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35+ Works 767 Membros 6 Reviews

About the Author

Paula Gooder is currently the Chancellor of St. Paul's Cathedral in London, a visiting lecturer at King's College, and travels throughout North America and Europe leading workshops and inspiring Christians to deepen and express their faith in new ways.

Includes the name: Paula Gooder

Obras de Paula Gooder

Phoebe: A Story (2018) 83 cópias
Heaven (2011) 43 cópias
Women and Men in Scripture and the Church (2013) — Editor — 16 cópias

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You have to ask yourself when you are reading a beginners guide to the bible.....Where is the author coming from? After all, the bible is held out by many different religions as being the inspired word of god. So it's not just your ordinary piece of pulp fiction. And Paula Gooder doesn't come through as a totally impartial observer or commentator. She is the Canon theologian at Salisbury Cathedralin the UK. However, that being said, I think she has done a pretty good job of being reasonably objective. And if there is bias it is probably in what is omitted rather than what is included. She doesn't give much attention to the various books that were in wide circulation prior to AD 400 when the current canon were more or less settled. I think she also gives a bit too much weight to the idea that the "best books" were selected by a kind of Darwinian evolution (or god driven guidance) to end up as the current canon. (See Lost Christianities by Bart Ehrman). And, It is quite possible, that another sort of Christianity might have emerged as the dominant form if some of the books had not been forcibly suppressed...and if Augustine of Hippo had not been able to marshal the full force of the Roman forces behind his interpretation of Christianity. We might have had a version where Christ was not god but a good man. And we might have had a version where there was a good god and a bad god.
One thing that Gooder has done rather well is develop an historical summary of where the various books of the bible fit into contemporary history and the various genres of books such as Law, history, worship (Psalms) prophecy, wisdom teaching, apocalyptic, gospels letters, sermons. She also does rather well in drawing attention to the various forms of the Hebrew Bible, and the various versions of the bible that include or exclude the Apocrypha, and other books. Also, in drawing attention to the problems of translation with Mary being translated as either a "young woman" or a "virgin"....with massive consequences for how Mary might be treated by the various religions.
I must say, that I often wondered why the King James version of the bible simply sounded better (to my ear) that many of the modern translations. Was it because, I had grown up with it and learned passages by heart...or was it something intrinsic. Gooder points out that the it was designed to be read out aloud and so the translators sat about reading to each other and picking the version that sounded the best. They even used archaic words at the time if it sounded good. (So such words are truly archaic today).
I was surprised that she does not speculate very much (if at all) about who actually penned most of the old testament. I have read suggestions that is was women (maybe several women ) who put together the texts after the exile in Babylon or during it. This might not be so unusual as, in Japan, the Tales of the Genji" were written by women...who were educated and had time on their hands.
Anyway, bottom line is that Gooder has done a fairly good job (in keeping with her name) of presenting a reasonably introduction for beginners to the bible. I might try and get my son to read it (the bible) as it is such an important book in our culture and history...but it's a bit hard to slug your way through Leviticus or Numbers. I give it three stars.
… (mais)
 
Marcado
booktsunami | Oct 31, 2019 |


This book examines what heaven is, and Paula Gooder applies her considerable scholarship to understanding the biblical idea of heaven. She draws on biblical, deutero-canonical books and the rabbinic literature in her survey of the subject, concluding with an examination of what an understanding of heaven means for Christians in the here-and-now. As usual with Paula Gooder, it is written in an easy-to-read style, bringing great scholarship into the everyday world. A must-read for any Christian who thinks we will spend eternity in a disembodied heavenly existence.… (mais)
 
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gwhittick | 1 outra resenha | Jun 25, 2015 |
Such a useful study guide which can be adapted for parish group use. Sound scholarship.
 
Marcado
dhamid | May 30, 2013 |
NCLA Review: Heaven is big right now. With top-selling titles like Rob Bell’s LOVE WINS, Todd Burpo’s HEAVEN IS FOR REAL, and evangelical pastor Randy Alcorn’s HEAVEN and numerous related volumes, people are surrounded with guides on what to expect of heaven, eye-witness accounts of what it was like for a few who claim to have been there, and in some cases refutations that heaven exists at all. A calm voice among the controversy is Paula Gooder in Heaven, a slim volume that describes its goal as “to give an introduction to the vast subject of heaven in the Bible.” In chapters such as “In the beginning . . . heaven and earth”, “From heaven to earth: angelic messengers”, and 7 more, Gooder delves into the Biblical presentation of heaven, explaining concepts in the context of their time, helping us understand the Greek and Hebrew roots of some of the important terms in Scripture, and showing parallels and differences between heavenly visions as recorded in the Bible. Though clearly written for laypersons, this is a serious work. It is not a light read but is a worthwhile one. The book is carefully annotated and contains a bibliography for further reading, as well as indexes to the content. Recommended for most church libraries. Rating: 3 – KLF… (mais)
 
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ncla | 1 outra resenha | Mar 13, 2012 |

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Obras
35
Also by
1
Membros
767
Popularidade
#33,179
Avaliação
½ 3.6
Resenhas
6
ISBNs
83
Idiomas
2

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