Sociology of Early Palestinian Christianity by Gerd Theissen

Continuing in my endeavor to read books on Christianity, I have completed Gerd Theissen’s Sociology of Early Palestinian Christianity (originally published under the title The First Followers of Jesus). The book discusses the effects of the “Jesus movement” within both Judaic and Hellenistic societies. Not an easy subject to research or even to explain (as per Theissen: “there is hardly any literature which gives a thematic treatment of the sociology of earliest Palestinian Christianity” p.120), I of course did learn quite a bit from his analysis.


It was interesting to find that although the “Jesus movement” was first construed as a renewal movement within Judaism, it soon became clear that it was a separate religion. By analyzing the 3 roles of the “Jesus movement”— the wondering charismatics, their supporters in local communities, and the bearer of revelation—we see how each society was influenced (or not so much) by this “Jesus movement.” Theissen highlights that Judaism was undergoing an identity crisis, with various groups constantly arguing over the concept of “true Torah” and debates over “stricter interpretation of the Torah or laxer interpretation” (p.77). He hypothesizes that some of these renewal movements came about as a reaction against Hellenistic influences, thus intensifying norms. It is amidst the tensions of Judaic and Hellenistic societies that the “Jesus movement” emerged, eventually finding ground in Hellenistic society.

Although a mere 119 pages, this analysis is very dense and is by no means ‘a quick read’ (or at least it wasn’t for me?! and I say this having had religion classes as a kid in Brussels, having taken religion classes in college and acquiring my Bachelor’s, and having numerous religious books at home… go figure!). At the very least, one’s vocabulary is sure to be enriched following the completion of this book. Terms like apodeictic, eirenic, monistic, and Palestinian Jewish society abound and may leave you reaching for your dictionaries and religious texts on repeated occasions (as it did for me). Since various subjects in this analysis interest me, I am delighted that a bibliography of helpful works is provided to help us launch our own personal quest for answers, if we are so inclined.

Amazon.com link:

Sociology of Early Palestinian Christianity by Gerd Theissen

Blood Brothers - Elias Chacour

I recently read Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour. At first it surprised me that this book didn’t seem to pop up immediately on search engines when I’d browse this subject matter. I’d already created a list of books I’m dying to read, but this one I hadn’t really heard of. It was by chance that I found this copy at a new & used bookstore for $3 (gotta love it when that happens!)

After reading, perhaps now I understand why I hadn’t heard much of it. In comparison to a myriad of more recent books, this one may seem "dated," although of course it’s still a worthy read. The issue is still as relevant as ever, and Chacour’s story is truly a touching and unique Christian Palestinian experience. We can never have enough of those. It is also non-evangelical, which I enjoy.

His story covers the time span from 1947 to 1982, starting with the arrival of European Jews to Palestine--including Chacour’s very own town of Biram-- and concluding with the events of the Lebanese refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila. There is no mention of the 1979 Iranian Islamic revolution or of its influence throughout the Middle Eastern world, possibly because this influence took many years to manifest itself...

Chacour seems like a very honorable man who has done much to spread his wish for peace between Jews and Palestinians and who seems unmoved by personal or political gain. He studied in Paris and made connections throughout Europe, and was the first Palestinian to study at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He has encountered different lifestyles and people and has accepted in his heart what matters most to him, culminating in his return to the land of his birth.

He continues his work in the Galilee region of Israel and if there was any way I could, I would truly love to meet him in person (but I’m sure he’s the rather busy man…).

As always, I have other books lined up which I hope to read and deliberate on very soon.

Among them:

Sociology of Early Palestinian Christianity by Gerd Theissen

Palestine at the time of Christ by Henri Daniel-Rops

But these will come as soon as I conclude Orhan Pamuk’s “Snow,” in which I am completely engulfed and finding very hard to put down…

Truly I’d be lost without books! +

The Crusades Through Arab Eyes

The Crusades… Source of debate for most people of the Middle East.


For the purpose of this blog, my aim is to reflect upon the Christian experience of given events. True, it may be ironic that most of the accounts of the Crusades come to us through the Western Christian perspective already, but what about those “other” Christians? Oh yea, the ones in the Middle East, where the religion originated perhaps…?

There is a book on the subject which I deem highly informative and unique in its approach, for it describes the Crusades through the Saracens’ (Arabs’) perspective. The book does not concentrate on the religious differences between Middle Easterners of that time, but rather on their cultural similarities and shared views regarding the arriving Franks (Crusaders mostly from France) into their territories.

Perhaps it can be easy in the West to assume that the Crusaders were welcomed to the Holy Land and seen as “Christian brothers,” but the truth is that they were seen as barbarian invaders, plain and simple. And it seems that a lot of that had to do with cultural differences rather than religious affiliation. Some could say that the Christians, if not also the Jews, of the time had become “Arabized,” thus creating the gap between Eastern and Western Christians, but I think that the isolation of those worlds can be just as good a potential explanation. Communities were much more segregated and isolated in the Middle Ages which limited travel and encounters with those of far-off lands. It would make perfect sense for the Christians of the Middle East to feel more connected to their neighbors, whether Christian, Jewish or Muslim, than to these European foreigners even if they were “Christian” by definition.

No matter the chosen explanation, Amin Maalouf’s The Crusades Through Arab Eyes is a highly recommended read that is sure to both enlighten and entertain. As a lover of history, I personally would have read this book no matter its length or writing style, but I can pleasantly say for those who are not particularly history-inclined that this book is rather concise (293 pages) and written in such easily-absorbed language that you may find this very hard to put down. Plenty of action, alliances and betrayals on all sides…
men killing men as history has repeatedly shown.

The least I want to do is examine at least 2 sides of the story. +

Amazon.com link to purchase, read reviews, etc.:

The Crusades Through Arab Eyes - Amin Maalouf