4Real Forums: "Jerusalem, Shining Still" ???

Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.

Active Topics || Favorites || Member List || Search || About Us || Help || Register || Login

Across Time and Place
4Real Forums : Across Time and Place

Topic: "Jerusalem, Shining Still" ???

Author

Message

<< Prev Topic | Next Topic >>

Stephanie_Q
Forum Pro

Joined: Aug 25 2007
Location: Nebraska
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 479

Posted: Nov 24 2009 at 10:04pm \| IP Logged

I found this book by Karla Kuskin / woodcut illustrations by David Frampton from our library bookstore.

From the inside flap, "This is the story of Jerusalem - a story that spans four thousand years of peace and war, invaders and conquerors, pilgrims and settlers..." "In spare rhythmic prose and simple verse Karla Kuskin unfolds Jerusalem's extraordinary history of survival."

The preface gets you to think about time...how long is four thousand years. It begins as a story someone is telling to another: "Sit beside me. The sky is getting lighter. The sun comes up behind that ridge. It puts gold on the crescents and stars of the mosques, gold on the crosses of the churches. It touches the Western Wall and turns the old enormous stones to pure white."

I'm trying to decide if it presents these three monotheistic religions fairly, though. I don't know much about history...I went to public school.

I'm not terribly comfortable with how the Christians are portrayed in the grand scheme of things and wanted to get some opinions here as to whether this is a good, though flawed book or if it seems too anti-Christian to you and there is another (better?) option for learning/presenting this info (eventually).

On page 11 we are presented with "...a man whose name was Jesus..." "He was killed by his enemies but his friends kept his ideas alive." Constantine comes rebuild the city because, "He thought it should be a Christian city to honor Jesus Christ who died there." The Persians kill the Christians then the Moslems conquer who, "...like the Christians and the Jews, thought that Jerusalem was a special place in the world, a holy city." Then there's the Fatimid Egyptians, the Seljuks from Turkey...

"And then the Crusaders came to conquer. They were Christian soldiers. That means they were followers of Jesus Christ. But Christ did not believe in killing, and the Crusaders did. They killed the Moslems and the Jews and ruled Jerusalem for eighty-seven years. During that time only Christians were allowed to live in the city."

Then Saladin comes along - "He was powerful but not cruel. He protected the Christians and allowed the Jews to return."

Towards the end you have "...Jews and Christians and Moslem Arabs lived in their own neighborhoods and worshipped in their holy places. When times were bad there was fighting between them, and when times were good there was peace."

I don't really mind too much that - from a historical perpective - Jesus is just another guy...that can easily be explained (there are a lot of people who don't believe that Jesus was God) but the whole thing about the Crusaders contrasted with how Saladin treats everyone...seems to be too much. What do you all think? I need to read up on the Crusades - I've avoided it because I don't know what books are going to tell me the truth. KWIM?

TIA for any thoughts you have on this...

__________________
Stephanie

dh 6.01
dd 6.02, dd 8.03, ds 3.05, ds 12.06 at Catholic school.
dd 12.09 at home.
Baby boy due 10.13

Paula in MN
Forum All-Star

Joined: Nov 25 2006
Location: Minnesota
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4064

Posted: Nov 25 2009 at 5:44am \| IP Logged

There are two reviews on amazon, but they don't really answer your questions. I will say that based on the asking price it looks like you scored at the library booksale! I ordered it from my library to take a look at it as it sounds very interesting!

__________________

Paula
A Catholic Harvest

If you wish to post a reply to this topic you must first login
If you are not already registered you must first register

[Add this topic to My Favorites]

Printable version

Forum Jump

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

Hosting and Support provided by theNetSmith.com