01/16/2006 2:15 PM
Posted by T-Rex

Psychobible by Andrei Favorrazi

This is a non-fiction treat. Dr. Favorrazi thorougly explores the religious texts--both apocrypha and canon--that inform our modern Bible, be it Catholic, Greek Orthodox, or Protestant. He then examines several modern social issues that share roots in religious dogma and heresy. The tone is balanced, and the style while scholarly, is infinitely readable. Whether you regard the Bible as the divine Word of God, as interesting history/philosophy, or simply are aware that there is this book called the Bible, the sheer range of research will shed at times frightening light on this powerful book's effects on all our lives.

I particulary enjoyed the thorough examination of each of the books of the Bible. Favorrazi traces the ancient stories of the original Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament for Christians) from their roots in even older Mesopotamian cultures to their adoption as singularly Hebraic stories to the forms they took during the Babylonian conquest of Isreal, the forms in which we mainly know them. The histories are examined and compared with secular history, and the prophets are interpreted within the context of their original time period, as opposed to the Christian Era. With the New Testament, Favorrazi once again traces the origins of each book, many of which are newer than most Christians would like to admit, and he debunks widely held myths about the authorship of the four Gospels and Revelation. Paul's role in writing Christian doctrine is considered both historically and politically, and those books that have long been assigned to his authorship are examined for internal inconsistencies (which abound), and personal motivations (of which there are many.)

The "psycho" part of the book encompasses the latter two thirds of the text, and traces the effects of this jumbled collection of history, prohecy, and philosophy on individuals and society at large. Favorrazi is a reknowned social psychologist (Bodies Under Seige), and his observations are based on years of clinical study. Whether you accept his hypotheses of how the Bible has shaped our society, most often to its detriment, or not, his arguments are sound in their logic, research, and historical accuracy. Altogether, a challenging, enlightening, and very worthwhile book.