Excerpts from Three Reviews from the March 13 Issue of PW
by Staff, Religion BookLine -- Publishers Weekly, 3/1/2006
On Buddha Essence: A Commentary on Rangjung Dorje's Treatise
Khenchen Thrangu. Shambhala, $16.95 paper (240p) ISBN 1-59030-276-1
Thrangu, a teacher of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, comments on a 231-line treatise written in the early 14th century by Rangjung Dorge, third in the line of karmapas, spiritual leaders of the Kagyu tradition. This treatise is important for understanding the development of Tibetan Mahamudra teachings, which resemble Zen Buddhism in their emphasis on emptiness, the true nature of mind, and the importance of meditation in coming to realize emptiness. It's tough sledding, and definitely not for beginners. It helps to be unintimidated by key Sanskrit terms, although a lengthy glossary is in back and ready. The treatise is short and affords a view of the Buddhist scripture and tradition that informs contemporary practice. (July 11)
The Oxford Guide to the Book of Common Prayer
Edited by Charles Hefling and Cynthia Shattuck. Oxford, $45 (640p) ISBN 0-19-529756-0
This new reference work, edited by Boston College professor Hefling and Church Publishing v-p Shattuck, traces the many revisions that the Anglican Book of Common Prayer has undergone, and examines the sundry versions of the prayerbook used in different countries. Gillian Varcoe argues that varied liturgies for weddings show how Anglicans in different times and places responded to culturally specific pressures and changing social understandings about marriage. Throughout, the contributors underscore that "Anglicans do their theology in the context of worship." Given the current energy swirling around the concept of a worldwide Anglican communion, and the West's increased attention to churches in the southern hemisphere, the essays on prayerbooks in Africa and Asia are especially welcome. Concluding pieces hazard some guesses—sometimes a tad whimsically—about the future of common prayer. This rich volume is sure to become the definitive source for studies of the Book of Common Prayer. (June)
The Sacred Embrace of Jesus and Mary: The Sexual Mystery at the Heart of the Christian Tradition
Jean-Yves LeLoup. Inner Traditions, $14.95 (160p) ISBN 1-59477-101-4
Practiced and thorough with his extrapolation of the sacred texts, Leloup addresses the current debate about the relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Far from the popular fictional depictions of this relationship, Leloup approaches the topics of love and sexuality with a lifetime of study, from the ancient Hebrew and Greek texts through the Christian gnostic gospels, before addressing the specifics of the relationship of Jesus and Mary. Leloup spends as much time dissecting the textual attitudes regarding sexual relations as he does examining the contextual sexuality of Jesus and the parameters of his relationship with Mary. This thoughtful and detailed discussion has a more academic tone than some of his other books and may seem daunting to some readers, but fans of Leloup and true seekers of the meaning of love, the holiness of sexuality and the deeper aspects of the relationship between Jesus and Mary won't be disappointed. (May)
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