Exploring Our Matrix: Monotheism and Me

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

University of Illinois Press has posted a short entry on their blog by me, on the subject of monotheism, in connection with my new book The Only True God.

10 comments:

Antonio Jerez said...: James,
I really look forward to get hold on your book. Has it already been published? If so I´ll see to it that our University library here in Göteborg orders it immediately. Hopefully I can read it when I get back from Turkey and Syria in about a months time.; June 9, 2009 4:05 PM
James F. McGrath said...: It is out now and copies are starting to be shipped, I just heard from the publisher. If you could get the library to get a copy, that would be fantastic!

I look forward to hearing more about your trip to Turkey and Syria - both places I'd love to visit.; June 9, 2009 5:57 PM
John Hobbins said...: James,

Congratulations! Should you be willing to ask the publisher to send me a copy for review, I will be happy to review it on my blog.; June 9, 2009 11:16 PM
Levi said...: i'm interested in picking it up as well, I just received your other book in the mail this week.; June 9, 2009 11:35 PM
Antonio Jerez said...: James,
I just ordered your latest book for our University library. Also "The burial of Jesus", while I was at it. It usually takes about a month or so before it gets shipped to us from America.
I am flying to Istanbul next sunday. Will stay there a few days with turkish friends and then I think I will take the bus nonstop straight to Aleppo in Syria. My plans are to roam around Syria for a couple of weeks (seeing places like Hama, Homs and Damascus). THen head back to Turkey to visit Urfa(= Edessa), Mardin and maybe Diarbakir. Finally lots of beach and partying on the coast in Alanya. As you see my intinerary includes much that was once part of the earliest Christian heartland.
I´m a big fan of Turkey and Syria. I´ve been there many times since I first went there in 1984. Specially Turkey. It´s like my third homeland (after Sweden and Spain). So much history, so much to see, such nice people and such great food. In Syria I´ll probably eat falafel morning, midday and evening. I love it. And it´s dirt cheap in Syria. And I can´t really wait for the day when I walk around again in the enormous covered bazaar in Aleppo. It´s really like being transported back to the time of a Thousand and one nights. Aleppo is also one of the not so numerous cities in the East where Christianity has survived in suubstantial numbers to this day. About 1/3 of the population is still Christian. Compare that to Edessa were a decade ago there supposedly survived only 1 !) very old Christian woman.; June 10, 2009 6:38 AM
James F. McGrath said...: Wow, sounds fantastic! Thanks for getting the library to order the books.

Have you ever popped across the Black Sea to Romania? I spent a few years living there (my wife is from Romania).; June 10, 2009 12:54 PM
Antonio Jerez said...: Actually the black sea coast is one of the few places I haven´t been to in Turkey. But I have been in Romania. Travelled through it by bus a couple of times (in the old bad communist days, and stayed a week on the black sea coast resort Mamaia a few years ago. For vacationing Turkey is my favourite country in Europe. Nothing beats it. And Istanbul is such a wonderful place to stroll around in. I always make my pilgrimage up to the fantastic mosque Suleymanye. It is even more impressive than Hagia Sophia. Another place worth a pilgrimage even for as atheist like me is the Ummayad mosque in Damascus. It is quite a spectacle to see shia muslims crying loudly at the tomb of John the baptist. And it is a great place to take a siesta in the summer heat - you can even take a nap on the carpets without problem.; June 10, 2009 3:07 PM
andrewbourne said...: Jim when is your book available in the UK and a question does your book interact with the work of Alan Segal and Margaret Barker. I would like to get hold of it if you do; June 11, 2009 1:54 AM
James F. McGrath said...: I'll see what I can find out about UK availability. I do interact with Margaret Barker's views somewhat (as part of a larger category of similar approaches), and Alan Segal in a whole chapter dedicated to "two powers".; June 11, 2009 9:16 AM
Dustin said...: Got my copy in the mail today! Starting it now (but sad for endnotes as opposed to footnotes - just like Dunn does them).

Dustin; June 15, 2009 10:08 AM