The Unseen Realm reviewed

The Unseen Realm talks about not an easy topic to wrap your mind around, especially if you’re being asked to remove 2,000 years of filters off your interpretive lenses.  The Unseen Realm was written for an academic audience, but many reviewers have commented on the clear and full treatment of the topic, making this title approachable for anyone.

Many of the early reviews praise Dr. Heiser’s ability to challenge the modern worldview by engaging with the perspective of the ancient Hebrew.

On Redeeming God, Jeremy Myers discusses the refreshing perspective Dr. Heiser brings to the table:

If you are like me, you might be a little tired of hearing about the supernatural realm, but this book was insightful and creative and helped me think through a few issues I have been wanting to study further for quite some time. For example, I think Heiser is exactly right about what it means for humans to be made in the image of God (Gen 1:26-27), and I really liked his discussion of the Nephilim in Genesis 6:1-4.

Tim Chaffey picks up where Myers left off by praising Heiser’s willingness to engage with the ancient perspective of the Hebrews:

The book also does a good job of helping readers learn about the ways the Israelites interacted with the people around them. Even those who penned Scripture were not afraid to use concepts and even the terminology from the surrounding pagan nations, although they often needed to redefine or refine the concepts to fit within Hebrew theology. Too many Western Christians, particularly from conservative backgrounds, avoid any possible linkage of the Scriptures with ancient Near Eastern writings. This is probably due to the abuse of this concept by the liberals who act as if the Hebrews borrowed everything from these cultures. I believe Heiser strikes a nice balance in this book.

Matt Dabbs loves the way Dr. Heiser connects the concepts in the book throughout the entire Bible:

This book is about the spiritual realm in the Bible and how various threads run from cover to cover connecting all sorts of things that I had no idea were connected. I was probably aware of about a quarter of the content of the book as far as exegesis goes…leaving me mostly unaware of his brilliant interpretation. But what was even more fantastic than all of the information that I was simply unaware of was the way he connected the concepts throughout the entire Bible.

Perhaps Justin Daniel said it best when he wrote, “This was the most thought provoking, thrilling, insightful book I have read all year.” He, too, was impressed with the accessibility of the book:

He systematically works through the Bible and each individual issue with such clarity that it appeals to both the layman and the seminarian as well as the pastor. The things that lie in this book will challenge you and for that I am grateful for reading it.

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Meetings at the well in Shrewsbury

Teignmouth from the coast path (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Shrewsbury Study & Serve Day, 13th September.

Speaker Bro. Paul Lucas, Teignmouth, on 'Meetings at the well'.

The day will include talks, billing and an insight into the work of Meal-a-Day. Start time 10 am at Shrewsbury Meeting Room.

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CSN Praise & Fellowship Day at Arden School, Solihull, on Saturday 11th October 2014

The old school building of Solihull School, West Midlands, England. A Grade II listed building by architect J. A. Chatwin, 1879-82. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

CSN Praise & Fellowship Day =€“ Hold the date, full details to follow

We warmly invite everyone to the Christadelphian Support Network Praise and Fellowship Day to be held, God willing, at Arden School, Station Road, Solihull, West Midlands B93 0PT on Saturday 11th October 2014, God willing.

Welcome and coffee from 10.30 for 11.00 and the day will conclude at 4.00 pm.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided so booking will be necessary, look out for the next announcement.

We hope you will be able to join us to share an enjoyable and enriching day together in worship and fellowship. 
The CSN Committee

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CBM Europe Open Day - 7th Nov

Subregions of Europe (The World Factbook) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

CBM Europe Open Day - 7th Nov (God Willing) 13:30 at Coventry Grosvenor Road Ecclesia.

All are warmly invited to this event arranged to discuss the work of the CBM in East and West Europe.

CBM will commence with a series of short presentations on practical ways which have been used to meet some of the challenges of preaching the truth in Europe. This will be followed by a panel discussion around these issues.

The last session will be a devotional talk led by Bro Peter Brown on the theme *Sanctification and the promised inheritance*, with the meeting concluding around 5:30pm.

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Nepal earthquake & Heritage Children charity

Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, Nepal (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Trustees of the Heritage Children charity really appreciate all the donations received from ecclesias, individual brothers and sisters, the Swanwick weekenders and the Samaritan Fund. 

So far over 40,000 pounds has been received and all will be used to benefit those in Nepal whose lives have been tragically disrupted by the earthquakes. 

Since the first, on 25th April, some 358 aftershocks have affected the valley of Kathmandu, many 4 or 5 on the Richter scale, so you can understand that our brothers and sisters, now numbering 110, are still fearful and disturbed.

At present two trustees are visiting Nepal to make an assessment of need as well as assessing the plight of those members who are in isolation in Dharan and Sitali, so that necessary help can be given. 

It is already clear from correspondence with Nepal that the psychological effects on the members and their children has been marked, and one sister has been admitted to hospital for treatment.

On the visit, we will convey the love of all who have donated generously to this appeal via HERITAGE CHILDREN, and assure our brothers and sisters that the thoughts and prayers of the brotherhood are with them. 

Your brother by grace
Peter Fry

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Edith Stein Leven aan Gods hand

Portrait of Edtih Stein on a stamp, Western Germany, 1983. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Chirurg dr. Ilse Kerremans stote op de figuur van Edith Stein toen een vriendin alles achter zich liet om zich volledig aan God te wijden in een slotklooster.

Op verzoek van de broeders van de Nederlandse Provincie van de Ongeschoeide Karmel bracht ze haar resultaten van verdieping omtrent Edith Stein en haar periode in Nederland.

Medianetwerk Plus wil de Vlaamse uitgevers en auteurs die in deze nichemarkt inspanningen doen extra ondersteunen en motiveren. Een onafhankelijke jury geleid door de rector van KU Leuven Rik Torfs en vicevoorzitter Mieke Van Hecke nomineerde voor elk van de categorieën ‘spirituele’ en ‘religieuze’ boeken drie boeken voor de prijs. Uit deze zes boeken kan u twee boeken aanduiden die volgens u de publieksprijs verdienen. U kan stemmen op één boek in elke categorie via een online stemming en zo meebepalen wie de publieksprijs wint.

Onder de deelnemers aan de stemming wordt een aantal boeken geschonken. De winnaars worden door loting bepaald. Per categorie kan maar één keer worden gestemd. De prijs kadert in de Maand van de spiritualiteit.

Breng nu uw stem uit.

>

Boek Dr. Ilse Kerremans over Edith Stein genomineerd voor prijs spiritueel boek

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Model Knesset in Sao Paulo, Brazil

via Twitter/@shemeshmicha

Sao Paulo, Brazil will be the location of an upcoming “Model Knesset” event on Sept. 6-7, hosted by the Jewish Agency for Israel.

According to JTA, the event will feature two days of mock votes and discussions meant to resemble the Israeli Knesset. 120 Jews and non-Jews are to simulate the work of the parliament in Jerusalem.

The exercise is meant to “get to know the complexities of social, religious, diplomatic and cultural issues in the State of Israel and the Middle East” and “experience the atmosphere in which decisions are taken” in the Jewish state.

Representatives will include Israeli Russians, Ethiopians, Haredi Orthodox Jews and secular Jews under age 26. Non-Jewish participants will consist of Arabs, Druze and Bedouins, according to a statement from CONIB, the umbrella group of Brazil’s Jewish communities.

Despite having volunteers of various backgrounds, no one will be able to choose which party they represent but instead priority in the selection process will go to those who register first.

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London school teaches three-year-old ultra-Orthodox Jewish children 'the non-Jews' are 'evil'

In a time were so much is done in Europe to have an intercultural exchange and to avoid discrimination between the many groups residing in our regions, in a North London Kindergarten the British three-year-olds have been told "the non-Jews" are “evil”.

We can not ignore the horror which was done to the Jewish race but to teach about the holocaust to toddlers is going very far and touching a subject they cannot comprehend.

At the Beis Rochel boys’ school in north London.

A whistle-blower, who wished to remain anonymous, has shown The Independent a worksheet given to boys aged three and four at the school. In it, children were asked to complete questions related to the holiday of 21 Kislev, observed by Satmer Jews as the day its founder and holy Rebbe, Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum, escaped the Nazis.

The document refers to Nazis only as “goyim” – a term for non-Jews some people argue is offensive.

Emily Green, who used to teach at the same Beis Rochel girls’ secondary school, now chairs the Gesher EU organisation which supports ultra-Orthodox Jews who want to leave the community.

"It's not uncommon to be taught non-Jewish people are evil in ultra-Orthodox Jewish schools. It is part of the prayers, teaching, their whole ethos,”

she said.
Describing it as a form of “indoctrination”, Ms Green added:

“Psychologically, you become so afraid of the world out there after being taught how dangerous and bad and evil non-Jews are, that it makes it harder to leave.”

A member of the Hasidic Jewish Community of Stamford Hill

> Three-year-old ultra-Orthodox Jewish children told 'the non-Jews' are 'evil' in worksheet produced by London school