For the first time in a single volume, Kenneth Woodward presents both the familiar and more obscure miracle stories of the great saints, sages, and spiritual masters of Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam — and explains their meaning in the context of the sacred scriptures of each tradition. The Book of Miracles charts a journey from ancient to modern — from the Prophet Muhammad’s healing of the sick and the workings of Moses, Elijah, and Elisha to those of the Lubavitcher rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson and the female Hindu sat guru Ammachi. In bringing together stories of the Talmudic wonder-workers, the first Christian hermits, early Sufi mystics, Muslim ascetics and martyrs, and the most revered Hindu and Buddhist saints, Woodward illuminates both the striking similarities and significant differences in each tradition’s understanding of the miraculous.

Publishers Weekly

Longtime Newsweek religion writer Woodward (Making Saints) has written a study of miracles that doubles as a primer in world religions. He contends that miracles are found in all the major religions, and that one cannot understand or “fully appreciate” any of the religions without some acquaintance with their miracle traditions. Woodward spends a little too much time reminding his readers that his question is not whether the miracles actually happened, but what they mean–savvy readers will realize by the second paragraph that Woodward has no interest in proving whether or not Jesus walked on water. The book’s freshest and most arresting section appears near the end; after discussing the miraculous acts of the Baal Shem Tov and Muhammad, the author turns his attention to modern-day miracles, arguing that “what makes modern miracles modern is that they tend to be experienced as private rather than public events.” In contrast to that innovative claim, the treatments of Jesus and Co. seem a bit prosaic. In fact, while Woodward’s forays into kabbalistic wonders, the loaves and fishes and the miraculous exploits of Krishna are entertaining, the book’s real strength is not Woodward’s investigation of miracles and miracle workers, but his careful and sympathetic introduction to Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism. (Apr.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

Publish Date : 2001-07-10