The Discovery of God
Abraham and the Birth of Monotheism
-
- $4.99
-
- $4.99
Publisher Description
Fifty-three percent of the world’s population practices Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, religions that all trace their lineage to the towering, quasi-mythological figure of Abraham. In this reverent biography of the man who invented–or discovered–God, David Klinghoffer disentangles history from myth and uncovers the profound impact of Abraham’s message on his time and on the development of the modern world.
The Discovery of God chronicles Abraham’s life from his birth in Mesopotamia through his travels as preacher and missionary throughout the Middle East. Many of the primary sites of Abraham’s life and career still exist, and Klinghoffer describes what they were like in ancient times and how they appear today. The tangible details of the polytheistic culture are re-created, showing how Abraham challenged the most basic beliefs of his contemporaries. He did not set out to establish the Jewish religion, but rather to spread the message of ethical monotheism as it was revealed to him–a powerful message that deepened over time, as did his faith and relationship with God.
In contrast to many scholars who, troubled by its contradictions and apparent errors, see the Bible as the work of a series of scribes and editors, Klinghoffer argues that the Bible should be viewed as an esoteric text that an only be comprehended in light of the oral tradition from which it emanated. Combining rigorous scholarship and interpretive ingenuity, he draws on biblical commentary and the Jewish oral tradition as preserved by sages from the Talmudic scholars to Maimonidies to explore and explain the miraculous origins of monotheism.
At a time when the world seems to moving toward a renewed confrontation between the three great Abrahamic faiths, The Discovery of God is a potent reminder of the history and beliefs that unite them.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Klinghoffer, author of The Lord Will Gather Me In and formerly the literary editor of the National Review, gathers abundant material from the oral traditions surrounding Abraham to weave a rich and colorful history of Israel's first patriarch. In order to draw a complete picture of Abraham's life, Klinghoffer relies on the Talmudic stories as well as the tales of the medieval rabbis, like Maimonides, to trace Abraham's life from his birth in Mesopotamia to his burial in Machpelah. Born into a time of spiritual revolution, Abraham gradually recognized his calling as a prophet of God who would challenge the polytheistic religions of Mesopotamia and try to convert followers to the monotheism he had discovered. Using the biblical story (Genesis 12 25) to structure his book, Klinghoffer narrates the major events in Abraham's life the births of Ishmael and Isaac, the near-sacrifice of Isaac, the betrayal of Lot, the births of Jacob and Esau to provide insights into the ways that Abraham maintained his monotheistic faith even when God seemed to make unreasonable commands. Klinghoffer maintains that we cannot do without Abraham as a historical figure because Abraham tells us so much about the God he discovers. A master storyteller, Klinghoffer provides a fast-paced and engrossing account of the life of the man who fathered the three major Western religions.
