Good Books
Have any of you ever read the Kingdom and the Crown series (Fishers of Men, Come Unto Me, Behold the Man) by Gerald Lund?
Our Enrichment book club read the first two volumes for January and February so I had to finish out the series on my own (instead of reading the next book club book.)
The series follows the ministry of Christ through the eyes of two fictional families. If you have read other Lund books, you will recognize his style of characterization (There always seems to be a happy, teenage girl, who has the gift of faith and never doubts in each novel. They have different names in each series they all seem to be the same little sister.) Because one of the main characters is a renegade, the plot lines are more violent and peppered with battles and skirmishes than you might expect in a series about Christ.
The best aspect of this series is the insight it adds to the settings and situations of the four Gospels. The characters spend time thoughout the series on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and you get a good feeling for how things were situated as Christ cleanses the Temple, is challenged by Jewish leaders with the woman taken in adultery, or proclaims at the Feast of Tabernacles that he is the Living Water and Light of the World.
Most of the characters live in Galilee, where Christ spent most of his early ministry, so you are shown what it might have been like for Jesus to teach and bless among the people. What would it be like to see miracles in the lives of people that you know?
Studying the New Testamant in Sunday School has never been so enjoyable for me. I look forward to my time each night in the Gospels. I love what these books have added to my experience of the scriptures.
Our Enrichment book club read the first two volumes for January and February so I had to finish out the series on my own (instead of reading the next book club book.)
The series follows the ministry of Christ through the eyes of two fictional families. If you have read other Lund books, you will recognize his style of characterization (There always seems to be a happy, teenage girl, who has the gift of faith and never doubts in each novel. They have different names in each series they all seem to be the same little sister.) Because one of the main characters is a renegade, the plot lines are more violent and peppered with battles and skirmishes than you might expect in a series about Christ.
The best aspect of this series is the insight it adds to the settings and situations of the four Gospels. The characters spend time thoughout the series on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and you get a good feeling for how things were situated as Christ cleanses the Temple, is challenged by Jewish leaders with the woman taken in adultery, or proclaims at the Feast of Tabernacles that he is the Living Water and Light of the World.
Most of the characters live in Galilee, where Christ spent most of his early ministry, so you are shown what it might have been like for Jesus to teach and bless among the people. What would it be like to see miracles in the lives of people that you know?
Studying the New Testamant in Sunday School has never been so enjoyable for me. I look forward to my time each night in the Gospels. I love what these books have added to my experience of the scriptures.
posted by Froga-lee at
10:12 PM
5 Comments:
Nope, I haven't read those ones. But I'll add those to my "to read" list. I just finished reading Spindle's End (again) by Robin McKinley. It's a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairytale, but totally different than you'd ever imagine!
By
B, at 8:52 PM
I like how those type of books, even though they are fiction help you to enjoy the scripture/history more.
By
Taffy, at 10:09 PM
I haven't read Gerald Lund, but I've read some of Orson Scott Card's historical fiction, and it makes the people more real, it suggests motivation (we may know WHAT people did, but usually not WHY) and best of all it makes me think.
By
Mark, at 8:33 PM
I listened to the Fishers of Men book on tape, and it was really cool to understand the scripture stories in a more real way, even if it was fiction. Just like Mark said, I enjoy how stories like these (esp. Card's) help me understand some possible why's. My favorites from Card are Stone Tables and Sarah. I do get more meaning when I read the "real" scriptures then. (sorry so long comment)
By
Trick, at 10:17 PM
Thanks for suggesting these books! I just finished Fishers, and will be starting Come Unto Me this week! It is neat to get a better feel for the culture, setting and how things may have been at the time Christ was ministering in Galilee.
By
B, at 2:37 PM
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