jjares reviewed on 3/9/2019 + 3559 more book reviews

Brent Landau translated this ancient text that was unearthed from the Vatican Library. The tale was written in ancient Syriac text, a language spoken by ancient Christians in the Middle East and Asia. It is always interesting to find new documents that show different visions of early Christian belief.

The one thing I did not like about the book was the use of black-and-white photographs of early Christian art related to the Maji and their trip. It was hard to see and appreciate the finer points of these early artists and their understanding of the story of the Maji.

One of the most significant values of this text in today's milieu is that this text shows that God's mercy is available to all. According to early Christians, if you did not believe what they believed, you were wrong. This text sees all revelation as coming from God; thus each person's unique experience of God can be valid.

Reading this text with one hand in the notes (at the end of the book) is critical for the first reading. Landau's analysis is fascinating reading -- I just wish there were more pages included. 4.5 stars

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