Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This book's treatment of calendar issues is marvelously interesting, but I was constantly distracted and often offended by the author's all-too-evident contempt for people of faith. He proudly proclaims himself an atheist--OK, fine, lots of decent people are--but then asserts a superiority over us sots who do believe in God. For Christianity, Mr. Steele reserves a special animosity, and it affects his judgment and harms the veracity of his narrative. The mistakes and misinterpretations are too numerous to mention, but they include:
"The date of Easter stems in part from an original need to provide a full moon for pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem." [No, early Church fathers actually discouraged pilgrimages.]
He thinks "pope" is derived from "pontifex maximus."
"Until quite recently no festivities were supposed to occur on Christmas day." [Maybe in England]
Steele says Christianity and sun worship were intertwined because churches used to face east, toward the rising sun. [uh, no, it was symbolic; an early name for Christ is the Orient from on High]
Does not realize that about half the Orthodox Churches use the Gregorian calendar for most church events.
He invariably calls early Christians "Gentiles." [most, initially, were Jews]
"The single factor which has caused most controversy and division in the Christian religions...is the calculation of the date of Easter." [preposterous; has he never heard of the Reformation?]
Seems to think that the Great Council of Nicaea was called to resolve calendar issues. [no, it was to address the Arian heresy]
Mary was a "peripheral figure" in Christianity until the 10th century. [4th century councils defined her importance]
He describes Advent as a feast. [it's a fasting period]
Even on nonreligious matters, there are many mistakes that suggest a cavalier approach to scholarship. Steele thinks "degaussing" neutralizes the magnetic field on a ship [no, it compensates for it]. He asserts that the USSR imposed the same time within its borders [no, it had 11 time zones]. As an Australian, he can be forgiven for thinking that Thomas Jefferson wrote the Constitution. I just wish Steele had approached non-astonomical matters with the same care and respect he uses for his own field.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Marking Time: The Epic Quest to Invent the Perfect Calendar
Get 37% OFF
Click here for more information about Marking Time: The Epic Quest to Invent the Perfect Calendar
0 comments:
Post a Comment