Mount and Mountain, Volume One: A Reverend and a Rabbi Talk about the Ten Commandments (Volume 1)

by Michael Smith, Rami M. Shapiro

A reverend and a rabbi start a blog… (stop us if you’ve heard this one before). As it happens, not long ago Baptist minister Michael Smith and Jewish rabbi Rami M. Shapiro actually did initiate the blog conversation “Mount and Mountain.” The blog recorded a long-running dialogue between Mike and Rami in which the pair interpreted, argued about, and interrogated two key texts drawn from the canons of their respective the Ten Commandments from the Torah, and the Sermon on the Mount from the Gospel of St. Matthew. This book, focused on the Ten Commandments, represents the first half of that dialogue. In Mount and Mountain, Volume One , Mike and Rami discuss the nature of divinity, the power of faith, and the necessity of doubt. From the beauty of myth and story to the achievements, failings, and future of religion, above all they both wrestle with the struggle to live ethically and in harmony with the way of God. Reading along, we are invited to take part, to add our own voices and experience to the task of interpretation, and to craft our own meanings from the text of Exodus. And if, as readers, we take that text in our own directions, we move toward a richer understanding not only of Scripture but also of God and godliness.

144 pages, Paperback

First published March 11, 2012

About the author

There is more than one Michael Smith in the database.

Pastor.

Reviews

[Brandie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book as a part of my Sunday School class because Dr. Mike is our Senior Pastor. I speak as a reader and not a member of congregation when I say this book is lovely! Not only does it give insight into two very similar and yet different religions, it shows the beauty in the differences. I found myself agreeing more with the Rabbi at times and it was a breath of fresh air to find myself this way. I definitely recommend this book to anyone wishing to gain insight into our commandments, but also to anyone wanting a lovely read in the Christian/Jewish realm.