Holy Land?: Challenging Questions From The Biblical Landscape

by Andrew D. H. Mayes

Holy Land? draws us into the evocative landscape of the Holy Land itself. Sacred yet scarred, the lands of the Bible stimulate us to think about a range of issues that are both urgent and timeless. In Jerusalem, a veritable melting pot of cultures, we meditate on the question, What is home? At the River Jordan, where John the Baptist delivered his radical call to repentance and baptism, we ask, Who am I? In the cave of Christ's burial and resurrection in the Holy Sepulchre, we wonder, How can I face the darkness? Confronted by the vast desolation of the desert, we cry, Dare I be alone with God? And negotiating the obstacle-strewn Road to Emmaus, we consider, Am I ready for change? Holy Land? will benefit those preparing to undertake a physical pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and those seeking a spiritual resource to deepen the life of faith and discipleship.

156 pages, Paperback

First published November 18, 2011

Reviews

[Derek Winterburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

First the good parts - the author offers 12 chapters reflecting on aspects of Israel with particular regard to the land (the city, the river, the caves, the lakes...). He knows the terrain really well and writes in an evocative and detailed way that gives a real sense of place. His opening chapter about the Old City of Jerusalem is a bravura description of that intense and conflicted place.

Then Mayes tends to review how that aspect of the land connects with Bible stories and salvation history. Again his knowledge is comprehensive and well deployed.

But then (the bad part) each chapter is rounded off with 'spiritual thoughts' and questions for discussion. I can see how the material might be delivered in a quiet day or retreat setting - but to this reader (especially after the sharpness of the first parts of the chapters) it is diffuse, individualistic and pietistic. There are negligible examples of personal illustration or practical application. The realities of the first part of the chapters are treated primarily as something metaphorical to illuminate our interior life. "Ultimately the biblical landscape invites us to be explorers of the sacred spaces in our lives and in our own contexts." (page 135). I just don't think this is good enough.