Christianity’s central figure.

The author begins on the slopes of the Roman hill of Janiculum. He explores the idea that hills, and people who traverse them, have stories that can carry us into antiquity and back again, teaching us as we journey.  He uses this device to engage the reader into the story of the cultures in which Jesus was born,  most specifically, the Greeks, Jews and Romans.  In taking the time to explore the cultural backdrop for the world in which Jesus will appear, Cahill explores Alexander the Great, and the Greek conquest and influence which Alexander attended upon the ancient world. He moves, eventually, to the history of the Jews during the millennium before Christ, detailing the Maccabean revolution and its impact in the Jewish mindset and territory. What Cahill does better than any other (that I’ve read) is tie together thoughts from various streams of history and connect the dots for the reader. At times, his efforts seem speculative, bordering on pure fiction to create “history”. But it is from this approach that we get some of his best thoughts- thoughts that are really great questions more than grand statements.

For example, he talks of both Jewish and Greek voices that long for a messianic figure to come to bring hope. This quote is poignant Cahill theorizing:

"Despite the remarkable affinity of these lines with Isaiah’s prophecy of the Peaceable Kingdom, Virgil knew nothing of Isaiah or any of the Jewish holy books. How, then, explain the striking similarity of images—the response of nature, the favor of God that rests upon the child, the “gift of divine life” (ille deum vitam accipiet), even the seeming allusion to a virgin birth? One may chalk it all up to coincidence. Or one may say that, beneath the surface differences of each culture—whether of cynical Romans, theoretical Greeks, fantasizing Jews, cyclical Orientals, or post-Christian Occidentals—there beats in human hearts a hope beyond all hoping, the hope of the hopeless, the hope of those who would disclaim any such longing, the hope of those who like the two tramps in Waiting for Godot seem to be waiting in vain, a hope—not for an emperor, not for an Exalted One—but for a Just One."[1]

Desire of the Everlasting Hills does this type of historical rendition at many turns. The point isn’t that I don’t agree with Cahill. I actually do. I do believe that history and cultures were waiting for a messiah and that it was ingrained in our nature to desire him. But that belief, at least for me, comes from a belief in the Messiah himself. Cahill goes from saying “one may chalk it all up to coincidence” to saying “beneath the surface.. of each culture” is a desire for a messiah. I think his theorizing on such points is wonderful, but he sometimes make the points as though they are fact. This is where I think much of the difficulty comes with taking his books seriously as history.

In any case, the book explores one of the most thoughtful understandings and interpretations of Jesus life, words and ministry. And though it might chafe against “historical” rigor at times, it is Cahill’s speculative nature that gives his story about Jesus such vibrancy as to seem thrilling and alive. He seems to see both the minutia of how the street may have smelled while in the same paragraph understanding the grand themes of Jesus ministry. Here is an example that I found brilliant:

The division points to Jesus’s two audiences: the powerless, who need to be reminded that God loves them and will see to their ultimate triumph, and the powerful, who need to be goaded by the example of those who have abandoned their comfort for the sake of others. The purpose of the Gospel is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.[2]

The recognition of Jesus focus (in the beatitudes) to teach both the powerless and the powerful is beautiful. He restates this theme multiple times in the early section of the book:

JESUS KEEPS TWO AUDIENCES clearly in view: the poor and miserable; and those who, because they are neither poor nor miserable, have a religious obligation to stand in solidarity with those at the bottom of the sociopsychological heap.[3]

Cahill’s respect for the Jews is abundantly clear in this book, as he uses it as the precipice from which he believes Jesus extends his influence into civilization:

Western values of individual destiny, hope for the future, and justice for all began in the world of the Jews, the inventors of the West.[4]

There is far too much excellent content in Desire of the Everlasting Hills to summarize in this short report. Again, the authors insights into so much of the life and context of Jesus world is fascinating, informing and (it seems to me) tethered in some way to an underlying affinity or even belief in Christ and the message he brought. I have just three more things that stood out strongly in my reading of this book.

Reflecting back to my earlier concern that Cahill adds a layer of personal storytelling to his narrative of history, this particularly concerned me when he says of a section of the Gospel of John:

This entire passage sounds like the Synoptics and could easily be slipped into Luke’s Gospel at 21:38, where it would make a perfect fit. It was, in fact, excised from Luke, after which it floated around the Christian churches without a proper home, till some scribe squeezed it into a manuscript of John, where he thought it might best belong.[5]

There is strong evidence that Cahill’s view is correct, but again, his approach to simply stating this as fact without a hint of any other possibility lends an air of presumption to his attitude about history, at least from this readers perspective[6]. Be that as it may, his most powerful points in the book, dwarf such concerns. One major point he uncovers is the counter-narrative that Jesus brings (embedded within the monotheistic foundation of the Jews) to the world of the Greeks and Romans (and all other peoples to that point in history), where he says:

To understand the ancient Greeks and Romans we must be alert to the great gap that separates their views, and those of most people throughout history, from the opinions of our own time. They knew nothing of ideas such as would later be spoken in the Sermon on the Mount, and they would have regarded them as absurd if they had[7]

I won’t cite details for the brilliant point of Cahill’s where he explains that Jesus message was so powerful, that at tepid points of possible obliteration of the Christian faith, great followers of Jesus have self-sacrificed (in the manner of their Christ) to renew and endure the legacy (and community) of Jesus and his message.  At its close, Desire of the Everlasting Hills concludes with a blaze of glory, making an assertion that most people will be hard pressed to deny after the wonderful volume that has just been read. All of Cahill’s style, wit, and perceptive genius come to a head in his penultimate statement:

...whether we are Jew or Christian, believer or atheist, the figure of Jesus—as final Jewish prophet, as innocent and redeeming victim, as ideal human being—is threaded through our society and folded into our imagination in such a way that it cannot be excised. He is the mysterious ingredient that laces everything we taste, the standard by which all moral actions are finally judged.[8]

 Amazon Book Link: http://amzn.to/ynjhk3

Review by Kim Gentes

[1] Cahill, Thomas, “Desire of the Everlasting Hills: The World Before and After Jesus (Hinges of History)”. (New York, NY: Anchor Books 1999)., Kindle Edition, Location 960

[2] Ibid., Location 1154

[3] Ibid., Location 1242

[4] Ibid., Location 4500

[5] Ibid., Location 4121

[6] More than just my perspective, I contact 3 different scholars/bible teachers and asked them about Cahill’s statement. All agreed that it is reasonably sure that the “pericopae adulterae” was not originally in the John text, though theories on its origination and author were just that- theories. One scholar notes, “I do not think that most scholars have any idea where it came from. It is not unjohannine in style, but it is clearly not original in after John 7:52, for it breaks up a story. I would say that it is a story that God only knows where it came from, and which two groups of folk inserted in two different places.” (Dr. Peter H. Davids/2012). In other words- God only knows, not Cahill.

[7] Ibid., Location 4527

[8] Ibid., Location 4684

“The Gifts of the Jews” is the second book in the “the Hinges of History” series from Thomas Cahill. In many ways this book should probably be considered the first book, since it forms as its base the chronological beginnings for much of the other materials that come later in the series. The point of the book is simply to explore the narrative of the origins of Hebrew people, how the nation of Israel was formed and developed, and how that led to some of the most important philosophical, spiritual and intellectual advances across the globe and across history. Author Thomas Cahill is as unashamed of his admiration for the Jews and their narrative as he is about pointing to their faults and inconsistencies that he believes he finds in the story.  The Gifts of the Jews presents both and in doing so lends credibility to both his thesis and his manner of presenting it.

The author begins with the literal origins of civilization, exploring and articulating from ancient times how the Fertile Crescent of Mesopotamia progressed from the cradle of life to the launchpad for innovation and avarice. He shows how the original cities came into being in Sumer, examines one of the first written stories, “The Epic of Gilgamesh”, and details with imaginative freedom the temples, cult and ritual of the ancient Sumarians. In doing this, he creates the backdrop for the world in which appeared the nomadic Semitics, whom Cahill eventually identifies as the people from which Abraham (though he uses the technical translation of Avraham in his writing) comes.  Having set the stage well, The Gifts of the Jews begins with the story of Abraham, his family and the unique gift of faith that he represents. The author’s knowledge of world history helps to give us pointers on the many “firsts” that the Jews give us, including faith:

This God gives and takes beyond human reasoning or justification. Because his motives are not interpretable and his thoughts and actions are not foreseeable, anything—and everything—is possible. Many new things have already come into being as a result of this relationship, but faith most of all, which prior to Avraham had no place in religious feeling and imagination. Because all is possible, faith is possible, even necessary.[1]

From that point on, Cahill attributes the Jews with not only introducing the notion of faith, but time, individuality and even the concept of history itself:

Since time is no longer cyclical but one-way and irreversible, personal history is now possible and an individual life can have value.[2]

and

But the God of Avraham, Yitzhak, and Yaakov—no longer your typical ancient divinity, no longer the archetypal gesturer—is a real personality who has intervened in real history, changing its course and robbing it of predictability.[3]

finally:

The Israelites, by becoming the first people to live—psychologically—in real time, also became the first people to value the New and to welcome Surprise. In doing this, they radically subverted all other ancient worldviews[4]

Like all his books in this series, Cahill’s pithy writing is combined with an authentic ability to mine some meta-narrative truths. This one is a great example of such discovery:

Like Avraham, he never doubts the information of his senses—that this is really happening—only God’s lack of realism...[5]

I find this a particularly poignant note of the authors. Cahill is absolutely hit the nail on the head here, as anyone who has tried to follow YHWH knows. God seems to have a juxtaposed sense of “reasonableness” in almost anyone he calls to live with Him in relationship.  From Abraham to Joseph to David to the prophets to the disciples. Nothing significant is done by someone who is just “doing what makes sense”. While not other-worldly, YHWH asks men and women to dare to do things beyond themselves, knowing his spirit will be needed to actually do anything in “reality”. This point has never been made strong enough in the biblical teaching I’ve received or given. It is not as naive as heroism, but rather an unlinking of the desire to stay safe by trusting God fully. Sometimes in utter fear and trembling, but still obedient, knowing it the right thing to do, despite the serious threats to the contrary.

Cahill goes on to give the entire narrative (less than more) of the people of Israel, right up until the final exile of Judah and eventual restoration through the edict of Persian King Cyrus in 538 BC. In his retelling, the author points to the Jews as the originators of justice both personal and societal, through the introduction of the 10 Commandments[6]. He also acclaims Jews for being the inventors of leisure, or rest  from work, saying “No ancient society before the Jews had a day of rest.”[7] Cahill points to the story of David and the example of his triumph over Goliath as the ultimate story of hope for the weak and powerless. Speaking of David’s speech before slaying Goliath, he says:

This is a wonderful speech—and a wonderful moment in the history of Israel and of the human race—a resounding assertion that God is on the side of the small and powerless, not the high and mighty. This is a confrontation that has fixed itself permanently in human imagination; and who could count how many supposedly hopeless causes it has given strength and comfort to?[8]

Before retiring to the greatness of this book and author, I must lodge at least one essential objection. Cahill builds such a good rhythm between Hebrew scripture, historical context and plain good thinking that we can become anaesthetised to some of his flat out erroneous statements.  I will point out just one place in which he runs his ship into a gigantic rock of presumption and contradiction.

But even without resorting to modern scientific methodology or noticing what an inconsistent palimpsest the Hebrew Bible can be, we must reject certain parts of the Bible as unworthy of a God we would be willing to believe in. We read, for instance, in the Book of Joshua that God commanded the Israelites to put all Canaanites, even children, to the sword; and in the Psalms the poet regularly urges God to effect the brutal destruction of all the poet’s enemies. Though the people who wrote such words may have believed they were inspired by God, we cannot. ... But it remains true that there is no way of attributing mass carnage and vindictive slaughter to a God worth believing in. Even the fiercest believer among us must, I think, admit that these operations were the work of human beings who had wrongly convinced themselves that God was on their side.[9]

Cahill does not ask us to look at historical evidence, textual evidence or even possible modern scholarship that might put some source in question. No, instead, here he asks us to set aside the content of the text simply because he can’t believe in a God who would do such things. This is a tragic misstep for the author because he doesn’t make this kind of aberration of logic on such a major point in any other place in the book. While I can understand (and sympathise) with Cahill’s point (as can most people), we simply can’t accept our moral compass to be the judge of God’s judgments and character.  And, in fact, this goes against Cahill’s primary source of Hebrew distinction amongst all the other nations of the world - the “Voice”.  One of the author’s main thesis points is that the “Voice” that Avram follows is the great distinguishing source of reality that leads Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the patriarchs and all Israel into the discoveries and truths that Cahill lauds.  If the “Voice” that declared the Decalogue is the voice we must listen to, then the same voice cannot be ignored if he commands Abraham to sacrifice his son on the altar.  We can look in hindsight and parlay our thoughts and justifications against these actions which we find painful and in-congruent, but ultimately leaving out these truths (and they are truths spoken by the same voice) means we leave out the Mystery of the Voice, which history has shown us is as important as any knowing of the same Voice, perhaps even more so. If the Voice is God, then we surely are not, and we must not, drown out his words with our murmurings and justifications of a “God we’d like”. Cahill fails on his attempt to make YHWH into the God “he’d like”, and a sound review of his book would be remiss if this point was not brought up.

That said, with this book, as with the others in this series, there is so many poignant points we can scarcely give even the most important a mention. But towering over all of them are the twin points of individualism (including personal choice as a way of transforming the present and future) and the requirement of all people to gain a sense of conscience and justice, which must eventually lead to freedom. I will allow quotes from Cahill himself to summarize his book most aptly:

The Jews gave us the Outside and the Inside—our outlook and our inner life. We can hardly get up in the morning or cross the street without being Jewish. We dream Jewish dreams and hope Jewish hopes. Most of our best words, in fact—new, adventure, surprise; unique, individual, person, vocation; time, history, future; freedom, progress, spirit; faith, hope, justice—are the gifts of the Jews.[10]

and

Nor can we imagine the great liberation movements of modern history without reference to the Bible. Without the Bible we would never have known... Democracy, in contrast, grows directly out of the Israelite vision of individuals, subjects of value because they are images of God, each with a unique and personal destiny. There is no way that it could ever have been “self-evident that all men are created equal” without the intervention of the Jews.[11]

Amazon Book & Kindle Book Link : http://amzn.to/yQlCBr

Review by Kim Gentes

[1] Cahill, Thomas, “The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels (Hinges of History)”. (New York, NY: Random House 1998)., Kindle Edition, Page 93

[2] Ibid., Page 95

[3] Ibid., Page 98

[4] Ibid., Page 128

[5] Ibid., Page 107

[6] Ibid., Page 146, 156

[7] Ibid., Page 144

[8] Ibid., Page 180

[9] Ibid., Page 245-246

[10] Ibid., Page 240

[11] Ibid., Page 248